Browsing the archives for the Life category.
Yesterday, during Economics class, after showing us the Fear the Boom and Bust video (again), my teacher said something was surprisingly insightful. I couldn’t remember the exact quote, but it sounded something like this:
I feel that teachers often give assignments for students to do it for teachers, such as essays, which are actually not very helpful to students.
What an interesting idea I’ve never thought of. Relating back to myself, the assignments that I find most motivated to those that relate to us more, those that make us feel like we are not doing it just for a grade. When we grow up, we won’t be writing essays for teachers anymore, but real stuff without a “rubric” to be grade on: it’s either a thumbs up, or “pack up your stuff” thing.
Graphics Design has been one of my favorite courses, because it simulates an environment of fwhat real designing life is like – Mr. Meyer is a genius in the way that he set up all the competition and teamwork factors, etc. Because of this, I learn much more than just the skills, but also experiences of what real life feels like. The same goes for Media and Computer Science, where its assignments are not done for just the teacher and the grades, but for the students in the school and those around us.
And yes, our MAD Project also fits perfectly in this category. I don’t know about you guys, I actually enjoy MAD Project. It gives us an opportunity to show off ourselves and to demonstrate our true abilities. These kind of projects will be what we are working on when we grow up, so take advantage of this opportunity to really do what you want to do, and enjoy in the process.
I mean, this is the real point of education, isn’t it? It’s to prepare us for the real life, not for the teachers!
Colleges seemed so far away, but now that I really think about it, it’s actually not. Quite the opposite, in fact.
The College Info Session thing that just happened this afternoon at YCIS was fun. The representatives were funny, presentations were very informative, and taught me quite a few things, too. I enjoyed it because I got a lot more exposures to schools that I never thought I would be going, and it made me I realized that, hmm, Stanford might not be THAT good after all.
When everybody else talks about what kind of special programs there are (The one that interested me the most was Dartmouth plan, which was kind of really smart), Stanford only bragged about how much money they spend on research, how great their campus is (which really was great). But do I really care? No. What disappointed me even more was that, given their strategic location near the Silicon Valley, they don’t have any programs related to it! (even though they bragged about how so many big companies like Google came out of Stanford).
I guess I need to rethink this through. Perhaps Stanford was just another myth, something like how girls used to think “I want to go to Princeton because all the princes are there”, just in a more mature way, I guess.
Other colleges, however, did a great job on impressing me. Chicago with its “no walls between undergraduates and pros” system, Dartmouth with its #1 Undergraduate Teaching and Dartmouth Plan, Duke with its location and environment, and Yale especially for their House System. I’m probably most persuaded by Dartmouth today, but I enjoyed all their talks.
Heh, but who am I to talk with only a 1940 and a 3.8 GPA… I’ll just keep on dreaming.
And… feel free to take a look at the notes I took during the session.
4 months ago at a regular hospital check up, my doctor told me I was way too fat and I need to lose weight. During the 4 months, with various friends’ help, especially Sam Hsieh, I was able to control myself from eating and started working out. Sure, there have been a few days where I couldn’t control, like the Christmas week and the CNY week, but hey, I did get thinner! And when I visit the doctor today, even he was surprised. I think that was actually the first “good job” I have heard from any doctor. Aw, I’m proud of myself.
Just a little statistics… I was at 89kg (196 lbs), and now I’m at 77kg (169lbs). My current BMI is 25 I believe. Still a few pounds away from “normal weight”, but hey, at least I’m not obese anymore!
Just wanted to say thanks to all those who have encouraged me along… you guys are awesome! Though, I still need help reaching that “normal weight” though, so keep controlling my appetite and making me work out.
And in dedication to my achievement, here is a little poem I wrote for English class. (And yes, thanks to Tim Au who helped me on the poem 
)
A scene quite opposite to heaven,
Happened on November Eleventh,
The day when I was announced clinically obese
Oh crap, doesn’t that mean I can’t eat?
“You have 4 months to lose 4 kilos”, he said
with a casual expression on his face that just made me mad.“That can’t be hard for you, can it?
Just control yourself a little bit,
Eat less, work more,
And soon enough, you’ll get the girl you’ve been looking for.”
Okay… that last thought was kind of weird,
but it was true my weight might be what the girls have feared.I was sure that once they see the new me,
They would jump for joy and shout with glee.
But wait, before all this can happen,
I must work to become like the legendary Kraken.
How I can achieve that I didn’t know,
All I wanted was people saying “whoa”.Four months of sweat have dripped,
Thousands of calories have slipped.
Now, I am standing ever close to the trophy
On a journey that I never thought was easy.
When I look into her eyes that I now have caught,
I know in my heart, my hard work has been bought.
That was an honest question. No pun intended, at all. I admit, I’m a guy who really cares what others think about me, and some recent events really got me thinking… who do people see "Peter Zhang" as?
