[Matt] So far I have enjoyed my time here at school; it will be nice to progress past the seemingly unending series of "hello my name is...I'm from..." and begin to feel at home in my new surroundings. A couple of things I've learned about introductions: #1 listen to what the person says. Today a professor presented one of her colleagues to me, and I, half-asleep, asked her what year of school she was in (she was a professor). #2 Friendships in graduate school do not function the say way as they do (did) in elementary school. At some meetings I've met great people with shared interests, but conversations end with "see you around" instead of "do you want to come over and play."

Despite these changes, I did manage to find a new best friend: Lib[rar]y. Our relationship remains new and exciting. Today, for example, I needed a book by Edmund Burke, so I got one from the stacks from 1793 and checked it out. I can't wait to see her tomorrow.

The classes here will be challenging; the professors have an uncanny aptitude for making their students aware of their own [the students'] inaptitude. Arriving here was for me the academic equivalent of training for the olympics at a fat camp. Not having been able to gage the competition, it's that much more astounding to see what some people are capable of-I'm speaking about the professors.

In short, I think that it will be a good place to study.


Q: How many French farmers does it take to change a lightbulb ?
A: Three. Farmer #1 goes away and gets a new lightbulb. Farmer #2 notices that it has been imported from Britain and promptly sets fire to it, so farmer #1 has to go and get another one, and then farmer #3 changes it.

Q: How many academics does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None. That's what research students are for.