Owner: Shamazing!? URL:http://shamazing.blogspot.com Join Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:43:38 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: A simple college student trying to keep up with his life. Stop by, hang out for a bit. Who knows, he might have something useful to say... Site statistics:Click here
Haircut 2008-03-08 13:14:37 Every couple of months, when I decide I don't want to mess with my hair anymore, I get it cut short. Mornings are greatly simplified by short hair. Easier and faster to shower, usually doesn't need combing, and I can concentrate on getting in that last bit of studying in the morning before class. Of course, it may not be the most stylish of haircuts, but it gets the job done. I will post a couple pictures after the cut.The dance marathoners are still going strong. Just thinking about 30 hours of virtually non-stop dancing makes me woozy, but the best of luck to them! Anyway, I need to get back to finals preparations.Have a nice day!
Read more:Haircut
Finals approach 2008-03-07 17:00:34 Classes are winding down, and reading week is about to begin. This has been a pretty tough quarter thus far, but I actually cannot wait for finals. Quite simply, the faster they get here, the faster I will be on spring break. And dammit all if this spring break isn't perfect.My roommates and a friend are planning on going to Hilton's Head Island from March 23 until March 28. We've rented a condo, and I don't plan on doing anything other than relaxing, trying to recover before the next quarter starts. I'll try to post some pictures when we get back, but no guarantees (this depends on the condition of my camera).But anyway, I have to go support my friends dancing for Dance Marathon. For those who don't know, it's a huge fund raiser that Northwestern does. You ought to donate--it's for a goo
Studying Tools: Wikibooks 2008-03-06 19:44:36 One of my newest finds is wikibooks. Think of it as an open to edit textbook for almost any subject. Say you want to learn German -- they have a textbook for it.Or maybe you are interested in Hindi? They have that too.Basic advice for using this resource:Read your text book. If you can't understand it...Search for it on wikibooks and see if you can find the course material there.If you need more help, check out wikiversity (here is their organic chemistry page).Now if none of this works, go to office hours and seek "professional" assistance. I mean, college costs money, so take advantage of what they give you.Hope this helps with the studying! Remember: Study long, study hard, then take a break.
Read more:Tools
Wednesday Morning 2008-03-06 19:44:09 Eyes open.What time is it? Where's my phone?Oh, it's only 8:26. I can sleep a bit longer.8:59. I'm up before the alarm again...that's strange.What day is it today? Um...Wednesday
.Do I have any work? Work work work, I always have work. What's that noise outside?It's the street cleaner. Did it snow? A siren now. What happened? Who cares.Did I have any work? What time is it?Morning
s are disorienting.
Stop Wasting Time Online - Wired How-To Wiki 2008-03-06 19:34:55 Any time I find an interesting article that could potentially be useful, I like to share it. This one is a bit funnier than usual. I was wasting time until I bumped into an article about how to stop wasting time, and a couple (free) tools to aid in this quest.The Web is replacing the TV as the #1 time-thief in our lives. And, unlike the TV, the Web does not respect the boundaries of work. Thus the time you spend on the web "working" is inherently intertwined with the time you spend "playing."I will undoubtedly use Temptation Blocker during my "productive times" and see if it actually helps. I have a feeling I will eventually "forget" to turn it on. But even a couple more productive days is a boost.Link: Stop Wasting Time Online - Wired
How-To Wiki
Hope it helps!
