Maybe It's My First Day, Maybe Not (0th day, April 7)

Remember my last post? Me, backing off my internship in Laguna to pursue a pseudo-thesis internship in our department?

Supposedly, I was to start today. I was supposed to meet Sir Ed, my professor, at 8 am in the morning.

Guess, if I woke up at before 8 am?

NOT!

I woke up at 8:30 a.m! I had to rush! Which means no taking a bath, just washing my face and brushing my teeth - Tada! Done in 5 minutes flat. Choosing and wearing the clothes? - Tada! Done in 5 minutes flat also. Total time of preparation - 10 minutes. Then off I went to the department.

Seriously, I was quite scared to venture to the department. Why? I was afraid to face Sir Vincent and Sir Audric for I have incurred their wrath when I backed out of my other internship. Well, I saw Sir Vincent anyway and he ignored me. Guess it was to be expected from him. On the other hand, Sir Audric, was quite ok. In fact, I asked him again if he was angry at me. To which he replied, "I have no right to be angry at you." I don't understand his words but I can live with it. Whatever floats his boat. 

I went to the admin office at 2:30 in the afternoon to attend the so-called meeting in which I was advised to listen. I arrived in the admin office with a few minutes to spare, wondering where is everyone. I saw Chancellor Mike and he told me to head down to the substrate lab - so off I went! Upon reaching the substrate lab, I saw Ate Jenichi, Kuya Christian (shocked to know they were lovers!) and another new person, Kuya Nathan. He looked quite scary. Joke!

Fast-forward to the meeting because Ate Jenichi shared to me a lot of life insights. (Which I may be discussing on my next post, if I do not forget)

The meeting started at 4 pm because Maam Donna was quite busy. Hmmm, initial impression - strict yet passionate. She is the type of person I aspire to be and the type of person I admire. Plus, she's very fashionable! She was wearing a long sleeved faded polo shirt paired with black leggings and boots! I love boots! 

Anyways, the meeting was about the master's thesis of Kuya Christian and Kuya Mike and the research report of Kuya Nathan for the DOST Project. I was amazed that copper nanowires can simply be made by mixing a copper ion source, capping agent, surfactant and pH adjusting species! (Will be discussing a detailed summary of this in the next posts, don't worry.) Listed below is the topics discussed during the meeting.

1. Fabrication of Zinc Oxide Nanotubes from Zinc Foil (Kuya Christian's Master's Thesis)

2. Synthesis of Silver Nanowires for Transparent Conducting Films (Kuya Nathan's Project Report)

3. Electroless Deposition of Copper Nanowires in Aqueous Solution (Kuya Mike's Master's Thesis)

4. Synthesis and Fabrication of Copper Nanowires (Ate Jenichi's supposed report but was halted by Maam Donna)

The meeting ended at 7 pm but I was ok with it since I was able to eat Shakey's pizza! Hahaha. Good things really do come out from these meetings. :) I just noticed that we are only two girls in the laboratory - Me and Ate Jenichi! 

This day was really long and I would really like to talk more of it but I am tired and sleepy. Hopefully, I will be uploading pictures in the following days so watch out! (Actually, I doubt somebody is reading my blog. Lol.)

No Regrets, No Turning Back

Today was the day that I have finally decided to stay- stay for good. 

I was supposed to be assigned in NXP (Cabuyao, Laguna) for our summer internship program. I don't like it there. I just don't feel comfortable. I really cannot explain the feeling but bottom line is - I do not want to have my internship there in Laguna. Actually, I do not want to work in the industry sector. Yes, they have great pay but I do not find it even remotely appealing. The path I want to take is a path where I could learn more, grow more and touch more lives. Cheesy?

But in this life that we are only bound to live once, discovery and learning are things I cannot take for granted. Those two months that I will be spending in the semiconductor industry doing routine analysis can be exchanged for two months of immersed research in our department's laboratory. Yes, there will be no pay. They say I have no growth. But who cares anyways? This is the life I want to pursue, the life I want to live. I may not have the highest grades in class but I dream to be a researcher. All I need is the guts and the courage to fail a million times before achieving my dream. 

