The Finite

Ochem is going okay. We learned that polycyclic aromatic compounds in 18th century soot caused almost all adolescent chimney sweeps to get cancer. It’s a lot harder to sing along to Mary Poppins now.

We got our third organic chem exams back today. Reactions were a little more dramatic than last time. I heard someone crying hysterically in the back and a lot of people were on phones, reassuring loved ones. I got a B.

The lecture hall has a wireless microphone/loudspeaker setup that is quite necessary in such a large hall. The professor would wear the mike necklace (although I’ve also seen it worn as a brooch) which is quite adequate to pick up their voice. The microphone is really sensitive though. So even the slightest breeze is audibly turned into distant thunder. Or, as happened today, during Ochem lecture, the professor’s breathing would keep being amplified, giving the lesson a Vader-esque quality.

Which would suck. I mean, think about it: your professor being Darth Vader.

Prof Vader: I assure you, there are no ring alkynes *inhale* due to the angle strain on the triple bond.
Student: But what if you had an carbocation intermediate…?
Prof Vader: I find your lack of faith disturbing…
Student: *chokes*

Christmas is in the air. One of the rooms down the hall had a full-sized decked out Christmas tree installed right between the beds. Tinsel and glass ornaments and lights. Honestly, I think it’s a bad idea. I’m not anti-Christmas or anti-consumerism. I just wouldn’t want to roll out of bed and be horribly lacerated by pine needles or throttled by tinsel.

The Grille is no exception. Recently our milkshake flavor of the week was Peppermint, which if, like me, you don’t know, that’s candy cane-flavored. In a nice touch, there were bits of candy cane crushed and sprinkled on top of the whipped cream. It looks very nice on paper and once it’s made. But as soon as I ate one, I realized that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Because the candy cane bits are actual crushed-up candy cane shards. I was sipping on the shake when all of a sudden, a shard jammed up the bottom of the straw. I intensified my efforts until finally, the shard shot up into the roof of my mouth and I sputtered and yelped conspicuously.

I never like candy cane anyway.