Studying Tip: Frinday Afternoon Planning 2008-03-04 10:33:49 Friday night is typically the ideal time to recover from a hard week, but I find I keep on worrying about the week as I try to enjoy myself. So I've designed a little tactic that not only helps me relax better, but also keeps me focused when I need to work.The approach:Take a sheet of paper, and title it something like "Work" or my usual "Homework for Tonight".Write down the major areas where you have work to complete, be they classes or types of chores.Write down all the work you have to do, from now till some specified future time (perhaps until next Friday)Take this list, and prioritize the items within each area.Then, prioritize the areas themselves.Now just forget about it all for tonight!The results:You have a plan for the whole week.You can relax better Friday night because you have Read more:Afternoon
Studying Tool: RescueTime 2008-03-04 10:33:30 A common curse of every student is wasting time on the computer. Chatting with friends, playing video games, or just watching videos, we meander away the precious time we had set aside for study purposes. This can be a significant problem, but knowledge and acceptance is the first step to refocusing your prime work time.RescueTime is a small application that is installed on your computer, then stores your usage data. It keeps track of what program you had open and for how long. A more complete description can be found on RescueTime's FAQ.In order to track your data, RescueTime requires a free registration. Yea, another piece of free software. Hope it's useful!RescueTime URL:
Studying Tool: jMemorize 2008-03-04 10:33:10 Memorizing is a fact of life in college. Whichever university you attend, you will undoubtedly have to memorize loads and loads of information, and be required to recall it at a moments notice on an exam. With vocabulary, formulas, or just important facts, flash cards are easily the best manner for learning a lot of material in a short period of time.Now, if you are anything like myself, a computer is the main tool used in studying, from looking up key facts to typing up essays. Additionally, my handwriting is so terrible that writing flashcards would be futile. I would spend more time decoding what I had written rather than taking in the information. And here is where jMemorize comes to the rescue.This open source software allows you to input and save multiple sets of flashcards, even in
Cool Tool: Marker Board Walls 2008-03-04 10:15:11 I always wanted a huge whiteboard for my room, but given the prohibitively expensive price, I never bothered to get one. Instead, I've been bound to using pen and paper for all of my work and brainstorming. I can't think of a more fun way to do that kind of work. To my good fortune, I bumped into this piece which details how to make one of your own cheaply: Cool Tool: Marker BoardWalls
. Do I smell a project?
Microsoft Professional and Designer Tools, Free 2008-03-03 09:35:37 If you live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium and attend an accredited university, or are a member of a participating organization in one of those countries, Microsoft
is offering you free developer tools via a program called DreamSpark.These tools include:Expression StudioSql Server 2005 ExpressSql Server Developer EditionVirtual PC 2007Visual Basic 2005Visual C++ 2005Visual C# 2005Visual J# 2005Visual Studio 2008Visual Web Developer 2005Visual Studio 2005 ProfessionalWindows Server 2003XNA Game StudioThis tool set would run a normal customer a couple hundred dollars, but Microsoft just loves students. And probably wants to make the next generation of computer programmers hooked on MS products. Whateve Read more:Tools
, Designer
Sunday Morning Bliss 2008-03-02 22:52:08 Awake at 8:30.In my gym clothes by 9:15.At the gym by 9:30.Back home at 11:15.Out of the shower at 11:45.Lunch at 12.Blogging at 12:40.51 Fahrenheit later today.Sunday
, March 2, 2008 has been a great day.
Read more:Morning
, Bliss
, Sunday Morning
New York Times: The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors 2008-03-01 17:08:47 Interesting article over at the New YorkTimes
. It discusses a bit about human psychology, mainly talking about our inclination to have as many open choices as possible, even if it hurts us in the long run. Definitely a recommended read for those who are having a hard time juggling everything.Link to article.
Read more:Advantages
, Doors
, New York Times
New Feature! 2008-03-01 17:07:51 Underneath the about me section, I added a small widget called Google ChatBack. Anytime I am signed into my Google Account, you can click on the Chat with Shamiq button and it will open up a window for you to chat with me. I get a notification from google talk saying that you've messaged me, and I can join the chat. Talk about instant communication...now I can't hide from you!Google Talk's official blog has more information on ChatBack, and information on how to add it to your own website or blog.Google Talkabout: Google Talk chatback
Still Alive 2008-03-01 17:04:30 Organic Chemistry was in the morning. It was terrible. I felt like I squandered a year and a half of my life for no purpose. And I am quite definitely in the worst mood I have ever been. I was yelling at the dishes in the sink for not being clean. How can I possibly be more irrational? It would probably be a good idea to take the rest of the night off, but I do not have time to waste.Like I've said before, the work starts, but never ends. I'm starting to agree with Bertrand A. Russell: Education is one of the chief obstacles to intelligence and freedom of thought.Let me go free!