I may not be going to a fancy industry with pay and meal allowance but I know I will be studying something good. Something that others would not dare since I will still be staying in UP. But I love it here in UP, UP education is something I will not trade for anything here in the world.

No Means of Egress for Selfishness

Sometimes people can’t help but be selfish. Maybe it’s a part of human nature itself. Maybe it’s the devil’s way in bringing us to his side. Nevertheless, most human beings are selfish in nature, thinking mostly of their comfort; always trying to live inside a perfect bubble of comfort and security.

If humans are selfish, how do you rationalize these bouts of kindness we continue to see every day? Are they trying to help other people out of personal gain? Or are they trying to appear charitable, it is deemed appropriate by many? I've read an article stating that helping others makes one feel good about themselves since it releases a hormone called cortisol. Bottom line is still the same – people help other people because of self-satisfaction.

I admit I am cynical but looking around us who wouldn't be. People are killing other people out of anger and rage. Politicians are corrupting the masses to maintain their luxurious living. The church which preaches kindness and honesty is full of scandals. People are robbing other people in order to survive in this highly materialistic world. Selfishness is inevitable; it is part of life.

Summer Project

   Summer time is fast approaching here in my beloved country. The heat, the unbearable heat will continue to last for days and weeks. Some people may enjoy summer but never me. I would never find the appeal of those hot scorching sand and warm waters. Personally, Despite hating the idea of summer, I will try to develop an irenic relationship with it. I will not to be feckless in my summer internship. I'll try not making fulsome compliments to my colleagues and my superiors and will try to develop a cordial relationship to people that I do not know. 

    For me, summer is the time to undertake a new project. The ambitious me would like to accomplish the following tasks this summer: 1) create a romance manuscript for the Precious Hearts Romance Books; 2) Try taking crossword puzzles as a possible hobby; 3) Finish reading my long bought Anna Karenina book; 4) Finish my Durarara story and try starting a Klaine fic; 5) Learn a new language; 6) Learn a new instrument.

     Who knows? I might accomplish this partial list of summer projects. I condemn this internship for I would have really like to go home to my hometown. Nevertheless, sacrifices should be made for the greater good.

*Note: I would try to incorporate into my posts the new words I have learned from vocabulary.com.

Word list:
1) irenic - describes something that is peaceful

       The word irenic is from the Greek word eirēnē, which means peace. Eirene was the Greek goddess of peace. She was one of the Horae, or Hours, and she also represented the season of spring, so she is often depicted holding a full cornucopia. Today, the adjective irenic still maintains its peaceful meaning, and governments are continuously searching for irenic solutions to world problems.

2) feckless - irresponsible and incompetent

        Did you know that most varieties of English are in fact “feck”-less? They don’t contain a word feck, only the negative counterpart feckless. The “feck” in feckless began as a short form of effect used in the Scots dialect. So feckless essentially means "ineffective," but is also used to describe someone who is irresponsible, incompetent, inept, or without purpose in life.

3) fulsome - exaggerated and usually insincere

        Hundreds of years ago fulsome used to mean "abundant," but now it's more often used to describe an ingratiating manner or an excess of flattery that might provoke an onlooker to mime gagging. If you find fulsome to be a rather clunky word, there are several fun (if vaguely stomach-churning) synonyms, including buttery, oily, oleaginous, and smarmy.

4) cordial - friendly and sincere

        In Middle English, this adjective meant "of the heart," borrowed from Medieval Latin cordiālis, from Latin cor "heart." This core sense of "heart" can be seen in the synonyms heartfelt and hearty. The noun cordial originally referred to a medicine or drink that stimulates the heart, but its current sense is "a liqueur."

To avoid plagiarism, please note that above definitions were taken from vocabulary.com.