Oh, oh what are you waiting for?

I am currently in my MTH 235 (Diff EQ) lecture and we are discussing the problems with our latest exam. It's not that this class is difficult by any means, the majority of us just believe we could be taught effectively in a different way than we are now.

Side note: 239 people are enrolled in this class, and only 60 are here.

We use WebWork.com for our homework which is very similar to Chemistry OWLs and Physics Lon-Capa. So we all know that it's a little bit of a pain to use, especially when the homework is due in the AM hours. But when it comes to the exams, they are written completely different and seem much more difficult to conquer within a small hour. Sigh, this is frustrating.

This weekend should make up for it though, since it's HALLOWEEN!! :D

Bonne chance!

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to wish everyone good luck this week on their midterms and other various papers, presentations, projects, etc. I have a few exams to study for still, so this shan't be a long post.

MSU Spartan Football is 8-0!!! And #5 in the Nation!! How excited are you to be a Spartan fan?

I lost my voice this weekend from a compound of multiple occasions. There were two hockey games (one a tie, one a win!) and I also went to the dance club on Saturday, so my voice is completely shot. It was all well worth it though, I can promise you that. :]

Halloween is this weekend!! What is everyone going to be this year? When I finish my costume, I will promise to upload photos.

Well, it's late and I still have laundry to do. Bon soir!

The evening star is shining bright, so make a wish and hold on tight.

- "Down in New Orleans (Prologue)" , The Princess and the Frog

If there's anything that intrigues me more than life itself, it's space. If I wasn't going to become a biologically based engineer for practicality reasons, I would totally be going for a degree in astrophysics and astronomy. Since I was little, I have gazed at star patterns, comets, planets, lunar eclipses, etc., and it simply never gets old. The Perseus Meteor Shower in early August is probably my favorite time of the year because it is possible to see an average of 5-60 shooting stars per hour, plus it's warm enough to lay outside in the grass all night. Unfortunately, I live in a heavily light polluted area, so my experience with star gazing is nothing like it could be if I travelled farther north.

The reason I bring this up is because of a few articles I've found on Yahoo.

The first regards a galaxy astronomers have recently discovered that is claimed to be the oldest ever to be found. You can access this article here. It is absolutely amazing that we continuously discover celestial bodies that further expand our knowledge of the universe, which in retrospect is infinitesimally tiny.

There was also an Earth-like planet called 'Goldilocks' discovered in a neighboring galaxy. It's not too big or too small; not too far or too close to its dominant star; not too hot and not too cold. Wouldn't it make this planet just right for similar organisms to exist? It's crazy to think about this, especially because it's something we've questioned since the dawn of time: are we alone?

What do you think about this?

I'm lovin' cloud nine, my head's in the sky.

- "Ridin' Solo", Jason Derulo

It is Monday morning, and I am in a fantastic mood. :]

Why is this you might ask? I'm not exactly sure, but I had a great weekend. I think I got a total of ten hours of sleep since Thursday night, but it was well worth it. 

I woke up early Friday morning to go to work, then went to class, then home to finish the rest of my Calculus homework before the hockey game. I had quite a bit left to finish, but then my professor emailed us to tell us that the due date had been extended by two days! I went to the MSU hockey game in a great mood and enjoyed spending the night with my hockey-obsessed friends. I started some of the cheers in the student section again which always gets the fans pumped up. The Spartans ended up winning a 3-2 game against the Black Bears of Maine! Also, the team's captain and assistants signed autographs after the game: Torey Krug (C), Dustin Gazely (A), and Trevor Nill (A).

