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Woo. I finally got my Technorati code, as seen in the title. For those unfamiliar with Technorati, it's this awesome site filled will all kinds of cool techy stuff that I'm trying to submit my blog URL to. And to do that, I had to post a code to show that I'm actually the author of said blog.

Enough about blog directories. Let's talk chocolate, specifically M&M's. Yesterday I had to count a ton of M&M's for stats. Specifically, over 640. Yes, there really are over 600 M&M's in each 19.2 oz bag. Hard to believe, huh? For the record, counting the number of M&M's for each individual color in the bag is not for a neurotic person like myself. I messed up (or at least, I thought so) my counting about 5 times, so then I had to recount again (I didn't want to screw up my results). In short, it took about an hour just to do a few simple things with a bag of M&M's. I felt pathetic. Thankfully, the information that I needed has been submitted, and now my bag of M&M's sits on my desk for me to eat while working. Oh statistics, how I love you so. Math and chocolate? It doesn't get much better than this.

Other than lots of counting, chocolate, and sig figs, I have developed a bad case of the senior jitters. It's terrible. I'm slightly terrified of all the applications I need to fill out and submit. It doesn't help that I feel like I'm suffering from an incurable case of writer's block. I really hate writer's block. It just feels like I can't find a way around it. I'm reading "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" for lit, and the author talked about how long it took him to write one of the chapters in the book. He said something about baking bread to get rid of the writer's block. Maybe I should do that. It goes beyond just writer's block for me though. I have ending block. It's that little thing when you spend a ton of time writing an essay, and you think it's really good, and you love the way it flows, and then it hits you. You can't think of a proper ending. You try, and you try, but everything that you write sounds trite, lame, or Disneyesque. And that is currently the phase I'm stuck in. Hopefully the creativity bug will return soon, and I'll have some amazing spark of inspiration to write about something interesting. Until then, I'll just have to keep trying.

Hoping all the other seniors out there are not suffering from anxiety/writer's block,
Hannah

The sig figs strike back.

Okay, the title is a really bad pun based on "The Empire Strikes Back." Forgive me. Anyway, "sig figs" (significant figures) really have returned into my life via the first chapter of my physics book. Can I just say I really dislike the first chapter of any science book? I swear that most of them are all the same. (Insert science here) is broken into many different areas x, y, z. Then it goes into scientific theories and observations and the whole point of being a scientist. Then they go over units and significant figures and how to properly show work. Seriously. The first chapters of my chemistry and physics books, other than the fact that they have a little more emphasis on their respective sciences, are strikingly similar (notice the reappearance of strike? It's just that type of punny day.). Anyway, sig figs. They were the bane of my existence the first couple months of junior year. My chemistry professor all but hammered them into my head, which was good, just slightly painful. I hate to admit it, but the first quiz I took in chemistry, I was so nervous that I miscounted the significant figures. It was really quite sad. I think I counted 5 instead of 7. It's amazing that I made it past basic arithmetic. Even after I felt like a pro at sig figs, they still reared their nasty little heads on complicated lab calculations. It got to the point when my lab partner and I hung our heads in shame over missed points on our lab because of sig figs. It was really depressing. It's like, you did everything you were supposed to do in the experiment, you didn't light yourself on fire with the Bunsen burner, you didn't break the crucible, you didn't fall off the lab stool in front of your professor (unless you're me), and bam. A couple tiny little numbers get you every single time. Okay, not every single time, but it sure felt like it was happening more than it should have been.

At this point, you're probably wondering what my point is. My point is very simple: obey the sig figs. Really. They are like the rulers (rulers as in dictators, not the measuring devices) of all scientific calculations. That's a bit extreme, but seriously, it helps to know the rules and to apply the rules when performing calculations. I'm not going to delve into these rules because professors and textbooks and teachers are much more well-versed in the realm of sig figs than I am. For me, they just kinda clicked eventually. It was the ultimate "aha" moment, at least within the time span of the first two weeks of class. And thus ends my rant about sig figs. They are important, but that doesn't mean I don't get to rant about screwing them up every now and then.

