Caltech

ASCIT Social DIrector In Action

2013-05-21T08:02:00-07:00

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle and I am currently finishing up my third term as a junior here at Tech. I am a bioengineer and premed...in fact, I'm currently in the process of applying to medical schools (or more like, I'm currently staring at a blank word document that is to hopefully develop into a personal statement at some point in time).

I have a rather unique role at Caltech--I hold the position of ASCIT (Associated Students of CIT) Social Director. ASCIT is essentially our institution's student government, and my job entails planning and organizing all of the interhouse, school-wide social events for the undergrads. I first served as the interim social director during winter term of my sophomore year and was subsequently elected to the position in the middle of the following term during the annual ASCIT elections. I have just finished my first year as ASCIT Social Director and will be powering through for one more year. As ASCIT Social Director, I try to ensure that social events, whether in-house or interhouse, happen every weekend. Therefore, when I see that nothing is scheduled for a particular weekend, I'll usually plan end up planning something for then. This usually amounts to planning around 3 to 5 school-wide events per term. Two of the biggest events that I planned this past year were Big Interhouse and ASCIT Formal.

Big Interhouse, an event that happens every 2 years here at Tech, is our LARGEST party. For this event, the four south houses (Fleming, Dabney, Ricketts, and Blacker) pair up with the north houses (Page, Lloyd, and Ruddock) and Avery to plan and build 4 simultaneous parties--1 in each of the courtyards of the south houses. Yes, we build our parties--dance floor and everything; it makes parties at Caltech incredibly unique! For Big Interhouse, each party had its own theme: Fleming and Ruddock went with The Fall of Troy, Dabney and Page with Sesame Street, Ricketts and Lloyd with Space, and Blacker and Avery with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Each pairing spent a good month planning, constructing, decorating, and more. The event was held on Saturday, November 17th and attracted a number of alumni and guests from other schools all around. It was an incredibly fun and exciting event, but for my planning purposes, I'm glad it only happens every other year!

Fleming and Ruddock: The Fall of Troy

Blacker and Avery: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

ASCIT Formal--essentially college prom--was another event that I planned earlier this spring term. It was held on top of Mt. Wilson next to the observatories. On a perfect night, we would have been able to see both the stars and the breathtaking views of LA and the surrounding counties (I was told that you can see as far as Catalina Island and even Palomar Observatory near San Diego). However, it was incredibly foggy that night, so we were only able to see the stars above us. This was still a beautiful sight, considering our usual location on the outskirts of LA essentially prevents us from seeing anything more than a sky obscured by light pollution at night. We had a catered dinner on the mountain under the Pavilion and dancing right afterwards. On top of our hired DJ, we had one of our student bands play for about an hour, which was really neat. We also organized tours of the 100-inch telescope in the nearby observatory for students, which they seemed to LOVE. People also had the chance to wander around on their own and enjoy the scenic mountain. As advertised, it really was a "party on the rooftop of LA," and for a cheap price too! We only charged $10 for undergraduate students and $30 for their guests. It was an overall incredible and memorable night, save the drive up and down the windy mountain in the fog.

My friends and I at ASCIT Formal!

In my next year as ASCIT Social Director, I have a number of new ideas for the students. My ultimate goal is to improve upon Caltech's current social reputation and provide a better social atmosphere for all of the students! Caltech's hard enough as it is...why not add a little fun?

These are a few of our favorite things!

2013-05-20T16:55:39-07:00

As we reflect back on our fabulous and eye-opening Swiss adventure, we would like to share with you some of our favorite memories.

Swimming in Lake Geneva was really, really fun. Since it was still technically summer, the weather was just perfect for it and I couldn't believe we were really there, in Switzerland! We both really liked the paddleboat and I liked seeing all the Swiss people around doing similar things to us. This moment was the one that made me really realize that we were in Switzerland for the next three weeks.

View of Lake Geneva.

Other paddleboats on Lake Geneva

Another highlight when we were in French Switzerland was going on the wine hike. I will never forget how picturesque the neatly trimmed vineyards looked-- nestled quaintly on the slopes of the mountain integrated with towns and communities. In the wine tavern we went to, there was a jolly group of locals who sang some tunes over drinks and were very friendly. The camaraderie and laughter epitomized the ‘enjoy and live life to the fullest’ attitude of the French Swiss.

Inside the wine tavern on our wine hike.

Neatly and well maintained vineyards in the French Swiss countryside.

Seeing the Alps for the first time was breathtaking. When we saw the majestic snow-capped peaks for the first time, we just stood there for a few moments in awe and appreciation of the power. I was definitely rendered speechless as the beauty was overwhelming. In that moment, I understood the praise and reputation of the Alps and also the “sublime” that the Romantics such as Samuel Coleridge and Percy Shelley heralded and grappled with in their poetry. When we first detected a tinkling noise on our first hike, we both paused for a second before realizing that it was the tinkling of cowbells! Even though the cows wearing the cowbells could be quite far away from us, the tinkling noise from their large oversized bells around their necks resonated throughout the valley, creating a discordant symphony of notes.