I bought one of the posters before the game for them to sign instead of the general poster. :p

I went to bed as soon as I got home from the game and woke up two hours later to go to work. My partner, Stacie, and I ended up watching three disney movies before the sun rose, then we listened the the MSU drumline rehearse about 20 ft from the car. They simply amaze me. After having three of my good friends and my brother play snare for years, I have learned to appreciate the work and dedication it takes to be a true percussionist. We were stationed at Dem Hall Rd. and Chesnut, so I got to see some of my marching band friends before they went to the field to practice. One of the color guard's dads offered us breakfast too, it was so nice of him! For the rest of our shift, it was gorgeous outside, so we decided to pull out my iPod speakers and sit on the hood of the car and watch the tailgaters go by. I ended up going to the game also to watch another AMAZING Spartan victory! I must admit though, the best part was seeing Gerard Butler there, especially when he asked us what our profession is! :D

Since Gerard Butler was a major topic of discussion all weekend long, my friends and I decided to watch  "300" after the game. I had never seen it before then, but I can tell you that I will definitely watch it again! :] The Red Wings were also playing that night, so my favorite hockey fan came over to watch the game with me, and we won in overtime! I also received a surprise visit from my one of my high school friends who attends Michigan (yeah, I know) who I haven't seen in about two years! It was so great to see her, and I discovered that she plays Quidditch for UoM so I will be facing her on November 7 when we travel to a tournament down south! :]

Finally having slept in on Sunday, I lounged around for a bit then went to Quidditch practice for two hours. It's awesome not having to think about homework for two hours, and to be able to run around with people staring at you like you're crazy. :] After that, I came back to my dorm, did a little bit of homework then utilized one of my favorite on-campus MSU opportunities by going to see "Despicable Me" at Wilson! I had never seen it before, but it was so cute, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys animated movies. 

After this eventful, yet relaxing, weekend, I am ready to start this next busy week (it's midterms!) with a good attitude. 

Ciao for now!

Crime and Punishment.

I would like to precede this post by offering I do not wish to frighten anyone, but there has been a rising cause for concern around campus since school has started.

The crime rate has increased at a steady and unsettling amount since last year. There have been several thefts and attempts reported, and it's only a month and a half into the academic year. The newspaper accounts and emails from the MSU security departments disclose this information to their students, but the students are the ones that must take action to prevent the reports from becoming commonplace.

These are things that our parents tell us over and over again, "Be safe! Be aware! Be cautious!" But what they tell us is perfectly true. Lock your doors at night before you shut off the lights, or if you're going to nap, or even if you're simply using the restroom. Be aware of your surroundings, especially if the area is dimly lit or not very populated. Do not go somewhere alone without telling another person where you intend on going, or simply do not venture out alone in murky areas.

To tell you the truth, I carry a whistle on me, attached to my lanyard and keys, just in case. I have never had to use, nor do I ever hope to, but it is always with me in case I get into any sort of trouble. I have been ridiculed for it, but that does not change my decision or persuade me to remove it from my person.

It all seems foolish and overprotective to most people, but in the end, it will save your skin.

Just be smart, and use your head.

I’m flyin' on the pitch as I catch the snitch!

- "Midd Kid" , The Allen Jokers

What a weekend this was for MSU! Hockey, Football, and Quidditch all in a span of three days? Yes!

The exhibition hockey game was interesting to say the least. The student leader from last year will not be able to attend hockey games this year, so it has been expected of myself and a few others to lead the student section in chants, heckles, and cheers. I never thought that I had a loud voice until that game when i led one of the goalie heckling chants. It was rather exhilarating to be in control of the what the ENTIRE student body was saying in Munn Ice Arena. I am very excited for the season to start!

Jess, Nichole, Chelsea, Krystina, and I before the game! 

[Creds. Chelsea Goddard]

Obviously, the next day was going to be just, if not more, enthralling. I bought one of the shirts that said "Maize: Not An F'ing Color Since 1817" and wore just it for the occasion. The first quarter was a nail-biter, and once Michigan scored the first field goal, I knew we had to get pumped up and come back. Which we did! I'm very happy with how far our team has come since last year, especially with all of the negative media and health problems we've had to overcome. I must say, I am PROUD to be a Spartan!

Now Quidditch, this is MY sport. I joined one of the club teams last year (we were called the Ministry of Magic) and it has since evolved from there. A few of my friends and I decided we wanted to build a collegiate team that would play other schools in the Midwest, so we held tryouts early in the Spring semester and have been training since then. 

