Janet G: 2019

Tidbits of autumn quarter

First, a few highlights:

studying French an hour a day - my phone and computer is in french for true immersion
(so is Gillian and Ellie's, as I later discovered [unplanned!]).. tres super!
reading books! this is something I always say I’m going to do but never do, so
I’m glad I was able to read more this quarter! I read Twilight of the Idols by Nietzsche and
Pale Fire by Nabokov. Also read half of the Brothers Karamazov
went apple and pumpkin picking!
got sick two times this quarter and couldn’t stop coughing.
Phenadraline and mucinex dm and honey water is the holy trinity of being able to get up to go to class
too many phone calls and sell day chats
Ran out of contact lenses so walking around campus not being able to see anyone
Leading small group with the best coleaders!
“Stock market talks” with Jocelyn that morphed into tour de food of chicago,
we really love the purple pig
Senator murkowski environmental talk
Enjoying the dining halls
Christmas music and Kanye’s new album!
Watching dark tv shows- i must stop
On a caffeine cleanse - caffeine affects me so strongly if i have it after 12 pm
i have insomnia all night and can’t sleep until 4 am - also i am no longer having withdrawals from
lack of kombucha
Rediscovering my old passion and memorizing fun facts about soil science
Destroying my bank account on food, 100% worth it
Losing at mafia against kenna because i am a bad liar
Bartlett runs with Jocelyn’s ID
Running halfway to the Chriskindlmarket with Gillian
Shinju with Gillian and Judy
Solo skating outside as the sun sets

This quarter has been very different from all of my other quarters at UChicago in the sense that I have so much free time. I have had these strange bouts of energy that allowed me to focus super well for 7 hours straight and finish almost all my homework for the week over the weekend. Something I’ve discovered that works extremely well for me is to study less. If I study for hours and hours, I get so inefficient and my mind starts wandering or I end up watching aesthetic youtube videos about tokyo. I study and concentrate best very early in the morning and try to save mindless administrative tasks/leisure reading for later in the day.

I have also been sticking to google calendars for organization.. this is the end of using paper agendas and planners for me.

for example:

Another goal was also to do every single reading in my classes. In my first year, I would maybe read ¾ of every reading assigned because there were so many pages to get through and my mind would wander. However, this year, it’s 8th week, and I’ve been successful so far. I definitely want to write and journal more as well. In being caught up with my day-to-day tasks, I’ve lost my grip on writing.

speaking of writing, here's a few excerpts from my online journal from the quarter (lmk if you ever want to subscribe bc ill send you these through fb messenger every night though im not sure why you'd want to suffer that.. I think it's sooo interesting what people do all day long) -

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11/18/2019 - pulled an all nighter because of the taro bubble tea. Then I went to Ethics of Immigration class, didn’t participate, interviewed for an RA position that I really don’t want to do because it is copy and pasting LinkedIns, and to my classes. Then, Jocelyn the Angel swiped me into Bartlett because it’s eighth week and she has 45 swipes left. We talked a bit about Hong Kong. Then, Kyle came and I talked to him! He just came back from a date. I tried to ask Kyle who his science friends were. I small group prepped at Pret with Moses and Nadiah. Then, I went to Ratner and ran two miles instead of working on App Development.

11/19/2019 - I forced myself up and went to Baker breakfast with Jocelyn! The omelette was so good. I also am in love with their perfectly seasoned potatoes. Then, I sprinted to work and talked to Simatul and Cathy. Cathy helped me stab balloons with scissors. I jumped on them and they still didn’t pop. The Wonders of Pressure and Volume in action. I attended online office hours with Jelani for the Photogram GUI and then walked to Ex Libris to ask Amy questions on Kant, time, and punishment. After that, Kathryn walked us through structured products and CLOs at Smart Woman Securities. I walked home, ate cereal and yogurt, and went to Ratner to run two miles once again instead of working on App Development and my Kant exam.

11/24/2019- felt kinda upset so i took the cta to see the warhol exhibit alone.

12/2/2019 - yesterday was incredible. I went over to Nadiah’s, had chipotle, and wrote christmas cards with An and Moses. today, I boiled two eggs, didn’t eat them and ate yogurt instead, went to my ethics class without saying a word (honestly rip my participation) and then went ice skating on the midway! I feel so alive again. It was freezing because I took off my jacket and even though I messed up a lot of spins it was so much fun. I really missed skating. I quickly finished my homework in Harper after.

i'm tired now. merci beaucoup for reading!

