Category: life at imperial

How are you, darling?

Mathematics of Planet Earth

I’m sure that your English is fluent enough for you to study in the UK (if you aren’t confident, take a look at my post about studying in English). I’m also sure that you’re able to communicate with international students withouth any problems. But do you understand what locals, i.e. English people really mean? It took me a while (and a few awkward situations), so here are a few surprising things Brits say.

  • How are you? You’ll hear this question dozens of times every day. In the beginning I thought: “wow, these Brits are so nice, they really care about me”.

PhD – Patiently headed Downhill?

Mathematics of Planet Earth

It’s not a secret that grad school might be dangerous for mental health. In recent years people started to talk about it openly, numerous studies on this topic have been done (eg. on suicides or depression). The awareness of mental health is rising, which definitely makes it easier to get help when needed. However, this isn’t the full story.

A few years ago I started to consider a possiblity of pursuing a PhD. So I googled around – big mistake. Phrases such as “grad school mental health” returned thousands of websites suggesting that the coming years will be filled with pain and tears.

Adventures of a Year Rep

Abigael Bamgboye profile

MEng Materials Science and Engineering

One of my highlights this year at Imperial has been the honour of holding the role of Year Representative. All in all, it has been a lot of work. But it has been immensely rewarding nonetheless.

Here’s the actual job description for a Year Representative:

  • Act as a voice for your Year Group in Staff-Student Committee Meetings
    • Collect feedback from your year group
    • Inform your year group of the department’s response
  • Liaise with lecturers about tutorials and any other matters
  • Organise summer revision sessions

Your reward: Free Lunch during Staff Student Committee Meetings (Twice a Term)

Here’s what I’ve got up to, with the help of my fellow Year Rep, Anthony (AKA A Bold Ant):

  • The actual roles stipulated above and…
    • Setting up in an informal events committee
    • Starting a Weekly Update (newsletter featuring tutorial work, exam dates, social opportunities, puns + a fun picture showing what members of our year have got up to that week)
    • Obtaining content for the weekly update
    • Emailing the Student Office
    • Visiting lecturers officers if they haven’t replied to an email
    • Messaging MatSoc Committee members to check when events will be happening
    • Creating polls to help MatSoc know which events our year are interested in
    • Promoting said events via the Weekly Update

The truth is, you put in as much as you get out.

Here’s to a Great Term (Spring 2017)

Abigael Bamgboye profile

MEng Materials Science and Engineering

Fancy Dress Day…

Here’s to a term that’s brought me so much joy,

Materials Trip to the Culham Nuclear Centre

That’s taken me beyond my limits and expanded the shores of my life.

RSM Spring Dinner 2017

Here’s to a term that’s taught me life skills,

Election Campaign for RSM Regalia Officers

Challenged the way I think and taught me what not to sacrifice.

Group Trip to Santander, Spain, Jan 2017 (Yep, it was during term time, but we didn’t miss a minute of a lecture!)

Here’s to the people that have surprised me,

Friends who came to watch me perform in Afrogala

Inspired me and absolutely mesmerised me.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Abhishek profile

MSci Mathematics

The scene is set: you’re stood in front of the entrance to a cave. Visibility is non-existent past the few metres in front of you. Suddenly, you hear footsteps. The footsteps slowly turn into a dishevelled figure and soon enough you’re met by this haggard stranger. He brushes his wild hair out of his face and as your eyes meet his, it strikes you that you know this person. But who is it?

Wait a second.

Abhishek?!

Yeah, that’s right. It’s-a me! It’s been so long that I wouldn’t be surprised if all of you thought my exams had completely annihilated me.

Adultification

Abhishek profile

MSci Mathematics

Why growing up can be tough, and why you’re still allowed to make up words.

School life tends to be very linear. You wake up begrudgingly at a set time every weekday; you spend most of the day studying and hanging out with friends; you get home sometime in the evening and eat/do homework/relax to varying degrees; you fall asleep at a time that’s socially acceptable; you repeat. And it continues like this, more or less, from the age of 5 till you’re 18. Come to university, and it’s a whole new ball game.

Suddenly your days are irregular. And non-linearity rules (unless you’re solving differential equations, in which case I wish you the best of luck).

A February Retrospective

Abhishek profile

MSci Mathematics

I was half-way through my regular Sunday antics when it hit me that March had arrived.

“Where the hell did February go?” I wondered to myself.

Granted, it’s a few days shorter than the other months but even then you don’t expect 28 days to just fly by. After 4 months of adjustment, it seemed it was finally time to (sort of) stick to a concrete timetable throughout the week. I’d say it has a lot to do with the reappearance of Easter eggs. Normally, Easter eggs are great: they signal the coming of holidays, the end of winter, and the moment you eat one you know you’ve committed to at least two more.

5 x 13 x 31

Abhishek profile

MSci Mathematics

When we last left our intrepid hero, he was deep in the catacombs of Maple coursework, fighting to factorise some worryingly large semi-primes. Now, suddenly, it’s suddenly 2015.

10:49.

Wait, it’s 10:49.

~

After the initial wave of panic that I had missed my morning lecture passed, it dawned on me that it was still on winter break. Gone (at least temporarily) were the days of running to morning lectures whilst gorging through a mystery mix of whatever fruits I could find in my kitchen shelf. No more having to micromanage laundry, dinner, and problem sheets on a daily basis.

Welcome to the Jungle

Abhishek profile

MSci Mathematics

As I mentioned in my first post, I actually had a whole post about my experiences over the first few weeks. Here’s part 1 of 2 (respecting chronological order of course) !

“Hey!”

“您好!” “Γεια σας!”

A barrage of languages greeted my ears as I walked into the college bar. After completing my backbreaking ten mile journey from the suburbs of north-west London to Imperial, I suddenly felt as if I had entered a different world. Three weeks into the term, the wide diversity of people on campus is still astonishing.

But let’s backtrack .

Fresher’s Week has been elevated to an almost mythical status by students across the UK, but it’s no exaggeration to say that it’s an experience unlike anything else.

Memento

Abhishek profile

MSci Mathematics

Technically, this is my second blog post.

It’s the first one you’ll be reading.

Confused?

Well, I could pretend I’m the next Chris Nolan and that this is all part of my grand plan to create an anachronic blog which will eventually make sense when someone in the far future decides to piece it all together. In reality, it’s more an administration issue and this blog will most likely continue in chronological order after the first two posts.

With that out the way, I’m proud to say that I’m officially an Imperial blogger! I’m Abhishek, an aspiring mathematician with a list of interests far longer than it should be.

Learn more about life at Imperial

London skyline silhouette London skyline silhouette