Hannah

101010101

The title is a reference to the fact that I've made it through the chapter on binary signals today for my comp sci reading. Whoohoo, 2 chapters down, 2 to go. I feel so productive.  It's actually kind of sad since I took about 5 pages of notes just for a fairly short chapter.....I like to think I'm being thorough, but I'm probably killing three trees in the process. The nice thing about my computer science class is that the textbook is online, which seems fitting. You can find it at: http://chortle.ccsu.edu/CS151/cs151java.html. So far, I think the explanations are pretty easy to understand; of course, I'm still going over the relatively simple basics of computers, so all of that could change when I actually start getting into the meat of programming. Until then, I'll enjoy the seemingly easiness of it all. I actually really enjoyed the first chapter, which talked about things like the CPU, main memory, hard disks/secondary memory, the motherboard, and the role of the OS in running a computer system. Even though I had spent a lot of time on the computer before then, it was pretty cool to get a basic idea of how my computer actually works. If you're interested in learning about your computer from a functional standpoint, I would definitely recommend the first chapter, even if you aren't interested in actual programming.

On a slightly different note, I've become very acquainted with the Kindle application for the computer in the past couple days. I downloaded my Latin book for the Kindle, but I wanted to be able to access it on my computer (bigger screen, easier to read), so I also downloaded the app available through Amazon. In my opinion (which you can take with a grain of salt), the Kindle app is definitely worth the download, especially if you have a book with a lot of dense material (read: textbook). It also makes flipping back to past chapters fairly easy, seeing as you can just click a button and go to the table of contents. I thought this was a little easier than navigating the book on my mom's traditional Kindle. I have a Kindle touch, but I didn't have it with me when I downloaded my Latin book, so I can't really speak to the navigability of the Kindle app vs. the Kindle touch. The app is also nice if you're taking notes/doing problem sets since you can just glance up at your computer screen, instead of having to look down at the Kindle. I definitely love the portability of the Kindle vs. my laptop, but if I'm set up in a relatively stationary work position, I prefer the computer app. Anyway, that's just my two cents. Check it out if you're interested. You can download the app at: PC app or Mac app.

Hannah

Essays, essays, and more essays.

So it's been a while since my last post. My only excuse is that I've been devoting the last couple weeks of summer to filling out my common app. So far, in the past three days, I've written three very different essays only to come back to the essay I wrote three months ago. Yeah. I'm a little indecisive. And that doesn't even include college supplement essays. I'm doomed to be writing essays for the next 5 months.......One of the things I've been struggling with is finding my voice. I know that sounds really cheesy, but I feel like this whole essay-writing-process has really made me question who I actually am. Now I'm starting to sound like a Disney movie, but I'm dead serious. I've written a ton of essays courtesy AP Lang, but only a couple were as personal as what I'm supposed to be doing for this essay. It's tough having to make the decision about what best represents me and what best represents my writing. I'm a pretty indecisive person, so that's not helping either. I just get so absorbed in my writing that it can be hard to stand back and look at it from someone else's perspective. In my mind, it definitely makes sense. In someone else's? Maybe not so much. Then there's the matter of making sure I sound like me. Which can be hard, seeing as I get so used to seeing the same essay for however many number of hours that it all starts to blur together into triteness and insincerity. I think I've found a way around it, but we'll see. Thankfully, I still have about 2.5 months until my first application is due (insert mini freak out here).

On the other hand, I have successfully finished reading and taking notes on the 1st chapter of computer science!!! Yay. It's pretty interesting so far. The sad part is that I still have 3 chapters to go...My stats book came in the mail today, which is again very exciting. This is the same book that was mentioned in my post about ez sniper. It is in practically brand-new condition, so that's a definite plus. I also got a couple books out from the library today about applying to college. Talk about a ton of reading to do...Anyway, that is it for now. My essay is feeling neglected from not being worked on. I should go give it some love.

Hannah

Nerdy English goodness.

I had an epic English geek-out a couple days ago. The story began in a book store in downtown Princeton. It is a very nice book store that I have been to a bunch of times in the past. Recently, they started selling t-shirts with the covers of famous books on the front of them. There is one for Great Gatsby, another for Pride and Prejudice, one for the Wizard of Oz, etc, etc. There also happens to be an amazing red t-shirt for A Clockwork Orange. A Clockwork Orange is probably in my top 3 books of all-time. I saw the shirt and a little part of my inner lit nerd died and went to heaven. Okay, that's a little melodramatic, but I seriously spent 15 minutes searching through all the bins for a women's shirt in my size. Wait for it, wait for it....there were no women's shirts. Zip. Nada. None. It was really sad.

