SPLURGE!

Ok I'm going to be writing many posts in succession to make up for the first half. So a lot of people wonder how I came upon this in the first place.

Around mid-spring semester, my physics professor gave out an announcement in class telling us about working at the Space Sciences Lab over the summer, basically a good opportunity to gain some research experience and get some pay. Well, it was pretty simple, just submit a resume and he'll do the rest. So I did, and a couple weeks later, I was one of the several who were selected for interviews. At the time I was still expecting the SFMTA job and didn't think much of it though.

The interview took place on a Friday soon after. It was my first time going up to the lab, which was way up in the hills of the campus--it takes about 10 minutes by shuttle from the main campus (nice view though, go sometime if you can). I remember that it was also a warm day, and I was only wearing a t-shirt and shorts (thanks to the other people for making me feel bad by dressing so nicely). Well, once we got there, we met our physics professor and he handed us a huge list of names.

I looked at the list and I was like O_O--"see as many of them as you can." So basically, long story short, I went up and down and around the entire building, getting interviewed by no less than seven graduate students and post-docs and whatever else. Some were pretty chill and friendly; others were more serious and intimidating. Toward the end (3 hours later) I was becoming weary and very frustrated with one of them--I waited over 40 minutes for him, and he was still with the same guy.

Needless to say, I was pretty worn out when I got back to my dorm. Over the next couple days, I sent out emails thanking each one for the interviews. Some got back to me; others didn't. I was accepted for a couple offers, and, after a lot of juggling back and forth (and a silent rejection from the MTA), I finally decided to choose one.