I live in PERL

I woke up at 7:30am and made my way to SFU yesterday morning. I don't know if I should feel happy or sad that I was the only person on the 145 bus heading up to school. Who goes to school at 9:30 in the morning four days after Christmas? I do. Our lab is running a new treatment study, and I'm one of the people in charge of training our research assistants how to run participants through one portion of the study. So I went in early yesterday to be trained myself. I love being the first person in the lab. Everything is quiet and I usually set my things down and just head over to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. When I used to work Sunday mornings by myself, I actually take the water boiling machine from the kitchen so I don't have to leave the observation room. I actually don't need to be in the lab as much anymore because a large portion of my work can be taken home and now that I've learned about accessing our lab file space through FTP things are even more convenient! However, I do feel most productive during those early mornings in the lab with my cup of tea.

I'm starting a new job, by the way. I'm getting trained to be an ABA therapist or Behavioral Interventionist.

Catching up

Term papers, finals, and getting ready for the holiday season was hectic this year! I haven't been able to post at all. Well, I have been posting... but smaller posts here and there on my Tumblr account (http://genuinelypassionately.tumblr.com/) instead of here. Unfortunately I can't seem to find an application for Blogger for my phone. The only way I can post through my Blackberry is by emailing to blogger... which I have to say I'm somewhat weirded out by. Tumblr, on the other hand had an application which lets me posts things a lot easier. People who know me will know that I'm someone who ACTUALLY uses a blackberry to write her term papers while travelling. Having a Tumlbr account lets me blog things almost immediately in a super convenient way. It allows me to add blogging to my list of things I can do while I'm transitioning between things. So here's what I now plan to do: I'll post short and sweet little posts on Tumblr and then elaborate more on the posts here on blogger. 

Final grades this semester just raised my CGPA by another .1! I'm slightly disappointed. I did really well on three courses and even got 109% as a final grade for one but I didn't perform so well in my online course. I really hate online courses. If I can avoid them, I would. Unfortunately for me, more than 70% of my gerontology minor's courses are only offered online. Warning: ranting in this section. That being said, the professor was also really unfair in that he never provided constructive feed back, tested us on things he never even taught us or were in the reading r,  and "VERY WELL DONE" only deserves 78%. The course was an upper division course with only 20 students but yet the grades were put on a normal bell curve. In all the upper division courses I have ever taken in my undergraduate courses, I have never had a professor who felt that doing this was fair. A higher level of work is already expected in upper division courses, grades land mostly in the A range because of all the previous hurdles that we had to pass to get to that upper division course in the first place. Scaling grades in a class of 20 people who are already performing very well academically means that only something like 6 out of a class of 20 A range students can get A grades and so forth. Does this sound fair to anyone? Scaling grades so everybody does worse.  Instead of having a grade that reflected my level of mastery, my grade reflects how other people did in the class... not only that, the difference between how well other people did and how well I did is so small that the professor had to give out marks that differ in the hundreths position. Have you ever received a 20.78 or 25.64 on anything before? The most I've seen profs do is give out quarter marks like 20.75 or something, and that's in my lower division courses. This grading scheme was completely ridiculous! Being a student who is working to pull their CGPA back on from screwing up royally in first year, I like to actually receive reasonable grades that I deserve and not some grade that satisfies a f*cking gaussian curve because "the department says this is what's statistically normal." This prof and the people who force departmental grade scaling needs to take a stats refresher. Statistically normal usually only occurs in a SAMPLE OF INFINITY and will probably not occur in sample of 20. Idiots. End of rant. 

Read about my Christmas holiday on my tumblr! I had to do most of my blogging through my phone during lineups at the shopping mall and bus rides because I was out all the time. 

Association of Cognitive and Behavior Therapy Conference

Good bye snowy Vancouver! Hello hopefully sunny San Francisco!

Statistics.

The last week has been super busy and so I haven't posted until now.

On Monday, I had a statistics assignment due and because the SPSS on my home computer was not working, I couldn't do my analysis until Monday morning... an hour before the assignment was due. Panic pretty much kicked in once I stepped into the computer lab and I was getting frustrated because I can't do this simple analysis that I've done a million times before. The numbers on the screen meant nothing to me. I ended up having to ask for an extension because I just couldn't wrap my head around the assignment.

Yesterday, after my statistics class, I was working on another statistics assignment. Fortunately, I was on a roll this time and so I knew exactly what I needed to do and how to do it. Around 12:30 my tummy grumbled and so I looked into my bag only to remember that I did not pack a lunch. The closest place I can purchase food is a good 10 minutes away and at 12:30 the lines would be long too. I looked at the assignment in front of me, and my tummy grumbled again. Statistics vs. food...  statistics win. I ended up buying a pizza pretzel on my way home at 3:30.

On a happy note, I'm leaving for the ABCT Convention tomorrow morning! Sunny California, here I come!

