Now the semester is actually going

The semester is now in full swing. The first MCB exam is coming up, both MCB and chemistry labs are meeting weekly, and CS 173 is holding its first quiz/examlet tomorrow. CS 225's autograded programming problems are starting to be a bit of a challenge. Exciting times!

Semester up and running

It's now been two weeks of class (one of which was a bit short due to Labor Day) and the semester is fully going. I had the first Data Structures exam this afternoon. Discrete Structures will start holding weekly quizzes this coming Thursday. Both the biology (class, not research) and organic chemistry labs will be held this coming week.

Paperwork done for now

I recently got through all the new-hire HR electronic paperwork and gained access to the time tracking web app, so I think I am ready to start actual work as a CS 125 course developer! I think I'll receive more specific directions at the meeting of all the developers, which will hopefully be next week.

So much paperwork

Today I went into the CS department's HR office to get all the paperwork for my course dev job in order. The appointment itself was pretty quick - I just had to type a bit of basic information into their computer and show identifying documents to their staff. Later I got an e-mail with a link to their new hire portal, through which I embarked on a long journey. So far, I've signed a handful of understandings, verified a bunch of information, gone through two training presentations, and become a mandatory reporter, and that was all the first of six steps.

Back in lab

Yesterday I went to the biochemistry research lab to check in and learn what I'll be working on at the start of this semester. Today I started on that work by doing a straightforward PCR. Next Wednesday I'll go in again and run a gel to see if it worked.

Paperwork time

In order to technically/legally be appointed for the CS 125 course developer job, there is apparently some paperwork to fill out. Fortunately I have all required documents/cards with me on campus, so it's a matter of going to the HR office on Friday to get all verified. Then I can start working!

Lots of work ahead

Today was the first day of classes for the fall semester and it's shaping up to be a handful. As I knew coming in, CS 225 strongly suggests CS 173 as a prerequisite, but I am taking both simultaneously. The first exam in 225 is meant to get us comfortable with the testing facility, but it covers many aspects of 173 that are foundational to 225. Fortunately I read the 173 book over the summer, but I definitely need to review the relevant chapters. In MCB 250, the professor said that it would probably be the hardest class we've ever taken. The first order of business is to memorize the structures, abbreviations, and properties of all amino acids and nucleotides.