For me, I always see myself to be a very optimistic, nice, nerdy and tech-savvy person. Not much of a talker, but I suppose I can listen. Really bad at athletic, knows piano… but definitely nowhere as good as some other peoples. But most of all, I’m a guy that really cares about friends.
When I first came to ICS, I thought this could be a chance to “re-brand” myself. Surprisingly it did work. All of a sudden, I’m known as the “piano player”, “Crocs fan” and “the one that lives in Shenzhen” (and possibly others that I don’t know of as well?). I really don’t mind being recognized that way, I mean, they do truly identify me after all.
But I want to be way more than just those. No, I don’t want to be just the dude who you call help from when you face a problem, be it math, tech or directions, but somebody that you can trust, somebody that you can share things to, somebody that you can truly befriend with.
Am I too selfish? Maybe. Am I missing something? Possibly. Am I being too arrogant in demanding something that I don’t deserve? …who knows?
Wow, 2009 was fast. Too many things have happened this year. First my mom was sick for about 4 months (leaving me and my sister alone at Shanghai for 2 months), then I got to work in the ThinkQuest team, then we moved to Hong Kong, and at last, the highlight of the year – the San Francisco trip.
Now, onto 2010. I don’t normally do any New Year resos, but I guess it’s different this year. Why? I don’t know. I just felt different.
Well, first and foremost, I’ll need to somehow lose my weight (AND maintain it) to at most 75kg. That way my doctor will be happy, I will be healthy, and I can get an allowance raise from my mom.
Considering this is my most important year in high school, I need to shape things up academically a bit. Let’s see, a 3.9 GPA would be good, and I’ll need to get at least 2100 on SAT before June. I think it’s totally possible if I just spend a little time everyday studying some vocab. It shouldn’t be THAT hard.
And at last, I need to master Java and Javascript. Two different languages, I know, but I’m linked to them both as a APCS student and a Web designer. I can’t seem to design anything anymore… where’d my design sense go? (Or, did I ever have one?) Hopefully that can be saved by the Graphics Design course, which I am really looking forward to.
Do you think I can fulfill all these resolutions?
A very late Merry Christmas!
I didn’t JUST realize I haven’t updated this blog for a while, it’s just that, the lack of time keeps on preventing me from posting. Or should I just simply say, I suck at time management.
I just came back from my Shanghai trip and spent a week of Christmas break over there with friends. It was certainly nice seeing them, but now that I lived in Hong Kong for such a long time, I realize how boring Shanghai is. I was there for a week, but I could basically think of only two places to hang out at. And in those places, there were basically only one thing to do, besides shopping at really lame stores and eating, Karaoke. (Oh my voice…)
But it is true that I was very busy these days though. After the Finals and the school stuff, I immediately began working on my 8 website projects. Yes, 8. Let me count it for you:
- Tribal Facebook App – my Dean asked me to write a Facebook App that would basically act as a online community for students – for them to post pics, comments, blog posts, etc.
- ICS Buy – an eBay system thing that lets ICS students to trade materials and equipments
- CubePoints – a WordPress plugin that lets users to earn points by commenting/posting
- EEC - a website for my church
- LO.SG – a domain shortener
- AxieBlast - I need to find some way to revive my dead community. Hmph!
- (Not confirmed) A Wedding site for a teacher
- (Not confirmed) A site for an Environmental Club in SMIC
But that’s not it. Since my complete fail at SAT (with a pity 1890 – Reading 520, Writing 650, Math 720), my mom has been urging me to study SAT. I know I need to study, but I just never had the motivation. I get out my SAT book, put it on my desk, and just as I flip the book open, something on the computer would happen: either a new email comes in or somebody would start chatting with me. Sucks 
.
And besides working, so many good movies are out recently, too! Besides Avatar, there’s Alvin and Chipmunks 2, Sherlock Holmes, and heck, I didn’t even watch Christmas Carol yet!
BUSY BUSY BUSY.
But I’m not giving any of these up. Just wait. I am working on the 2nd day of my ThinkQuest journey, and I already have 2000 words. Heh, wish I can write that much for English class. I doubt anybody is going to read it, but still, I think such a nice experience deserves somebody to document it thoroughly. Just MAYBE, sometime somebody will notice it and asks me more about ThinkQuest… and I’ll be famous? *daydreaming*
Perhaps my mom was experiencing some serious jet-lag, she, one who would usually sleep for 48 hours straight if she can, woke up at 4 and couldn’t sleep since then. Even I didn’t hear the wake-up call at 6:30.
We got dressed up, and started heading for a shuttle bus to go from our hotel to Oracle Conference Center, where all the events take place.
View the complete gallery of pictures!
I just finished uploading pictures to three different sources just so that China users should be able to view them too! (DARN that Great FireWall of China!)
