Kaitlyn Cheesebro

On the move

2007-03-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

It's only been a week since returning from Spring Break and New York (which was a lot of fun, even though we had some interesting experiences...) and I'm ready for another vacation. Fortunately, I have another one coming up. In one week, my mom and I flying down to Texas to visit the University of Texas at Austin, where I might be going for my Master's in Structural Engineering. We'll be down there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and come back Sunday. I am very excited.

Then, things have really started getting crazy at the Martha Cook Building. March 23 is International Tea, which is open to the public, so if you're interested in food from all over the world, make sure to stop by from 3-5pm (okay, no more shameless plugs for MCB events). The next weekend we're going to Detroit to help out with DP Day, and then after that is Easter Weekend, and the weekend after that is the Martha Cook Spring Tea, another huge event. We're also having the 1st Annual Martha Cook Talent Show that evening (April 14).

Besides all of the exciting events, as the Assistant Rez. Director (basically, the RA), I've been giving tours of the building to potential residents, helping get leases ready, keeping track of the RSVPs for Spring Tea, working with the other girls in the dorm to prepare for next year... the list just goes on! Somehow, between all these responsibilities, I manage to do homework. I also sleep once in a while, fortunately, since sleeping is one of my favorite pasttimes. I also play Sudoku.

I'm very nervous about graduate school. I feel like I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. I don't remember feeling this anxious about undergraduate. My biggest worry is how I'm going to pay for school, especially if I go to Texas and am out-of-state. Will I be able to get a teaching assistant position, or will I do research. What will classes be like? Will there be opportunities to be as involved around campus? Where will I live? How will I be able to make it 4 months or more without seeing my mom if I go to Texas? How stressful will the move be if I have to do it in one week? Why does Michigan get out so late in December??

Well, I'll let you know how it goes when I'm back from Texas.

Until then... GO BLUE!

Kaitlyn

The longest month of the year

2007-02-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

It's ironic, I think, that the shortest month day-wise feels like the longest month time-wise. February is cold, there are no holidays (a holiday being a day when classes are canceled), and the days seem to drag on. Fortunately, I have some fun things to look forward to in February.

Next weekend, one of my friends and I are going down to Indianapolis for a conference, sponsored through Campus Crusade for Christ. It's from Friday to Sunday, and I think it should be interesting. I'm really looking forward to it.

Then, Winter Break is coming up at the very end of this month. Another of my friends and I are going to New York City for a long weekend. Neither of us has been there since before we can remember, so it should be a fun adventure. While we're there, we're going to go on a couple guided tours, we'll visit the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero, stop by some of the museums, and of course, wander down 5th Avenue and hang out in Times Square. The Saturday that we're there, I'll be turning 22. (That sounds sooo old.)

I still have yet to hear from any of the schools that applied to for graduate school. I've heard that it may be March before I know anything, so I'm not too anxious yet, but it would be nice to know. It's taxes and Fafsa time as well. It feels like February 4 is too early to be worrying about next September all ready.

Well, until next time,

GO BLUE!

Kaitlyn

Winter '07

2007-01-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

January is almost over, and it feels like it has just begun. The new semester has been a whirlwind of class presentations (all ready!), social outings, and plain-old homework.

My Christmas was good. My mom, my sister and I flew to Las Vegas to spend the holidays with my mom's family. My grandparents and my mom's sibling's families all met in Nevada for a few days, and then some of us went down to Tucson to stay at my grandparent's house. Just before New Year's, we drove up to Phoenix to stay with my aunt. The shopping in Phoenix is amazing. It seems like any store you can think of is in Phoenix.

Unfortunately, our plane back to MI left at 6am on New Year's Day, so we didn't stay up late to welcome the new year. I managed to wake up for about 15 minutes around midnight to see the rerun of the ball dropping in NYC.

For Spring Break, a friend and I are planning to go to Montreal, Canada. I'm not quite sure why it's so expensive to go there, since most people head south instead of north, but hopefully we can find a good deal somewhere. I'm excited to go there... I've wanted to since high school. The closest I've gotten is Windsor, Canada. Hopefully in Montreal I'll be able to put my 8 years of French to good use.

That is all for me right now.

Until next time.... Go Blue!

Kaitlyn

Back from Break

2006-11-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

I had a good Thanksgiving, even though I spent almost half of it in Ann Arbor, due to my duties as an RA. Thursday, my mom, sister, and I drove to my grandparents' house in Sterling Heights, and from there we went to my aunt's new home about twenty minutes from there to have dinner. As Thanksgiving dinner always is, it was very good. My favorite side is stuffing, and we had three different pies (pumpkin, custard, and apple) which I had a sampling of each.