Poland 2019 Reflection

Poland's deep history shows through in everyday life

In Krakow, we went on a free walking tour! We saw the medieval town square in the old town, Rynek Główny. It holds the famous Cloth Hall, St. Mary's Basilica, and Church of St. Wojciech. There were so many items on sale in the bustling cloth hall! My American consumerism tendencies kicked in and I bought a doll keychain and Amber ring, since so much amber comes from the Baltic region. There were so many street performers and cafes packed with people enjoying drinks.

Potato pancakes and venison and an impressive craft beer

the best ice cream of my life

I had at least 20 ice cream cones when I was in Poland - I still get withdrawals from the LODY

Wandering around Kazimierz

Kazimierz is Krakow’s Old Jewish Quarter. The neighborhood was mostly destroyed during the Second World War. Today, the streets are covered in art and its streets are lined with bars, restaurants, galleries, and boutique shops.

Krakow’s crowning jewel is Wawel Castle, which for centuries, was the residence of the kings of Poland. This is one of the largest castles in Poland (though not quite as large as Malbork Castle, which takes the title of largest castle in the world by land area!), and it’s hard to miss given its size.

Walking the Royal Route, which was the historic coronation path of Polish kings. The route starts in the north end of the Old Town at St. Florian’s Church, goes past the Barbican and through St. Florian’s Gate, straight down Florianska, past the Main Square and St. Mary’s Basilica, down Grodzka, and up Wawel Castle

Wieliczka Salt Mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine tour began by descending flight after flight of stairs, 800 steps below the ground to a depth of 135 meters. Then, we were led through a 3 kilometer maze of cool tunnels, seeing saline lakes, timber constructions, and learning about the history and various stories about the mine along the way. The rock salt was naturally in varying shades of grey, though the purest salt was white and crystalline. The tour ended at a magnificent underground salt cathedral, where dozens of statues, artwork, and chandeliers were carved out of salt.

The Dollhouse Museum in Warsaw

MUZEUM DOMKÓW DLA LALEK

I stumbled upon this museum by a lucky accident. Located in the city center in the Palace of Culture and Science, it is an enchanting collection of over 130 tiny houses, shops, and rooms for dolls, tiny snapshots of cultural and historical reality. A doorman welcomed me into this museum through a small dollhouse door. It was like walking into a fairytale. I was stunned by the level of artistry and intricate detail behind the creation of these mini worlds. Some were handmade by parents and others by skilled craftsmen or mass-produced by toy factories. I observed a collection of tiny Polish post offices, schoolhouses, a butcher's stall, hospitals equipped with minuscule operation tools, and regular houses with everything you would find in your own home, but smaller. These displays came from all over Europe and represented life in various countries and times, including the Communist era. In a small wing to the side, there was a collection full of religious houses from southern Europe. These toys were meant to accustom children to church rituals while playing in hopes of kindling a stronger connection with God. I also absolutely loved the wing of the legends and myths of Warsaw, from models of the Basilisk's lair, the mermaid of Warsaw, and the Wawel Dragon's Den. This is a mysterious and enchanting place to go to for both young and old.

Teatro Cubano Warsaw

The Royal Route, Warsaw

We saw the Royal Castle, King Sigismund's Column, St. Anne's Church, Chopin Point, Copernicus Monument, St. Alexander's Church, and Lazienki Park. Back in the Second World War, Warsaw's Old Town was bombed during the German Invasion of Poland in 1939. The Old Town was an incredible collection of buildings that showcased the city's history, with hints of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. During 1944, the Polish resistance fought against Nazi occupiers in the Warsaw Uprising. In retaliation, the Nazis stormed through Old Town, burning buildings with flamethrowers and systematically destroyed buildings for months, in attempts not to only destroy the physical city but also Polish culture, history, and identity. The battle of 1944 left almost nothing of the old Warsaw. The fate of Warsaw reduced to rubble epitomizes the disaster of World War II. Sadly, Germany's eventual defeat in the war did not mark the Poles' liberation but another occupation by the Soviet communists.The city was meticulously reconstructed almost identically to how it had been previously and overall became a symbol of national pride.

summer 2k19

university of notre dame library and the mcdonald's headquarters

emily's birthday celebration- after seeing the manet exhibit at the art institute, we took a water taxi to chinatown for dumplings at qxy

views from the office

sunda

virgil abloe - i embrace imperfection as much as the pursuit of perfecion. injecting new meaning into something commonplace- to demystify and communicate again. tourist and purist and newfound freedom in being ironic. the obsession with brand and how it drives culture