What I Have Learned So Far This Semester

It seems like each new semester of grad school teaches me something new. This semester has been exciting with all the new discoveries I have been making.
First, I have discovered that I really, really like my new Mac. Who knew I was an Apple person? Let me introduce you to Marty, my newest companion.

Jimmy and Marty. The two steadiest men in my life.

I've also learned that grad school has reversed my eating habits. I now eat like a stereotypical undergrad which I never did while I was actually an undergrad. I now consider corn chips, salsa, and V8 as an excellent source of vegetables beat out only by french fries. Not to mention, pizza. Pizza is a wonderful food invention. Whoever the inventor was should receive a noble prize. Don't worry, Mom, if you're reading this. I do eat some somewhat healthy things but I also eat things that fit into a budget of a grad student. Like the following items:

Apple Nachos. They are like the best study snack ever and you can make them with tons of different toppings.

How do you make a grilled ham and cheese sandwich better? You add a fried egg in the middle and make it a breakfast grilled cheese!

And another one of my personal favorites, fried hot dogs and scrambled eggs. It sounds super weird but they actually complement each other.

In terms of my studies, I've learned that I'm really good at radio and nuclear chemistry but terrible at quantum mechanics. I love my studies but I miss my books! I miss reading for fun! Actually I miss having free time! Life should get a little less hectic after this school year when I'm finally done with classes and just doing research.
Ah! The joys of grad school! Don't worry I really do love it! How else would I get to play with cool things like Gammasphere and nuclear reactors? I recently was able to tour the research reactor on campus and was able to run it! How exciting is that?!? I was supervised the entire time, don't worry. But I was also able to take some pictures while I was there!

The reactor is painted in UMD's colors. One thing you learn quickly at UMD is that they have a ton of school spirit.

This is the core of the reactor with the lights on. There is over 6000 gallons of borated water surrounding the core to shield us from radiation.

This is the core with the lights off. The glow you see is the Cherenkov radiation. Cherenkov radiation is to beta decay like what a sonic boom is to sound waves. Basically there are electrons moving faster than the speed of light in water, so they have to slow down. And to slow down, they have to release energy. This energy release comes off as the awesome blue glow you see in the above picture.

And the last thing I have learned about myself this semester is that I am definitely a Harker. You take me to a sporting event like say a UMD college football game, and I get very, very loud. Like shock all of your new classmates that you went with loud. I yell at the players and at the referees. If any of you have been to a sporting event with my dad or grandpa Gordon, you will understand where I learned this. Don't worry I'm not as loud as my dad. Although I'm probably pretty close.
It's exciting to go to a school where our football team wins more games than they lose!

I went to several games this year, but I only remembered to take pictures when I went to the game against Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, we were soundly beaten in this game.

Go Terps!

I'm excited to see what else I discover this next semester besides the fact that I could really use a haircut according to that last picture. I think I'm prepared for whatever grad school sends my way. Bring it on, grad school. Bring it on.