Week 11: 8/12 - 8/16

After leaving San Francisco, I returned to an equally, if not more, hot and sweaty Pittsburgh. The four-hour layover in Cleveland was RIDICULOUS; Raye told me later that she and her parents opted to drive to Pittsburgh (it takes 2 hours). I was worried about it raining when I arrived, but the sun was out and BEATING. Kate and I managed to catch the 28X back to CMU without much of a hitch, and riding to Pittsburgh made nostalgically recollect my initial trip. How sad that I'm leaving on Saturday morning!

I came back to a much more empty house; Andrew had left while I was gone. Since Raye was leaving on Monday, she and I ate at the only Mexican restaurant in Squirrel Hill, where the food was expensive and sucked, to boot. I'm going to miss the times we watched each other playing FFXII on the wide-screen plasma tv. :( Anyway, that turned out to be my last outing in Squirrel Hill. I had plans for a relaxing week, but that hasn't seemed to have been the case! I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't even been to a single museum since I got here. Next time, next time...

With Raye gone, I'm left with only Jesse, so I've been staying in the lab as much as I can. I really regret having to leave, but I ultimately decided it would be for the best, despite my parents' obvious disappointment and my own reluctance to go through the admissions process yet again. I played a lot of DDR in the lab with Jim's awesome, homemade pad. Ronit, James (JT/JII), Jim... I'm going to miss them all so much! I wish I could've spent more than two days in the lab, but I also needed to pack the eight boxes of stuff I had sent to my Pittsburgh address in May. Fortunately, I managed to condense everything into six boxes, and Jae and his friend kindly helped me get everything to the Post Office. Did I mention how wonderfully convenient it is to have a USPS branch operating in the campus center!? And a FedEx, AND a Starbucks. Geez, CMU has got MHC beat in that respect. It's a shame I won't be able to enjoy it, but I can't dwell too much on it. I have to take responsibility for and live with my decisions. I've turned in my keys and packed everything, so all that's left is to wait for my taxi to get here at 5. I wish I would've asked for an afternoon flight. :(

Conclusion

So I'm in Hawaii now. The trip back made me reconsider leaving (yes, it was THAT terrible), but my parents were surprisingly not hostile during the ride home. It's sort of weird when I see them after extended periods of separation. They always seem to look... older, grayer,... heftier. I wonder if I appear the same way. :P Of course my luggage was overweight, so there went a good $40. The taxi ride was unbearable--I was stuck listening to the ramblings of a Christian fundamentalist who asked me if I was Chinese, while "the BEST Christian rock station in Pittsburgh!" churned out one winning tune after another. After I mentioned that I went to a women's college, he chortled and started spewing crap about how those kinds of places breed crazy liberals and how women should be able to "find themselves and do things and stuff," but they were ultimately better off staying at home, lest good old-fashioned family values should suffer. And then he didn't even help me with my super heavy luggage. Jerk.

All in all, I had a great time in Pittsburgh. I wish I were more productive, but I definitely have a better idea of the ins and outs of institutional research (and the accompanying red tape, unfortunately). I met with Jessica usually once a week, but it was nothing like dropping by Lisa's office and chatting for two hours every other day. Still, I gleaned much, and although she appears intimidating at first, she's only (an extraordinarily accomplished) human. I'd like to go back sometime and finish up my project, but that's only if Jessica would let me! But I'd work out of my own pocket--who can resist free labor? However, I don't think I'd be really great in graphics. There's still a lot I don't understand, but at least I'm not as clueless as I was at my first lab meeting! I'll definitely apply again next year, and maybe I'll get to branch out into natural language processing. Maybe I could get hooked up with someone at the Language Technologies Institute... I also have to say I really miss being free and footloose in Pittsburgh--if I had gone to CMU, it probably would've been more for the neighboring environment than the academics! That's a terrible thing to admit, I know, but I just loved it so much. It sort of became a place to call home, a new Seoul. I'd love to go to grad school at CMU (for the obvious academic reasons, of course)!

Now, here's some helpful tips and trivia:

  • Yes, you should apply to the DMP!
  • Check bulletin boards frequently and participate in as many studies as you can. Not only are they an excellent means of earning an extra buck or two, but you'll also be able to give yourself props for making an invaluable contribution to the academic world.
  • $400/month is average for rent in Pittsburgh.
  • Oakland is cheaper than Shadyside, but not as swanky (but it's up to you if you'd like to live near swanky gelato shops and boutiques).
  • Quaint Squirrel Hill is home to numerous restaurants, a Barnes & Noble, a small theater, a Giant Eagle, a drugstore, a library, and even an ebgames!
  • Giant Eagle is the local grocery chain; get a discount card ASAP! They're free!
  • There's a Curves ironically located next door to a Coldstone Creamery in Squirrel Hill.
  • For all your movie and shopping needs, check out the Waterfront! There's a Target, TJ Maxx, Best Buy, Giant Eagle, an outdoor shopping center (mostly clothes: American Eagle Outfitters, Victoria's Secret, etc., as well as an Ulta and tons of restaurants), and much, much more.
  • To the extent of my knowledge, the only Bank of America ATM in the area is located in the lobby of the Loews cineplex!
  • The 59U takes you to the Waterfront. This website is your friend.
  • Riding through one zone (most common, unless you're heading downtown) will cost you $1.75. If you don't have change on hand, it's best to buy a booklet of bus passes. A monthly pass runs $60, which won't do you much good unless you plan on doing a lot of sight-seeing.
  • The 28X takes you to the airport for $2.50; it stops across from Warner Hall (the administrative heart of CMU).
  • Contrary to popular belief, CS guys aren't smelly.
  • All CS grad students are either married or practically married.
  • Primanti Bros. serves french fries ON their sandwiches. Woah!
  • Mineo's Pizza (located in Squirrel Hill) is truly the best!
  • Campus Food comes in handy.
  • The chicken fried rice at Lulu's is the second best I've ever tasted, and only $6 or so. Did I mention they deliver? :)
  • Sales tax in Pittsburgh is 7.00%.
  • Give yourself time to pack.
  • Register for conferences early. Buy plane tickets early. This kind of stuff is always easier said than done.
  • If you're bored and lonely on a Friday or Saturday night, go sit near a three- or four-way intersection and watch people go by. It's more interesting than you may think.
  • Despite their best intentions, some people are inept at drawing up contracts, so be wary of the terms on which you agree to rent when subletting from students, or you may end up having to foot the electricity bill.
  • Well-known pearl of wisdom: Air conditioning is your friend in muggy places. If you don't have access to one, you're going to need a fan.
  • Think twice before subletting from wealthy, self-entitled business majors. You might luck out and be able to reside in the room of a more reasonable tenant, but you're in for a headache otherwise.
  • Fight for your right... to party!

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