Thursday night found me back in Ann Arbor, and I picked up a few extra hours at my job Friday morning, which will help as I try valiantly to buy gifts for people. It seems like everyone already knows what they're going to get me for Christmas (I am really easy to shop for; I like DVDs and gift cards to Starbucks) but of course, I have no idea what to get for anyone else. I feel like gift cards, while I like getting them, just don't mean the same thing as a gift. Gifts convey the sentiment that someone thought about what you would like, and made the effort to find something appropriate, whereas a gift card is the easy way out.

But I still like getting gift cards. It's a vicious circle, I guess.

Two and a half weeks until classes end! I cannot believe how much has been crammed into these next two and a half weeks. Between homework assignments, labs, grad school applications, end of the semester holiday events, and planning for break, I feel like I need at least four weeks until I'm ready for the end of the semester. Time has gone by too quickly.

Am I the only senior that wants time to slow down? Probably. I like school more than working, and I really like my dorm room this year, so I don't want to move out. People I tell that to think I'm crazy. :)

Well, my next class is about to start and I want to get a head start on today's crossword, so I should end this here. Until next time, GO BLUE! (Hopefully to the National Championship!)

- Kaitlyn

Aftermath

2006-11-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

I've changed my mind... one needs at least 35 hours a day. Then I might sleep for 5 hours. :)

The past two weeks have been a blur. I spent a lot of time with some of the actors from the RSC, which was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I was quite distressed when they left a week ago. I'm going to be keeping in contact over email and letters with one of the actors. Two weeks ago seems like a fairytale.

Fortunately, they did leave when they did, since I had three exams last week. Today I got the score for my Statistics and Probability exam, and I got a 93%, so I was very happy with that, especially since the night before I spent my last night with the RSC. :'( I've been sleeping more since they left as well... I guess British actors like to stay up until all hours of the night. :)

This past Saturday was (almost) as distressing as the RSC leaving. I had a bunch of friends over to my room for the football game. The mood was somber at the end of the game, and on top of Bo's death, I don't think Michigan Football Saturdays can get much worse. At least Michigan still has a smigeon of a chance to go to the National Championship game. (USC needs to lose!)

I'm going to Detroit to spend Thanksgiving with my grandparents. My mom is picking me up Wednesday, but I have to spend Thursday night in Ann Arbor since I'm the RA. However, I'll go home again on Friday and not return until Sunday. I need the break... it seems like everything seems to come in waves and last week was a tidal wave of homework assignments and exams and missing my new friends. Fortunately, this week has also shown me what amazing friends I have here in Ann Arbor, and I desparately hope that I'm as good to them as they are to me.

Well, I think this is a long enough post. Did anyone even read this far? :)

Have a great Thanksgiving, and until next time... GO BLUE!

Kaitlyn

November is here

2006-11-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

and I don't know if that's a good thing!

Too many things are coming due and I feel like I have no time. Sometimes I really wish there were at least 30 hours in a day, just so I could do that much more. What do I have to look forward to?

1. CEE 413 and 421 Assignments due next Thursday, which will probably take about 6 hours each.
2. CEE 421 Lab due on Monday (fortunately I've started this)
3. CEE 412 Risa Lab Assignment due next Friday, and since I have yet to do a Risa example correctly on the first try, this makes me nervous!
4. Seeing Antony and Cleopatra Wednesday.
5. Ball State on Saturday, plus my mom is coming to see me
6. Midterms start again a week from Monday.
7. For own peace of mind, need to write personal statements and submit grad school applications this weekend.
8. And the worst... (drumroll) the GRE on the 10th (after those three assignments due the 9th).

Yes, 30 hours a day would be a help.

A Roman thought

2006-10-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm going to see Julius Caesar on Saturday. I'm very excited, even if I do have to miss a football game because of it. At least I won't have to miss Ball State, since supposedly Patrick Stewart is going to be in the half-time show, which is super-cool. (I am a huge X-Men fan) . The title of my blurb is from Antony and Cleopatra, which I'm going to see two weeks from tonight. Seeing all three of the plays of the Royal Shakespeare Company's residency is going to take a lot of time, but I can't wait. I'm also taking Ralph Williams' mini-course for the RSC residency, which helps because he does a good job explaining aspects of the plays.

