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Timetablature

Discovering that you’ve been accepted to UWA, via the magic of the internet on a Friday night after work, is one thing. Receiving notice that you’ve been accepted to UWA, via the magic of Australia Post on a Saturday afternoon, is another thing. Being fully and completely prepared to enrol with actual chosen subjects and a clash–free timetable by Tuesday morning is a thing so bewildering that my attempts to convey it here are completely marred by overemphasis!

First, lets remember that I had assumed a kind of “set it and forget it” mentality when applying to study Computer Science at UWA. I applied… then I waited for word of my success or failure. Nowhere had I started making decisions as to what my major might be, or whether I’d be making attempts at a double or triple major before enrollment day. These things just don’t occur to me. Now, upon attending an information evening prior to said enrollment day, I find that I do in fact need to make these decisions; and quickly.

So I did. I’ve spent the last four hours poring over unit details and timetables, over prerequisite this and load balance that. Most people look for simple, funloving electives to pass the time between their core units; I’m looking for electives that might just lead to that elusive and challenging triple–major–with–first–class–honors degree. A little overzealous, I admit, but it’s good that I’m getting this hypercompetitive and excitable already. So what shall I be studying? I’m glad you asked. It’s a Bachelor of Computer Science (in case you hadn’t already noticed) majoring in Computer Science (at the very least) and (in the case of a double–degree, should I take up such an option) Linguistics (which I’ve heard is not only très interesting, but also highly applicable to studies relating to computer programming) and (in the case of a triple–major, which is dubious, but I might just like it enough to go for it) Psychology (which I’ve wanted to study since high school… but never actually wanted to be a Psychologist. Go figure).

Without all the parenthetic statements? A Bachelor of Computer Science majoring in Computer Science, Linguistics, and Psychology. Feel free to mix and match any of those majors… subtracting one or two, you know the drill. Tomorrow (or today, depending on your view of the midnight rule) I enrol. Then, I shop for PowerBooks.


Spenderrific

With the arrival of my 12" PowerBook now officially looming (ETA 14 days), I’ve been weighing up my options to accessorize with the help of the guy Mac Geek down at the university computer store. While the specifics of my 12" haven’t changed, I’ve decided to forget about the Airport Extreme Base Station.

That’s not to say I’m forgetting about wireless networking altogether; heavens no. I’m just forgetting about the base station. Why? Well, with my deskbound eMac wired firmly to the internet, and with Internet Sharing turned on, and with an AirPort card stuck firmly in the slot; I can have all the wireless internet I demand… without the base station. In fact, you might just call it a software base station. This makes me happy. This causes dollar signs to light up my eyes and strange ‘ka–ching!’ sounds to reverberate in my ears… this makes me think “what in the world could I spend that money on; that money I’d planned to spend already, so it wouldn’t hurt to spend on something else?”

An iPod. A 20Gb iPod, if you want to be specific. I’m finally joining the faithful, and I couldn’t be more excited.

God damn me.