When I wake up, I’ll finally take my SAT2 in Chemistry. I’ve been preparing for this day with a month of solid studying, but I don’t know how I’ll do. I’ll post my thoughts on the test later.
Monthly Archive for November, 2007
I read an article today:
If you’re a high school junior or senior, you’re probably working hard to get into college — researching schools online, preparing applications, taking grueling SATs and ACTs and writing the perfect essay. Maybe you have an air-tight application.
But you could still blow it, with something you thought was harmless fun: Your online profile.
I certainly hope that the schools I’m applying to check out my online profile. In fact, I’m challenging them to. I’m certain that they won’t find anything unsavory, because I’ve worked for years to build up a positive online image.
Bring it on.
If you own a Macintosh, or have ever been in an Apple retail store, you’ve likely seen Photo Booth.app. It’s a small application that lets users take some quick pictures of themselves using the iSight camera that’s built into their Mac. The quality of the images isn’t wonderful; the application produces 640px by 480px fuzzy JPEGs. (Here’s an example image. Two external hard drives with a chemistry hipster PDA.)
I love the Mac for many reasons. The design is impeccable, the operating system is stable and feature-rich, and the developer community is strong. Despite all this, I think that Photo Booth has sold more Macs than any true merit of the platform. When I walk around an Apple retail store, I see kids playing with Photo Booth. When I’m browsing Facebook, I find images from Photo Booth.
Although I sound somewhat critical of Photo Booth, I use it daily. It turns my MacBook Pro into a sophisticated mirror. It’s remarkable that such a simple tool is now so pervasive.
Free Rice will now remember one’s level while playing, using a cookie. This is great news! No longer do you have to start over each time you want to play. I’m going to be using Free Rice much more now. Knowledge for me, food for someone else. It’s still one of the best deals on the Internet.
Today and yesterday I took some time to study SAT Chemistry for my test, which is on December 1. My friend Michael visited, essentially, to tutor me. (Thanks Mike!) At this point, I’m familiar with all of the topics in my review book, and have taken a practice test. Good score, but I plan on shooting higher.
Throughout this ordeal, I’ve been making flash cards, hipster PDA style, on bright green index cards for the things I need to review and memorize. This week I’ll study those cards like it’s my job, and take two more practice tests.
Remember kids, get your subject tests out of the way early, so that you don’t end up like me. I took two subject tests last year (math I and us history), but recently discovered I needed either physics or chemistry for my bid at applying to MIT.
In a mere two weeks, The Golden Compass hits theaters. I’m excited. Clips are leaking on the Internet, and I plan on seeing the movie the day it comes out.
In a previous post, I complained that the trailer did not refer to Lyra’s special instrument as an “alethiometer,” but instead as a “golden compass.” Luckily, in an interview with director Chris Weitz, my complaints are thwarted.
In the film it’s called both an “alethiometer” and a “golden compass.”
I can live with that.
I’ve been saying it for months, but I’m still looking for people to join me to see my favorite book on the big screen. It’s going to be a good time.