The "Right" Path?

There is no such thing as a "right" path when it comes to a field of study. But you can definitely say you prefer one over the other when the differences between them are great enough.

With more exposure to my major, industrial and labor relations, as well as mathematics in preparation for econ grad school, I'm beginning to see the divergence between the "soft" and "hard" sciences. The more "hard" sciences are more related to finding out the absolute Truths while the "soft" sciences are more concerned with the relative truths. I am not concerned with the relative truths because they are constantly changing and are of no consequence to anyone. Sure, union negotiations are important to the rest of us, but the results are not based off of any absolute truths and are not the least bit predictable because people do stupid things.

Onto studying people who do stupid things, economics appeals to me because although people do stupid things, the same people do the same stupid things. However, all rules can be broken down into exceptions and generalities. These rules are the absolute truths. Finding these rules are always subject to scrutiny on the basis of evaluation and analysis (econometrics, anyone?). But in the purely "hard" sciences, there are just absolute truths.

That is why I have always considered being an engineer. And I get to make stuff to test out. It's like making an econometric model to test on data. Some people combine engineering with soft studies like management and act as a middleman between engineering and management. Because management probably doesn't know how to do any calculations outside of excel - which they probably haven't done since they were lower-level management. But I've always liked to build and design things. Right now, I am daydreaming about a design for the "hidden blade" from the video game Assassin's Creed.

But seriously, I have thought about the mathematics behind engineering and I can't help but find it very exciting. The equations that represent the absolute truths in the world. It's too late to completely change my academic path towards engineering, but maybe I can do a lot of math...

Smart Phones: the Smarter Option?

I saw someone rocking a Droid, and well, first of all, I really want to post a picture of it so...

there. Okay, and then I started to think about why I don't have a smart phone. I certainly have the option, but it helps to list some pros and cons. While they are expensive, they are damn cool and are integrated with an mp3 player which would be a huge convenience. Right now I've had a Sansa e280 for more than four years, and it's a model Sandisk no longer makes since they started a new production line.You can also do all sorts of things with a smart phone like make your schedules, download apps to play around with, and surf the Internet.
Which brings me to my one big con when it comes to smart phones. Internet access. I already do not bring my laptop around with me to classes because I know I will stop paying attention to class, and the idea of being attached to my email everywhere I go seems like a huge inconvenience. Or is it? I have become more addicted to my email as of late because I am always waiting to hear back from people on things. Maybe I will get a smart phone next time. But they are always improving and a new models come out all the time. I feel like I am in a stopped car waiting to merge into a 80mph freeway: the moment I get in (buy a smart phone), I will be left behind. But it's better to go than not go.
Now if only they were cheaper....

Oh and here's the new Droid incredible. Incredible.

Motivation...

Here I am, writing a post about how I want to be more motivated. So I'm going to keep it simple this time with a very brusque message I found from a very cursory Google image search.

Enough said. Peace out!

Is this it?

I just registered for Fall 2010 courses this morning, and a little while later I realized I just signed up for my last year of college. Real college. Graduate school, no matter how it may seem, is not college version 2. This freedom I have now, that I've had these past three years, will only last one more year.

On a related note, I just got a dabbling about "projection bias" in my behavioral econ class. It says although people can see how their preferences will change in the future, they will underestimate the magnitude of that change. Maybe right now I am underestimating how I will miss college after it's over. So have fun now!

In related terms, I am taking Intertemporal Econ next semester, and I found the textbook for the class in the mathematics library. Its a pretty tough read, and I think the professor already thinks I leaning towards wimping out and not rising to the challenge. Well, I can work through that book, so I accept your challenge! concede and now I am taking Causual Reasoning and Policy Evaluation instead.

Sunshine, Sunlight

The weather is amazing today. There were so many people lounging around on campus doing various sunshine-related activities such as throwing frisbees around, lounging around, reading books, and (a lot of) rocking the sunglasses.So here I am writing a blog post...?

Well, despite there being people outside enjoying the sun, there are a lot of us who are too busy with classes and other commitments. I also did not have a book to enjoy by myself.

Excuses, excuses?

Rutgers, and Laying Off the Burgers

I visited Rutgers for all of Thursday and half of the day on Friday. It was a lot of fun: on Thursday I was seeing people from 9 in the morning to 2 the next morning. And I didn't have a drop of liquor. How's that for an impressive day at college? It really felt comfortable to see people I hadn't seen in months - most of the before I left for Geneva. My friends at RU are unlike my friends are Cornell: Cornell friends are always out to be studying and have less time than Rutgers friends do to hang out. I feel a rush to add value to "hanging out" at Cornell. Do we have an objective to hanging out? Should we even have an objective? I am friends with people who I just have a good time to be around. Whether we get anything important done is besides the point. Fun is fun!


I am going to be more open to meeting new people, friends of friends, and just trying to have fun. What is this nonsense of having to deal with these overly stringent rules? Can't I just kick back and have fun without harming others? I want to say 'do crazy shit,' but it seems to include activities I wouldn't have fun doing. People are friends because they have fun doing the same things!


When I was at Rutgers (Friday afternoon, actually), I saw the verity of something my dad told me before I left for college. He told me to have fun, because college would be the most fun I would ever have in my life. When I first heard it, I thought it was a very bold statement. I was more concerned about taking classes and doing well than having "fun." But now I understand. I have virtually no responsibilities at college. No obligations to work a certain amount of time or to hold others' priorities above your own. Sure, there are classes, but we can decide how important they are to us. When we are stripped of responsibilities independent of our own, we can really tell what our priorities are.


Anyway...
Ever since this semester has started, I have had a few bad run-ins with commercial cheeseburgers. They've sent me on stomachaches and make me want to hurl all the time. The same with french fries. What does this mean? Could it mean I can no longer enjoy the staple of American cuisine: the burger and fries? I think it is the heavy amount of grease and other things in the burger that have been upsetting me. It is too dissimilar to the foods I am accustomed to. I do not mean I have been eating especially healthy. I just have not been eating junk food or foods with particularly high-concentrations of grease and fat.

So I have resolved not to eat cheeseburgers and french fries unless I know how they are specifically made. If I know how they are specifically made, I will decide whether to eat them based on how much expected grease is in them. I don't want to send my stomach on these roller coasters anymore. Nor do I want to accustom myself to eating food I currently find disgusting.

Let the Good Times Roll

1.   Cornell (12) beat Wisconsin (4) and Temple (5) to make it to the Sweet Sixteen where it will meet Kentucky (1). Shooting 61.1 percent of the game against Wisconsin, the Ivy League hasn't done this well since 1979. However, this only pales in comparison to other major upsets: KU (1) losing to ... heck anyone, Villanova (2) to St. Mary's (10), Vanderbilt (4) to Oakland (14), Georgetown (3) to Ohio (14). Knock yourself (and your bracket) out for more by looking at the actual bracket.

2.   I have actually been doing homework over break, studying for linear algebra. This event was aided by the fact I have an exam next week - April 1st of all days - so I am expecting a tough exam.

3.   Assassin's Creed II is ridiculously addicting.

4.   Healthcare Reform bill has passed the House. "This is what change looks like." - Obama. So hello to a few more years of health coverage for me.

5.   Fall 2010 Course Roster is up today! And as a rising senior, I get to select first. Three years of oppression is finally reversed!

6. Have not made any headway on Harmless Econometrics. I think reading books for leisure is something best left to the big vacations...