Hiking in the Swiss Alps! :)

Even though admiring the Alps was a feast for our eyes, actually hiking the Alps was a dream come true. I couldn't believe how huge the mountains were! I'm really glad we accidentally got on the expensive train which took us to the top of Jungfraujoch, which is heralded as the “Top of Europe” even though technically people can go higher. At the lookout station, we got to go outside on a metal deck above the glacier and the snow! I looked down past the clouds and could see the non-snow covered hike down below. Even though we got off the train down the mountain at the first stop without realizing that it was actually the last train of the night, running down the mountain during the last moments of light later was a great adventure. It was an exciting first day in the Alps.

Cairns on the hike that signify we were on a trail.

A lookout structure in the Alps.

Looking down to the valley from a hike.

We went to the Alps right at the end of the summer hiking season. I loved when we hiked to Falhorn, which is one of the classic Swiss Alpine hikes. We took a lift up from the hot, sunny valley in Grindelwald to the cool snow covered higher elevations. I liked hiking through the snow and hiking down a watery snowy stream at the end was pretty cool, even if it was a little scary.

Since it was usually pretty quiet when we were on our hikes (except for the tinkling of cowbells of course!), we decided that it was definitely the opportune time and place to learn the hallmark tunes from the Sound of Music. We learned the songs “Edelveiss”, “My Favorite Things”, “The Lonely Goatherd”, “So Long Farewell” and “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” on the train rides and lifts to our hikes, which evoked some smiles and amused looks from locals and others passing by. Once we hit the hikes, we definitely busted out the jolly tunes and I think it really enhanced our experience and other hikers enjoyed it too.

Carefully and cautiously hiking down a snowing and slippery slope.

When we arrived in Bern on Sunday afternoon, we were pretty tired, but we wanted to try the river float. I am so glad we went on Sunday! Sunday is the day when everything is closed, and all of the Swiss head to the parks to relax and have fun. There were plenty of people there even though it was late in the day. The water was cold but really fun to float in. Catherine was so funny! She had never floated down a river before so she was nervous but having a really good time. It was definitely much more than a dose of refreshing cold water—I felt like a frozen block but then as the current carried us down, it was enjoyable as my body became numb. We could definitely see why this is a popular activity for tourists and local alike. For us, the analogy would be going to the beach but since Switzerland is landlocked, the river float is definitely a fun ride. I liked how tourist experience was doing something the locals did frequently.

View of the river that we were floating down in Bern.

Going to Italian Switzerland was like travelling to a different country! The contrast existed not only in the language change from German or French to Italian but also in the cuisine, the natural landscape and weather. The temperatures in Lugano were much warmer than in Bern even though it was the end of summer and entering autumn. In addition, the gelato was amazing—it was like my taste buds had reached a state of euphoria. Also the pastries such as tiramisu and other cakes were delicious! Another highlight for us was going on the boat ride from Lugano to Morcote and then taking a hike in Morcote, visiting the Italian style churches and cathedrals with amazing frescoes. The naturally vibrant jewel toned colors including the deep blue of the lake, lush emerald green of the trees with pink, orange and red flowers along the shoreline seemed like a scene from an oil painting. In addition, the view of Lake Lugano across to Italy and walking along the ancient cobblestoned paths are favorite memories.

Carly next to one of our favorite fountains in Lugano.

Church in Morcote.

View of the ceiling in a Cathedral.

The Roman ruins in Avenches were another highlight. It was surprising to see these Roman ruins integrated around a quaint Swiss town, but it is definitely a piece of history not to be forgotten. I loved hearing how our voices reverberated throughout the centuries ancient arena when we were standing in the middle. I was in awe of how gigantic one of the few remaining columns was relative to me. I was also very impressed with how long it took us to walk from the town to the surrounding town wall. It was a long walk and I can't imagine actually transporting all the stone out to build the wall and the towers in a time period when walking was the most common form of transportation.

Steps and seating in the ancient Roman amphitheatre.

It was our pleasure to write this blog for you because it allowed us to relive our adventures. Thanks so much for reading. We are very gratefull to Mr. San Pietro for setting up this travel opportunity for Caltech undergraduates. Thanks to the efforts of the Caltech FASA office as well.

It has to be summer. Let's write about it!