Read more:Alive
Our online lives 2008-03-01 17:02:50 From time to time, I'll stumble across something online
that really makes me stop and think. Today, I ran across a site called Gmail dot Net. In itself, it is completely harmless. An anonymous medium through which the masses of the internet can post messages. Theoretically, there is a topic, such as today's "Is Barack Obama qualified to be president?" However, a user is free to post just about anything he or she wishes.This is the series of posts which bothered me, made me think:An anonymous plea for human interaction, or just another dumb kid on his computer trying to mess with people? We will never know who it was, or why they begged for human contact. We just know that someone out there asked for help, and didn't get it.
Mhm Yum's Guide to Napping 2008-02-26 20:27:46 Feisty G, over at Mhm Yum!, has posted a nice guide to daytime napping. Though the specifics are tailored toward Northwestern students, her general guidelines are applicable to everyone.Oh, the nap! What a delightful gift to the college student! It is the opportunity to rest one's eyes in any number of locales and for many ranges of times. Today I will discuss some good places on campus for a decent nap, and some other sleepy strategies.Read the rest of her piece at Mhm Yum!: The Nap.
Read more:Guide
, Napping
Break Time 2008-02-26 20:27:31 With an Organic Chemistry exam looming on the horizon, I am inclined to hold off posting until Tuesday afternoon. Hope you have a good weekend!-Shamiq
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College Classes 2008-02-26 20:27:16 Sometimes, I can't tell if my professors are actually doing this...But typically, it just means I haven't read the material for class.Comic taken from xkcd.
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, Classes
Relaxing 2008-02-23 13:24:19 Some days I just need to relax, allow my body and my mind to recuperate from the tiring tedium of being a full time student. My ideal "rest" day is pretty straightforward. Wake up just in time to get ready for classes. Go to classes, then hit the gym. Then come home, take a shower and kick back.There is nothing that can compare to the simple joy of wearing comfortable clothes, sitting on the easy chair and reading a book with music softly playing in the background. A rest day clears your mind. It helps you stay sane when the pressure has built up and you feel like exploding.It's a shame we don't relax as much as we need to. Taking one day off here and there is much more efficient than just breaking down and not being able to go any further. Go, take a break, it's good for you. :)
Surreal Moments 2008-02-22 09:54:38 I walked into a lecture by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. It was a really strange feeling. I had gone through the exact same lectures, read all of the informational packets (or propaganda...if you so please), and there I was, entering a classroom full of hopefuls and their parents.I felt like telling them to relax, and enjoy their senior years. If you've worked hard enough to contemplate applying to Northwestern, the rest of the process is mainly out of your hands. Just make sure the documents arrive in time and the recommendations get written. After that, just chill out and enjoy the rest of the year. But of course, I saw anxious faces, and notebooks full of notes. It's a different feeling to be in and look out as compared to be out and look in. Maybe a year from now, those who m Read more:Moments
Monday starts on Friday 2008-02-18 10:32:48 For most students, Monday
is the bane of our existence (unless you don't have classes on Monday...then you hate Tuesday, or Wednesday, etc). We wake up tired, without any energy or the desire to go to classes. We wish we could just sleep, and ignore the week. But as much as we hate it, we cannot blame Monday for being so terrible. We know exactly what it's going to bring and what we'll have to do. But even so, we face it unprepared.Every dreary Monday starts on the Friday
that precedes it. We go out on Friday, have a good time and return at ungodly hours of the night. We have fun, but it does nothing to eliminate the stress we must deal with during the week. A late Friday spills over into a late Saturday, and a late Saturday only sets us up for a draining Sunday.We wake up on Sunday, and w
How-to: Tie Tying 2008-02-17 13:26:47 Learning how to tie a tie is quite important. If well done, it can differentiate the man (or woman) from his peers. It truly is an art form, and surprisingly few people know how to correctly wear a tie. Kinowear breaks down the basics and keeps us looking our best. How To Tie a Tie: The Pursuit of the Perfect KnotNote: I don't know how to tie a tie well, so don't ask.