I feel like I should back up a little. Quidditch, how do you PLAY Quidditch, you may ask? Well, the simplest description I can give is that we run around on broomsticks whipping deflated balls at each other and through homemade hoops. People are simply astounded by this, and I answer them like it's no big deal. Now if you're not a part of this generation or you are simply not a Harry Potter fan, feel free to skip the next paragraph as I explain the basic outline of the game.

There are seven positions: one keeper, two beaters (that's me!), three chasers, and one seeker. There are three hoops and the goal is to throw the quaffle (a deflated volleyball) through one of the hoops to score ten points for your team. The snitch, on the other hand, obviously cannot be a magically flying golden ball, so we have ingeniously replaced it with a cross country runner! Yes, they volunteer for this job too. Dressed in all yellow or gold, he or she runs around a certain square area of campus and does everything in their power not to get caught. The first seeker to "catch" the snitch receives thirty five points for his or her team, and the game is ended there. 

This past weekend, MSU held the Fall Spartan Spectacular where we hosted Quidditch teams from Oberlin College, Eastern Michigan University, Bowling Green State, and the "Double Rainbows" (due to issues with the college, I am not allowed to outrightly name the school.) There were thirteen regular games played, and one championship in the end. The weather was absolutely PERFECT for Quidditch playing, and MSU won every game that day, INCLUDING the championship! :D It was just so much fun to meet people from other schools who are just as nerdy as we are. 

The five attending schools!

Did I mention we're going to the Quidditch World Cup in New York City this November? Yep, we really are.

To see more photos, try this website.

Have any questions, or want to join? Just ask! :D

We will be victorious!

"They will not force us.

They will stop degrading us.

They will not control us.

We will be victorious!"

- "Uprising", Muse

It's a magnificent day to be a Spartan. For the third year running, the Michigan State University football team has conquered the school "down south" on both home and away turf (yeah, that wasn't just a fluke last year). It was a pretty good game to watch on television also, though I wish I had been in Ann Arbor today. Now all we need to do is defeat the UoM basketball and hockey teams, particularly at the Big Chill at the Big House, the rest of the year and we're good to go!

I have a feeling that many of my posts will end with this, but..

GO GREEN! GO WHITE!

Just make sure you are looking out for number one.

- "Unnatural Selection" , Muse

I went to the Career Gallery at the Breslin today.

To be perfectly honest, it was rather intimidating. There were so many diligent, classy students there, all ready to sell themselves to as many employers as possible.

It was a formal affair, so men were dressed up in suits, coats and dress shoes, and women wore pencil skirts, jackets, and pumps. Unfortunately, I did not bring my nice clothes with me to school, so I wore pinstripe pants, a simple yet elegant blouse, and a pair of old navy flip flops. Many of my professors had been stressing the importance of the Gallery over the past several weeks, but I had never imagined it being quite to this magnitude.

Not only was the arena filled to the brim with potential employers, but the concourse was packed as well. There were many name brand companies there including GM, General Mills, DTE Energy, IBM, PepsiCo, Shell Oil Company, Nestle USA Inc, and even Starbucks Coffee Company. It is a great opportunity for all students to browse companies for summer internships, future job opportunities, or simply just to network and get their name "out there." While most majors are accepted toward co-ops and interships in each individual company, my major is one of the most difficult to coordinate with companies like these. Many of them cater to mechanical, electrical, computer, or chemical engineering, none of which I am studying. Though, I was able to hand out a few of my resumes, and many employers encourage their candidates to apply online. So there is still hope.

Overall, I am very happy to have strolled around the Breslin in my not-so-fancy clothes looking like a frightened pigeon. It was an eye-opening experience; it exemplified and reinforced my idea of competition in the work place, and it also gave me new insight and motivation in pursuing my degree. Biosystems Engineering, for the win!

Buanotte a tutti. (Italian for "Goodnight, all" in case you were wondering.)

Contact Information

I realized that it is not very easy to get a hold of my contact information, so here it is:

Email -  School: klumpaer@msu.edu
Email - Personal: liivelaughhlovve@yahoo.com
Web address: www.facebook.com/liivelaughhlovve

If you have any questions or comments just let me know! :]

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life.

- "Feeling Good" ,  Anthony Newley