The incident at the book store lead me to google search to see if the brand had its own website. When in doubt, google. Lo and behold, there was the site: amazing site of English goodness. The only problem is that it's not for indecisive people like myself. I'm torn between 5 or 6 different shirts. It also caused me to question which books are my favorites. Talk about a pensive evaluation. Anyway, so then I shared it with all my AP Lang friends, so that was fun (if any of you guys are reading this, yay!). I even sent in a suggestion that they make a shirt/sweatshirt for The Phantom of the Opera (another top 3 book). I was a tad bit enthusiastic.

Speaking of the wonders of literature, I've started reading "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" for AP lit summer reading. It's actually quite good. The author has a very easy-to-read style, and he raises a lot of valid points (I already have a page of notes and I'm not even past the first 10 pages...whoops). My copy of The Great Gatsby also arrived in the mail yesterday, so I'm super excited to read that and discuss it to pieces. I'm also incredibly excited for the movie...I think I've watched the movie trailer about 10 times consecutively already. Anyway, English reading/Latin exercises are calling my name. Enjoy your last couple weeks of summer vacation.

Hannah

Sniping. (Read: Gleefully watching third-party software win an online auction in the last three seconds.)

Let me give some background on the sniping situation. For AP Stats, I need the textbook "A Practice of Statistics" 4th/AP edition. Sounds simple enough right? Wrong. I'm a big proponent of buying used textbooks. It kills a little piece of me inside to buy a brand new book for a lot more when there are tons of slightly worn books out on the market. They just need a little love, some tape on the binding, and they're good to go. Some books that I've ordered in the past were in such good condition that I didn't realize they were used. Anyway, so this particular stats book does not have very good used options available online. Most of the used books I found were priced somewhere in the $100s....I wasn't very happy. Then, the other night, my dad and I ventured back into the land of used books. This time, we hit something on Ebay. It was going for half the price of the previously seen used books, but there was a catch: there were already two bids, and I can only imagine the amount of people watching it (it really was a steal). So we went to EZsniper. EZsniper is pretty sweet. You put in the auction code for the item you're trying to get, a max bid amount, and the software will go in at the last minute of the auction for the kill, ripping the book away from other hopeful buyers. Let's just say it appealed to the competitive part of me.

That was a few days ago. The auction ended a few minutes ago. I was eagerly watching the price of the book during the last ten minutes, but it stayed constant until the very last minute. Then it started skyrocketing. It kept climbing, and I got more and more anxious as it neared our max bid amount. With literally only three seconds left of the auction, the max bid clocked in at 74.71, a mere 29 cents below our max bid. I waited out those three seconds with bated breath. The bidding ceased. The auction was won. I think I was probably a little more excited about it than I should have been. Oh well. This may seem a tad bit melodramatic, but it was exciting. My dad and I were both gleefully exclaiming about it. It was a little sad that winning a textbook in an auction made us that happy. Auctions used to freak me out because I thought there was no way to win them. Moral of the story: if you find a steal on a book, but there is no "buy now" option, do not despair. Find an online auction sniper, wait, and cross your fingers. Thankfully, all of my book buying is now officially completed for the year. The next textbooks I buy will be for college...(cue freak out).

Happy book-buying,
Hannah

Applications, classes, and prep books oh my.

This summer flew by way too fast. One minute, it was the end of June and I was done with the SATs forever and ever and ever (I was a tad bit emphatic). Now, I'm a little over two weeks away before AP classes and everything else begins. I'm also painfully aware of an entire book that needs to be read for lit, four chapters that need to be read for comp sci, and a whole lot of application filling-out/planning/stressing over extra-curriculars. It's pretty sad really. One second there were two months of pure glorious relaxation in front of me, and the next it was all taken away and replaced by work. Not that I don't like academic work, but it's still depressing to see such an amazing summer come to an end.