Read more:Tying
Reader Suggestion: College Lectures 2008-02-17 12:45:30 I had asked yesterday if anyone desired a specific entry. The first reply wanted me to discuss what a typical college lecture was like. So, I'll do my best to describe class fairly, without my bias interfering with the facts.Disclaimer: Every lecturer is a bit different in style and delivery, so this is what to generally expect.Classes fall under three different categories. The first is a lecture, the second is a discussion, and the third is a read-along.Lecture classes are typically the toughest for students. They require constant note taking and incessant attention. The lecturer bases his exams on the material presented in class, so if you miss a day try to get the materials from a classmate. A lecturer, using the blackboard, white board, or power point, presents and discusses the inform Read more:College
, Reader
, Suggestion
Above freezing! 2008-02-17 12:39:24 Every once in a while during the Chicago winter, we have a day where the temperature is above freezing. And today happens to be one of those days! According to Google, it's:Which means I can actually go outside and have some fun! Oh, and I can also open my window!Warm days are a blessing. Great timing too, I finished my homework for the weekend yesterday. If I take pictures, though very unlikely, I'll post them. The simple joys of being above freezing.
Maybe the basketball game wasn't that bad... 2008-02-16 20:11:15 So apparently, the basketball game we went to on Thursday wasn't as bad as I thought it was. As you can see, there were a couple very good plays:It was probably how far away we sat. I just couldn't see any of the good stuff.
Read more:Maybe
More Free Software 2008-03-12 19:56:42 I found another website which has compiled a lot of useful computer programs for college students. The page is entitled Software
For.org: Home of Software for Starving Students. What they have done is taken a lot of freely available software and compiled it to one CD. So Mac and Windows users can download the CD, and follow the guides they have set up to install the software.I love the first question in the Q&A section:Q: Why do you do this?A: The cost of a college education is always increasing -- usually faster than students can earn money. We hope our efforts will help lower students' software costs.Don't forget, all of this software is free for private users!Link: SoftwareFor.orgHave a nice day!
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts 2008-03-11 19:23:15 I purchased Ghosts I-IV last night. It's the first time I've paid to listen to music since high school. It's the new 36 track collection by Nine Inch Nails
. And it is shamazing. Purely instrumental, Ghosts relies on various synthesizers and all kinds of strange items to create the distinct NIN sound, a surreal medley of noises which meld perfectly into a cohesive whole. Ghost I is available to freely download and if you please, you can download the rest of the tracks for a paltry $5.And I am sorry for lying to you. I wanted to get my hair cut yesterday, but alas time did not permit. Hopefully, I will be able to rid myself of this extra baggage before Spring Break starts, but who knows.Hasta luego!
Studying Tool: Pandora 2008-03-11 09:32:24 Often times, when the material we are reading isn't interesting enough to completely capture our attention, a bit of background music can really prolong the duration of our studying. I admit, my rock collection does not serve me well in these scenarios, but I do have the option of creating an internet radio account and listening to some more "useful" music.Our spotlight today is on Pandora
Radio. Pandora dubs itself "a new kind of radio - stations that play only music you like," and the technique they use to pick only music we like can be twisted to our own benefit. For example, we know that jazz music creates a great environment for studying. You can either type in a song name or the name of an artist. Based off of this, it will play music which it thinks best suits your specifications. I
I like pi 2008-03-14 20:37:41 A message from my friend at Mhm Yum. Go check it out.
Have a nice day!
Pandora Alternative for Europeans 2008-03-13 13:00:31 Since Pandora
doesn't officially work for out of US customers, I've looked around a bit to see what else the net offers. One website that continually comes up is Musicovery. This is a French based company which offers a similar service as Pandora. The website is pretty interesting and easy enough to learn.
I've heard reports that they do not offer as much of a choice as Pandora does, but Read more:Alternative
, Europeans
Recommend Site To A Friend
