Although I'm reading (that's Britspeak for "majoring in" / "studying") Mathematics and Computer Science, I only have some of the lectures the Maths students have and some of the lectures the CompSci students have. So while both my Maths and my CompSci collegues had lectures this morning, I didn't have my first lecture until four o'clock PM for no reason whatsoever. It's good to be Maths and CompSci :D
I spent some time working on a GeomLab project during the day. I also hung out with some CompSci students (two of whom live on my staircase) and tried to do the homework they were working on, not having much else to do. It was very difficult, since I didn't attend the lecture for it. It's really weird to think that soon, both the Maths and the CompSci students will know things that I will never know. But then, it occurs to me how gaining knowledge for the sake of being knowledgable is like always working out or getting repeated plastic surgery for the sake of being beautiful. The knowledge I gain here at Oxford isn't useful beyond its potential usefulness, and that additional superlative knowledge that I pick up will disappear when I'm gone. Best make the most of what we're given, as opposed to doing pointless things with it. Plus, I'll be learning more than either one of the pure studies individually anyhow.
It rained all day. I don't know why I'm including this in this post, exactly, because this is England. That's what happens; get over it.
I attended an Intro to University Mathematics lecture at 4:00, my very first lecture at Oxford. I learned about the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on. It was fascinating. I've never heard about such numbers before. I was so surprised to hear of their existence. I daresay I would even characterize myself as - dare I even begin to suggest such a dizzying prospect - amazed. To even consider that I'd been blundering about - through kindergarten, preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, even some classes at the local community college - and never - no, not even once - ever even dreamed in my wildest, most fantastical of visions of such great paradigms as numerical values such as "ateeen," and "for-thurdy," and even such mathematically perplexing monstrosities as "ziro"...why, even the very considering of them would've been - totally, absolutely, horrifically, and unconditionally, maddeningly forbiddingly - absurd. If you had told me about these natural numbers the other day I would have laughed and branded you a mad man. And then killed you. With a cheery smile on my ignorant countenance.
In all seriousness, though, I enjoyed the lecture. It was easy, I like defining things I already understand, and I finally got a proper definition of basic mathematical induction. And no homework!
I walked back and I remembered that I hadn't signed up for either informal hall or formal hall. At Oxford, you have to sign up online for a spot at dinners, so that the cooking people know how much food to prepare for each. So on the walk back to Oriel College, I spent over an hour tracking down some eating utensils to prepare the chicken I'd bought the other day. You would not believe how hard it is to find cooking utensils in Oxford. No matter where I went, no matter how far I walked, no matter how much the rain poured down on my head, the stores I frequented always had one thing: no cooking utensils. Finally I found them at a student store and went to my dorm room.
I spent a good deal of time marinating some raw chicken fillets with some black pepper and garlic in a small college kitchen with a recipe and method taught to me by the veteran Middle Eastern food expert Ms. Rose Khouri (my older sister). FINALLY, after maybe five or six hours spent the past few days gathering everything I needed, I was able to enjoy a simple, delicious, homemade meal. It tasted amazing.
If this meal looks appealing to you, consider following my sister's food blog. She's an excellent cook. I'll try to add a link as soon as she sends me one.
Best cooking I've ever done in my life. Now I am a man!
I think I prepared too much food, though, even though I skipped breakfast today to sleep, because after I finished I wanted to take a nap on the couch.
...But instead, I played some Brawl with friends. The Amazing Social Game. Shame that as soon as things start picking up, we probably won't be able to play as often.
First day of college classes = done! Hope your first days were all as tasty and violent (but in a video-gamey sort of way) as mine!
Most stuffedly,
John Khouri, Manly Master Chef
P.S. Since the guy above me is also named John and is in CompSci, we've been trying to figure out a nickname for one of us. We've been trying out the name Jay for me, like the letter "J---," and like Jay Gatsby, who apparently was also "an Oxford man." - The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
No comments:
Post a Comment