And then there is the matter of books. I had to get books for all my classes, and let me tell you, it's really frustrating. I was able to find some of the books used for a lot less than the "new" price. But my stats textbook, which is specifically used for AP, has been really hard to find used. We (my dad and I) did find a copy on ebay. We're still waiting for the outcome of the auction. Expect to see a blog post on ez sniper in the near future. I've found a ton of books on ebay, and as long as I checked the edition/seller reviews/feedback rating, I never had a problem. I've actually found that the deals are sometimes a lot better on there than on Amazon marketplace. It depends on the book you're looking for. There is also the matter of prep books. I think these are even more finicky than the textbooks honestly. Barron's made me feel like I had the intelligence level of a pea. Not fun. Princeton Review made me feel a bit too confident. Cliffs AP English Lang made me want to tear up the practice multiple choice tests and burn them. But they did help, so I won't complain any further. Here's a rundown based on my own personal experience with the different prep books I used for science/math tests (I'll save the English ones and the SAT/PSAT ones for another day).

Barron's AP Chemistry--This book had so much information that I started reviewing it three weeks before the actual exam. This is not a book you want to use a couple days before the exam to refresh your memory. I generally completed each chapter (there may have been some chapters on topics I felt really good about that I skipped). The practice problems at the end of each chapter are a nice touch. The actual practice exams are a total ego killer. I thought that chemistry was going to be the easiest exam for me until I took one of those Barron's exams. I think I ended up getting less than 50% on the practice MC. Bottom line: A lot of the important information can get lost among the massive quantity of other information. If you know your weak spots, it's a lot easier to navigate this book. Don't let the tough MC crush your dreams of majoring in chemistry or acing the exam or any other pre-Barron's notions of chemistry.

Princeton Review Chemistry SAT Subject Test--Sadly enough, someone at my library had the Princeton Review AP checked out for a very long time. I didn't get to use it (thought I've generally heard good things about it), but I did get to use PR for the chem subject test. I liked the book well enough. I literally read through it the night before the test. My biggest issue with the actual test had to do more with timing than content. If you know chem really well, and if you already took AP Chem, I would advise taking a bunch of practice tests, since you only get an hour for 80 questions. The content might seem easier, but the timing is most definitely not. Bottom line: this is a good book if you're doing a fast review and don't want to deal with a book with a ton of details. It was sweet and to the point.

Barron's Math Level 2--This is the book if you're aiming for that perfect 800. Seriously. Get this book. It is amazing. My friend Viktor (shout-out!) recommended this to me (it's also widely hailed online), and it was exactly what I needed. I strongly suggest going over ever single part of this book. It's not super huge, but it provides questions at the end of each chapter on the different topics covered. Those are helpful if you're brushing up on your precalc. The exams at the end of the book are hard--I never finished any of them within the time limit. They also made the real exam seem a lot easier. For a confidence booster, I took the Math Level 2 exam out of the Official SAT Subject Test book, and I was able to finish on time with only a couple questions wrong. Bottom line: This book is awesome. The diagnostic test may crush your ego, but in the end it's worth it.

Be Prepared for the AP Calculus Exam--My calc teacher assigned us this book. At the beginning of the year, I hated it. I think the reason I hated it was because I still didn't feel confident with things such as differentiation and integration and the Chain Rule. When I went through the entire exam again a couple of weeks before my final and AP exam, I understood it a lot better. I thought that the practice questions covered a lot of what I found on the actual exam, and I thought the practice exams were pretty dead-on in difficulty level, if just slightly more difficult than the actual exam. Bottom line: it's a well-written book that covered everything I needed to know. The practice exams were very accurate. I didn't feel the need to use another book along with it.

Another thing that I found valuable was taking released exams. I ordered the two most recently released chemistry exams, and then found a free released one on the College Board site which can be accessed here: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/213049.html. I also did a ton of the released FRQ's in the two weeks before the exam. I did the same thing for english and calc. Taking advantage of the released FRQ's made the actual FRQ's less stressful and more routine. The nice thing is that the College Board includes both the solutions and how the questions are broken down into points. If you do enough of these problems, you'll start to notice that certain types of problems always have the same point break-down. Anyway, happy getting ready for classes/ordering books/enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

Hannah