Shanghai World Expo 2010

I quite wish I had the luxury to visit the Shanghai world expo. It would be the most amazing thing ever. But, most unfortunately, I can't.

My CCTV9 channel has been missing recently, replaced by CaribVision, a pointless channel with stuff I care nothing about. It must've returned late last night or this morning because it still wasn't there yesterday. And, I missed the expo's opening ceremony.

I hope I can get another chance to see it. From what I see on the news, it looks like it was superb! Many of my favourite artists and musicians performed and I'm sure everything else was simply wonderful. The Chinese know how to put on excellent shows. Few things capture my attention the way Chinese performances do.

An opportunity to visit the Shanghai expo (and I must say, it certainly won't be for Barbados) would be one of the most amazing things I could ask for. Travel into Shanghai is difficult at this point. I can only imagine what it would be like to visit. My friend in Wuhan will be going this summer...I'm a little envious!

Here comes another Nokia

The Nokia N97, the N97 mini, the N900 and, now, the N8.

Nokia introduces a new touchscreen baby in the N-series, the Nokia N8. This one, unlike my N97 mini, has a capacitive touchscreen and no slide out keyboard. It's about the size of the Nokia N97. I could deal with the width but it's a little thick for my liking. It comes in different colours (which would vary by region, of course).

If I were to get one of these, I'd take it in blue.

Sneak peak at the N8. The question: What will you do with it?

My answer: certainly not freestyle with it.

To be honest, I just thought this video was adorable.

This phone has gone high-def with an HDMI-output, HD videos, a 12 MP camera and 16 GB internal memory and up to a 32 GB MicroSD to hold it all in. A 12 MP camera phone? My oh my. I'm quite happy with my 5 MP. It takes such exceptional photos that no one would believe was taken with a cellphone. The size doesn't matter so much to me as the quality, and 5 MP is enough size for me.

Maemo 5 and Symbian S60 5th generation run on the N900 and N97/N97 mini respectively. What runs on the N8? Symbian 3 - Nokia's first Symbian 3-based phone to come out.

It's aesthetically pleasing, to my eyes at least. If I didn't have my N97 mini, would I buy this phone instead? I probably wouldn't. I like having a physical keyboard separate from the screen. Given the choice, I would have chosen the N97 mini anyways.

When is this little one releasing? I have no idea, but would you get it?

Understand?

Some parents just don't get it. Studying isn't as simple as just...studying. It takes a lot of mental effort to be able to repeatedly read and retain vast amounts of information.

The more active the brain is, the more energy it uses. We become mentally exhausted, take breaks, eat and nap in order to replenish our energy reserves. Then to psych ourselves up to repeat the cycle over and over until exams are over.

It can be so hard to readjust your thinking processes from relaxed to memory and recall. Reading is more than just looking at a page and seeing the words. It's analysis of the words we look at and the sentences they create to come to an understanding of what is being said in the sentence, paragraph or chapter.

Once I get started with studying, I can seriously go on for awhile, take some bathroom breaks and some naps and get right back to it. But once the flow is disrupted by, say, a phone call from a parent telling me to do this, that and the other, I'm completely knocked off my axis and cannot possibly continue. Having to perform other actions that I have to psych my mind up to then to go back to studying right after? Difficult. I'm busy, let me concentrate. When I bother my Mom when she's busy, she bites my head off. I express a little frustration because I'm busy, she gives me a lecture about how I should just do what she asks and stop complaining (I don't actually complain, I merely grunt).

It's not fair to be busted like that just because I'm not the one who pays the bills and makes the money. I can't do it yet, duh. I just wish parents could be so much more understanding of how not-s0-simple studying is. It's more than merely reading a few books and making a few notes. So many mental processes are conducted that we can't even imagine.

Study Sleep Study

In just about 9.5 days I'll be setting my Neuroscience II examination. Until then, it's study study study! With some sleep thrown in there somewhere.

Everyday I'll study something different and, if all goes well, I'll have finished all the major topics by Monday so that I can spend the last few days before my exam reviewing. Lots to study though, so I'm hoping for such a result.

So, I'll be spending my days on campus (except for the two public holidays we'll be having this week + Sunday) studying my brain away. I've been allowed to study in the lecture theatre since it's no longer in use and couldn't possibly be used as an examination room. It's perfect and cold and comfortable. I love being able to use my own building. =)

Everyone's out and out with their books. Everyone looks like a nerd. People are studying wherever they can on campus. If I didn't have the Medical Sciences building, I'd be in the Law Library because it's the quieter of the two on campus. The main library is a noisy little buzz of a place because they actually tolerate moderate noise. I can only imagine how full it must be.

In the gazebo behind the Medical Sciences building, these three have found a peaceful haven to study in. =)

That Time Again

It's that time of the semester. When teaching comes to an end and everything comes to a close, the semester draws to it's final days: examinations.

These are the days that arrive twice an academic year for most people. The days every student dreads. The days every student looks forward to seeing the end of. Once these days have gone, vacation is upon us. And who doesn't love vacation? Some of you will be finishing your studies and moving into a new era of your life: work.

Examinations at my university begin this week and run to the 12th of May. This semester, I have just one single final exam: Neuroscience 2; a dreadful 9-credit course whose exam is set to run for 3 hours. This shall be conducted May 6th, after which I will proceed to enjoy the much needed vacation time.

This summer will be a somewhat shortened one, having a summer semester which begins June 21st and runs till August 20th. I'll have 2 weeks of pure vacation to enjoy before the next semester begins. During this summer semester, we will be doing a research elective. Fun fun fun.

So, for those struggling along with your studies, keep your head up and get enough sleep! Take care of your bodies during this time but always remember to never give up! I wish you all the best! Good luck!