2013-05-18T08:50:00-07:00

I’m having a pretty packed week so far. It was extremely hot during the beginning of the week (near 100°F!) but it cooled down to a nice temperature for now. Now that it’s cooler, I can focus better on my work, so that’s a plus! I’m editing my history thesis, adding citations, and polishing it much as I can. I think it’s the longest paper I have written so far, but it does need a lot more work! Now, I have to start my corruption paper. My topic is on conflict of interest in medical research and in academia. Right now I only have a vague idea of how things might play out. Although there were lots of papers talking about the different traits, consequences, and indications regarding my topic in the field of medical research, I didn’t get a clear view of how I might start writing my paper (I guess this is why they call it a research paper). Since I needed a bit of help organizing my ideas and discuss how I might start out actually write out the things I want to write about, I visited the Hixon Writing Center. Caltech is very committed to make us improve our writing skills when we graduate. So, there is the Writing Center to help you out for all writing-related needs! They have both professional and peer tutors with whom you can meet to get feedback on your papers, get help with grammar and writing techniques, or get help on starting your written assignment. I found the Writing Center tremendously helpful in writing my thesis and now…my very long research paper.

Walking back to my room, I saw that the entire campus was purple! Ok, I looked this up on Wikipedia, but I think they are jacarandas. They are so pretty!! If you want a lovely walk down to Old Pasadena during May, walk there via Del Mar. The streets have lots of these trees in full bloom around this time of the year.

This weekend, I get to volunteer and help clean the LA River! (Yes, we have a river) I heard about many efforts to restore the river as long as I can remember, but this would be the first time I am helping out on the “24th annual LA River CleanUp” as stated on the email. I haven’t been able to volunteer for a while, so this is going to be fun!

Until next time, (and if the weather is scorching hot, stay cool!)

-Dong Woo

Adventures in Koreatown

2013-05-17T06:58:00-07:00

In my opinion, one of Caltech's best points is that it is located in quiet Pasadena but is very close to all that Los Angeles has to offer. Although LA doesn't have the best public transportation system, it is actually quite extensive. The bus system runs all over LA and there are three bus systems that run near Caltech (the LA Metro, the Pasadena ARTS, and the Foothill Transit) that run to places like Old Pasadena, Arcadia, and even downtown. Caltech is also about 30 minutes walking distance away from two train/metro stations. The train goes to LA Union Station and from there goes to Hollywood, Koreatown, etc. I've even used public transportation to go to UCLA and the beach (although I don't recommend it...).

Recently, my friends and I used the Metro to go to LA's Koreatown. From what I've heard, LA's Koreatown is one of the largest and as such there is no shortage of good and cheap Korean food.

One of the most popular type of Korean food to eat is Korean barbeque, especially thanks to all the cheap, all-you-can-eat places there are in LA. Korean barbeque is essentially like American barbeque and involves grilling a variety of marinated or unmarinated meat on a hot grill of some kind (the place we went to, Hae Jang Chon, uses a hot stone grill). And just like American-style barbeque, Korean barbeque involves lots of side dishes. But instead of potato salad and coleslaw, it usually involves different kinds of kimchi (spicy pickled vegetables), marinated bean sprouts, fish cakes, kimchi pancakes, steamed egg, boiled vegetables, and salad. Instead of barbeque sauce, there's salty miso paste, spicy chili sauce, salt and sesame oil, and vinegar and soy sauce.

Usually the way all-you-can-eat places work, is that they have different "tiers" of meat that you can order for a certain price. For ~$10 you can usually get between 5 - 7 different types of meat, $12 between 7 - 9 types of meat, etc. The exact price and amount of meat varies from place to place.

Some of the more common meat offerings include samgyupsal (pork belly (below) which is essentially unmarinated, uncured bacon), bulgolgi (marinated beef (above), galbi (short ribs (above), either marinated or unmarinated), and chadol baegi (thinly sliced brisket). Depending on the place, beef tongue, octupus/squid, and spicy pork bulgolgi is pretty common.

At the end of our meal at Haejangchon, the waitstaff prepared kimchi fried rice on the grill, which is essentially what it sounds like -- rice, kimchi, and some other vegetables fried on the hot grill.

Altogether, I've found the LA metro system to be very convenient and easy to use if you want to get around LA and not be stuck in traffic. It has definitely helped me take advantage of all LA has to offer!

What?

2013-05-16T08:31:00-07:00

So I'm in a lab class this term; we have take home physics labs which involve deriving equations, building circuits, and measuring values from them. Last Sunday, my partner and I were in the SAC doing our experiment and saw something through the window blinds. Pulling up the blinds, it was a peacock! Like what?

We proceeded to go into the courtyard and view the peacock up close.

I then tried to get a picture of me and the peacock with the help of my lab partner.

It didn't work out so well because it would only let me get so close before trotting away. But at Lloyd Interhouse, the theme was Up and they had a paper-mache bird so I guess picture with peacock can be checked off from my bucket list.

From left to right, we dressed up as Kevin, Russell, and Mr. Fredricksen.

I was thoroughly entertained because I've only seen birds this big at the zoo, and off the internet of course. Apparently they are wild and the nearby city of Alhambra, which is where this one came from.

Note: The SAC is what we call the large underground area under the South undergraduate houses. We have a ton of stuff in the SAC, like study rooms that have really nice chairs, computer rooms with printers, laundry room, DDR room, lots of storage closets, etc.

Thanks for reading my random blog post about a super random sighting! Stay tuned,

Monica