Nov 11

The university is closed today for remembrance day. The buses and halls are practically empty but that doesn't necessarily mean that my lab is empty. In fact, it just feels like another day in the lab. My brother and I both woke up at 7 and left the house at 8, but for completely different reasons. He serves in the canadian Forces and so he has to be in a Remembrance Day ceremony. I had to go to my lab because I was expecting a participant and I have a meeting there later on in the day. You know you've been integrated into my lab when you actually don't mind, if not prefer, working there on holidays, weekends and even in the wee hours of the morning. My participant today was scheduled for 10am, but I always prefer getting to the lab an hour early to settle in and set up. The guy today has already stood me up last week and so i called him last night to make sure he's coming. Unfortunately, I got stood up again. I was pretty upset because he promised he'll be here. He didn't call until 3:00pm to tell us he can't make it. Thanks buddy... You could've called 5 hours ago. I worked on my stats homework for a while but my brain just isn't working with me and so I just constructed the F-ratios, did some power calculations, ran my data through SPSS  and left it at that.

One of the other research assistants came in later and told me about a shoe sample sale and so I decided to check it out as I'm leaving campus. Half a warehouse full of size 6 shoes!! I was in shoe heaven. My normally heavy bag became light in comparison to the basket of shoes I was carrying. I had to empty it out several times but still ended up having two full baskets by the time my boyfriend came to get me. He took one look at my baskets and said, "honey, you realize you'll have to narrow it down right?" I ended up buying 2 pairs of super cute flats and a pair of heels, BUT THERE IS MORE! The shoe sale was buy 1 get one free!! So, I ended up getting 6 pairs of shoes, a pair of flip flops for next summer, 4 pairs of flats and a pair of heels. I had some Buyer's remorse afterwards but it was well worth my money.


It took me a long time to post this one because I actually wrote half of it on the way to the shoe sale and completely left my mind once I stepped into the warehouse, but there you have it. My Remembrance Day in a nutshell.

Course Registration

            Course registration for the spring started 2 days ago. Today was my turn to register, I'm not complaining because it's a really decent registration date, but I really hate all the preparation and mental work that I have to put into this day. It's unnecessary stress. Every year during Christmas, I take a look at all the courses being offered for the next 3 semesters and plan out which courses I need and want to take. That sounds about right, right? Unfortunately, the university does not like to encourage planning because every time when it comes to my turn to register my plans always fall through. I think out of my 4 years in University, I only had one successful registration where I was able to register according to my plan. 

             Back in the day in my first couple of years in university, not being able to register in my classes was because I'm taking courses ahead of my year (ex. taking second year courses in my first year) and have a later registration date compared to second and third year students who are also registering for second year courses. I guess the university doesn't like to encourage keeners either. Now that I'm in fourth year, my headaches are no longer because I can't get into a class. In fact, I open up my registration browser and every single course being offered is still open with tons of seats available. What bothers me now is my university decides to schedule all the courses I need and want to take in the same time slots. I hate registration day. I'm sure it's been a nightmare in every undergraduate student's career at one point. I ended up only being able to register for 3 courses instead of my usual 5:

- Couples Research and Therapy

- Health and Illness in Later Life

- Asia-Canada Identities: Experiences and Perspectives

             I am considering doing a directed studies project under my lab professor, so we'll see what happens. I'm also hoping I can get into the Applied Gerontology course. I just need the "research methods" course waived which would probably be possible considering I've taken something like 8 courses in research methods already. If I do get into that course, I'll probably drop Asia-Canada identities and take it another semester because it sounds REALLY interesting. Wish me luck!

  

The Hunt for a Perfect Coat and Heater.... + Test results!

 Shopping

            Christmas is pretty much here! The mall I work in has already built Santa's Castle and put up all the decorations. My store is playing Christmas music already and I'm already loading my Frank Sinatra Christmas Album into my iPod. For once, I'm not all "scrooge-y" and "bah-humbug" about Christmas coming in November. I even kind of want to put up my Christmas tree this weekend. The unfortunate part is that La Nina (aka super cold snowy winter) is coming this year. Having no body fat also means that you have no insulation which REALLY sucks when you live in the "True North". Unfortunately, I hate the cold because my body tends to clam up and get major cramps when Vancouver winters start. The old injuries in my wrist, knees, and ankles from cheerleading are already getting painful from the cold. Thus the hunt for a heater, a REAL good winter coat, warm scarves, hats, and mittens begins. There are a lot of cute mittens, hats, scarves and even earmuffs in stores this year, but for some reason I can't seem to find the perfect coat and the perfect heater.

The Coat:  



Requirements:
brown/beige/camel
knee length
wool coat
has toggles

           I've been looking through every physical and online store that delivers to Vancouver. Sadly, all the cute toggle coats that I have come across only come in black, gray and navy! Like this one! Isn't it cute? Aside from the colour availability everything else fits the requirements!



The Heater:
           Again, I've been searching through Canadian Tire, London Drugs, Home Depot, Rona, and any other store that sells fans and heaters looking for THE Heater. My boyfriend recently brought me one that heats, humidifies and purifies from Walmart, but it doesn't have the fan only option that I want so badly. Why? because the fans in my house are massive and stored in the garage. Which means, every winter I have to carry my fan up two flights of stairs to the garage and then carry my heater back down, and vice versa in the summer.