Preferred – Picasa Web Albums
http://picasaweb.google.com/peetahzee
Facebook Photos
Add me on Facebook if you haven’t already done so, and then simply find the photos under my name. (Search for “peetah” on Facebook and you should be able to find me then)
Dropbox
Day 0 – Flight, Pizzas: http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/2662279/1/ThinkQuest%20Day%200?h=9b1104
Day 1 – Registration, Showcase, SF Tour ,Welcome Dinner: http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/2662279/1/ThinkQuest%20Day%201?h=37d835
Day 2 – Workshop, SF Tour, Some REALLY NICE Dinner: http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/2662279/1/ThinkQuest%20Day%202?h=7c12b0
Day 3 – Workshop x2, Awards Dinner: http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/2662279/1/ThinkQuest%20Day%203?h=66148f
Day 4 – Workshop, The Tech @ San Jose, Fairwell Dinner: http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/2662279/1/ThinkQuest%20Day%204?h=c0d781
Comment and Enjoy!
I’ve waited for this opportunity for at least 6 months (from April, the date we submitted our entry, to October), and it has finally come. ThinkQuest Live, an event hosted at San Francisco for all the ThinkQuest Competition Winners, is finally going to happen! Woohoo! After such a long time waiting, we were so ready to go!
View the complete gallery of pictures!
A series of ThinkQuest related posts will start to show up as I continue my way down the event. It is not going to start until October 10th (the date that I depart from Hong Kong), but whatever. These posts are going to have [TQ] in front of the title to distinguish them from the rest. Expect A LOT of pictures coming and a new blogpost everyday. CHECK BACK REGULARLY AND FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER FOR UPDATES ON THE EVENT!
So, I started getting really excited this week, I mean, after all, the long-awaited event has finally arrived. My family, due to the financial crisis, haven’t been on a holiday/vacation for such a long time (Well, the Macau one doesn’t really count) that I think I forgot what travelling is like already. In fact, the last trip vacation I went to was Summer ‘07 where I went to a summer camp alone, and the most recent family vacation is May ‘05 when we went to Gold Coast, Australia.
For those who don’t know what’s happening – Long story short, I, along with 5 friends, won a website competition called ThinkQuest, and we get a free trip to San Francisco and a free laptop worth $1500.
What should I eat?
I was looking at my itinerary and agenda and figured out that dinner on Saturday night (when I arrive at SFO) was not included. No, I didn’t freak out. Instead, I thought it was good news because I got to pick whatever I want to eat. I went on Google Maps and started searching for restaurants near my hotel. However, in a country that everybody drives, even the closest restaurant is a mile away. Eating in the hotel isn’t necessarily an option either because of the price.
Soon later, I found out an alternative. Last time I went to California, probably the only thing I can remember is the In-N-Out Burger. It was just… SO. GOOD. PERIOD. There were, sadly, no In-N-Out’s near my hotel (there is like nothing there), but there is one at Millbrae, which is one BART station away from San Francisco International Airport. Then… I found out it costs $4 just for an one way ticket to Millbrae, which means it takes $16 on transportation alone. Plus two burger meals, we’ll have to spend like $30 just for eating fast food burgers! My mom was like “WHAT? We’ll spend (HKD)$200 in eating BURGERS? No way!”
So now I don’t know what to do. Should we walk the mile, or should we pay the $16? Just as I was wondering, I found out that there is a bus near our hotel that goes to Hillsdale Shopping Center(judging from its website, I’d say it is quite big), but apparently nobody in America would go out at weekend nights, so there are no buses available on Saturday night. Plan screwed up. Again.
Then, my mom suggested we’d bring Cup Noodles with us to America and eat them for that night. But of course, that suggestion is quickly rejected by me, and this time even my dad’s on my side.
I guess, we’ll just have to see when we get there. Perhaps we’ll just end up with a McDonald’s Big Mac.
What should I pack?
You see, when you travel with your mom, you don’t get to pick your clothes. Technically saying, with San Francisco’s 12-20`C degree, I can wear short pants, but no, my mom decided that it is too cold (note: only for her) for me as well to wear short pants. But can you really imagine, long pants in a 20`C afternoon?
That’s not the most painful part yet. Apparently, I’ll need to wear long pants on the plane too! Not to mention that I won’t be able to bring my crocs on the plane (she said too less space in the suitcase). WHAT?
What should I listen?
I bought two albums just then – David Tao’s 69 and Lee Hom’s Music-Man concert. But still, I don’t think that’s enough for my 13 hour trip. I have been asking for suggestions on twtiter and facebook… anybody any ideas?
Alright, now what do I do?
So I’m still packing, still considering what to east, finding good songs to listen. But I am just too excited to settle down on doing one thing!
Anyway, here is some info on my trip:
- Flight AC8 (Air Canada)
- Hong Kong to Vancouver
- stop for around 5 hours
- Flight AC562
- Vancouver to San Francisco
- Arrive at around 4:30pm.
- The rest of the night will be free – remember, I had to find my own restaurant to eat.
- The event officially starts tomorrow morning at 7. Hopefully I won’t experience any jet-lags.
Alright, I need to stop writing now. I should probably finish what I was going to do and get a good sleep. Wish me a safe trip!