Now for my Roman thought: Before I can see Julius Caesar, I need to pass an exam on Thursday. It's the last of my midterms (this round at least... they start over Nov. 13) and it's going to be the hardest. At least I'm not the only one who thinks the test is going to be hard... I think most of my classmates are nervous.

A less Roman thought: Halloween is coming up. We're having our annual Halloween Party this Friday night at Martha Cook. As quasi-RA, I need to be there for the majority of the dance, so I need to think of a good costume idea. Right now I have zero ideas, but that's what the internet is good for. Last year I was "Someone You Can Count On" which consisted of a completely black outfit with construction paper numbers taped all over. Also on Friday I'm going to give a bit of a presentation at the Alumni Center to help fundraise for scholarship money. I'm glad to be able to help out, since this particular scholarship has helped me phenomenally.

Well, my lab is about to start, and then it's time to crack down on Hydrology.

Have a great week,
Kaitlyn

Three more days and counting...

2006-10-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Three more days until Fall Break!

This week is going quickly, despite my thinking it's either Monday or Wednesday, not Tuesday. I had my first midterm of the semester, IOE 265: Statistics and Probability, yesterday morning. I think it went well, which is encouraging. My next midterm is Friday, which I also feel I should do well on. Friday seems so far away, but so close at the same time.

I'm going home for Fall Break. Saturday, I think some friends of mine and I are going to a cider mill for the afternoon, and then returning to watch the football game against Penn State. (By the way, I stayed the whole game at MSU this past weekend. It wasn't quite as exciting as two years ago, but it was still a good game.) I hope Mario Manningham isn't out for the season... that could be bad. I am (jokingly) ranking my four potential graduate schools based on their football teams, and so far Michigan and Texas are the top schools. Go Blue (and Orange).

Speaking of Graduate schools... the application quest continues. I just ordered my transcripts, and sent my application fee waivers to Stanford and Texas. Just like Friday, my December application due dates seem so far away, but so very very close. My recommenders have been fabulous though... all three have already submitted the recommendations, which make me very happy to not have to worry about that. Now I mostly need to complete the actual applications and write my personal statements.

I do have fun, besides football. On Wednesday, I am going to see Pirates of the Caribbean II in the League. I can't wait. Despite the movie not starting until 8:30pm, I think I am going to leave at 7:30 just so I can get good seats. Ah, I love the movies at the League.

Well, it's off to do more homework. Have a great week!

Kaitlyn

The midterms are coming...

2006-10-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

My first test is on Monday in Statistics and Probability, and then Friday, I have a structural engineering midterm. I think I should do well on the structural midterm, since I understand the material that has been presented in class and have been able to do the homework. In stats, I will definitely need to study.

On a happier note... I'm very excited for the MSU game on Saturday. I have great seats in the stadium, and my favorite football memory is of the last time MSU was in Ann Arbor and we came from behind by 17 points to win in the triple overtime. Despite freezing in the stands, it was an awesome experience to be there. I hope this game is as exciting (though I'd like it if we didn't cut it so close this time!)

My mom came to visit me this past weekend, and I got a new book, a new winter coat, and a nice dinner out of the visit. Next weekend is Fall Break! I don't have any plans, and I have midterms before and after the break, but it will be a nice, relaxing weekend nonetheless.

My applications to graduate school are slowly coming together. I have been really stressed about applying for the past few weeks, but I am finally reaching a point where I can relax a little bit and focus more on my homework.

Well, that's all for me right now. Life is hectic, but since I seem to thrive on stress, I'm doing well. A few more hours of sleep each night would be nice, but I wouldn't want to give up any of my activities. :)

-Kaitlyn

Hello!

2006-09-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

My name is Kaitlyn Cheesebro and I am a senior at the University of Michigan. I'm studying Structural Engineering through the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. My dream job would be to work as an architectural engineer.

Besides my classes, I'm also very involved around campus. I am the ARD of the Martha Cook Building, which is basically like an RA at the other dorms. I'm involved with intermural sports as well. This semester I'm on a soccer team with other girls from Martha Cook and we are the Cookie Monsters. We won our first game, but unfortunately lost our second. We hope to redeem ourselves by winning our third game tomorrow evening.

On top of all of this, I am in the process of applying to graduate schools for Structural Engineering. The four schools that I am interested in right now are the University of Texas-Austin, Georgia Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and of course, U of M. My first choice is Stanford, but I would love to remain in Ann Arbor.

That's all for me right now. I'm off to work on my grad applications a little more, so until next time...

GO BLUE!

Kaitlyn