Requirements:
Heats (thermostat, auto-off, more than 1 heat option)
Humidifies and purifies the air
Fan Only option

You would think some technical genius would have already created something with these functions, because it only makes sense, and be widely selling it in North America... but no. On the other hand, the Asians have done it (I love the space saving mindset of my race)! This baby is called the Fujitronic 5-in-1 Whirl Wind-Air Cooler/Heater/Fan/Humidifer/Ionic Air Purifier! It costs $119 for this thing, I'll take it! The problem is, I don't know where to find it in Vancouver. I need to thoroughly search Richmond and Crystal Mall for this excellent piece of technology before the chill kicks in.

Test Results!!!

            One of the current classes I'm enrolled in right now has 15 minute bi-weekly tests. It also comes with an awesome policy: as long as you achieve 50% on your test you are allowed to rewrite BUT your rewrite score replaces your original score no matter what. I haven't lost a mark so far in this class, but when the grades were released for the second test last week, I found out I got 12/14! Imagine my HORROR! Anyways, I decided to rewrite this test so I can maintain my perfect streak. I was actually debating whether I should or not during the course of the day because I was feeling super lazy and wanted to go home earlier, and I also felt like a neurotic freak for feeling miserable over losing 2 marks. The keener got the best of me, and I decided that I cannot live knowing that I can quite possibly get 100% in this course if I rewrite the test. Unfortunately, the same Thursday I decided to rewrite my test on, we had another test last Thursday. I probably lost 3 marks on because I panicked and blanked out for 5 minutes and only wrote one sentence for the last question, so I guess I'll be rewriting that one as well. The point of all this? Grades for my test 2 rewrite was released! My perfect streak stays!!!


Side note: I just realized I formatted this post in APA style... geeeeky!!!!

Today I don't feel like doing ANYTHINGGGG

The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

Today I don't feel like doing anything /  I just wanna lay in my bed 

Don't feel like picking up my phone / So leave a message at the tone 
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

I'm gonna kick my feet up and stare at the fan 
Turn the TV on / Throw my hand in my pants 
Nobodys gon' tell me I can't 

I'll be lying on the couch just chillin in my snuggie 
Click to MTV so they can teach me how to dougie 
Cus in my castle I'm the freakin man / Oh Oh 

Yes I said it / I said it / I said it cus I can 

Today I don't feel like doing anything /  I just wanna lay in my bed 
Don't feel like picking up my phone / So leave a message at the tone 
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

Nothing at all / Woohoo ooh / Woohoo ooh hooh ooh ooh / Nothing at all 

Woohoo ooh  Woohoo ooh hooh ooh ooh 

Tomorrow I'll wake up do some P90X  Meet a really nice girl have some really nice sex 
And she's gonna sream out 'this is great' (Oh my god, this is great) / Yeaaah 

I might mess around and get my college degree 
I bet my old mam would be so proud of me 
But sorry paps you'll just have to wait / Oh Oh 

Yes I said it / I said it / I said it cus I can 

Today I don't feel like doing anything /  I just wanna lay in my bed 
Don't feel like picking up my phone / So leave a message at the tone 
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

No I ain't gonna comb my hair 
Cus I ain't going anywhere 
No No No No No No No No No / Oh

I'll just strut in my birthday suit  / And let everything hang loose 
YeahYeahYeahYeahYeah... / Ohh ohh 

Today I don't feel like doing anything /  I just wanna lay in my bed 
Don't feel like picking up my phone / So leave a message at the tone 
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

Nothing at all / Woohoo ooh / Woohoo ooh hooh ooh ooh / Nothing at all 
Woohoo ooh / Woohoo ooh hooh ooh ooh / Nothing at all

             Unfortunately, I had a 9 paged case study due at 11:55 pm... listening to this song didn't really help motivate me much. I'm better of sticking to classical music when I'm writing or studying. The funny thing is, in the final minutes before handing in my assignment I was intensely editing which broke me out into a massive sweat... this is really weird considering how I never sweat when it's hot or when I exercise... I only sweat when my coach makes us do intense conditioning or when I do this really hardcore leg workout: Mels Hell. Anyways, I will start actually blogging more when I finish this blitz week of assignments =)

Introduction

What my paperwork labels me as...

A 4th year Undergraduate student,

Majoring in Psychology,

Minoring in Counselling and Human Development,

Minoring in Gerontology,

Currently in "good academic standing",

On the Dean's Honour Roll 2009-2010,

A Research Assistant in a Personality and Emotion Research Lab.

Who I really am...

I'm an undergraduate student who basically lives at school for most of the week.  I get stressed out over my grades a lot because I'm trying to repair the damage from "exploring my choices" in my first and second year of academia which basically destroyed my CGPA. I have an unfortunate (yet incredibly supportive) boyfriend,  who basically gets dragged through my academic career with me.  Like most girls my age, I love fashion, makeup, and other girly things. I'm formerly a collegiate cheerleader, but recently forced myself to retire because of my workload. 

Why I'm here...

In fifth grade, I had a dream. I wanted to become a clinical psychologist. 10+ years later, my dreams are still the same. So here I am working towards graduating with first class honours and hoping to get into a great clinical psychology program after graduating.