Week 2 is down, I repeat, Week 2 is down!

No, I'm really in distress or totally worried that week 2 of my 4th semester is down. Quite happy that the 2nd week is now gone. It can only mean that the semester is about to get a whole lot tougher, the following weeks to come. Alas, this is what all university students have to face, semester-in, semester-out. It should be fun (I do wish it was fun without the stress), so that's why getting in the right course should be anyone's priority. OK. Down to business. The happenings of the week!

There were quite some observations that I made throughout the week. Some of course, almost made me fall off my seat (in my mind, not literally) while some others made me smirk, along with that evil grin.

Okay, so the first thing is that I realised students with an ultra-Chinese background tend to be more unfriendly and sometimes, tad selfish, when it comes to socialising with others. It's not really bad, but in some ways, not too good, too. This was an experience I had a few days back. So, I saw this 3 girls from a course that I took with them. It's a compulsory course, regardless of your major. These three Chinese girls were Mandarin language major students, while I was a chemistry major. I saw them at a faculty away from class and I wanted to smile at them. All I got was a face that replied imaginary words: "Erk, why is this guy smiling at us?". Is it really that hard to just life those muscles to smile? Anyone looks way gorgeous when they smile (provided that you are not attempting to be a perverted weirdo) and will definitely shave off some years of year real age. Honestly, only Chinese people with ultra-Chinese background will be this unfriendly. Ethnocentrism? Hmmm...

This week's inorganic chemistry taught me something: PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE. Why, you ask? Imagine this, one has to stir the same solution for 3 hours. The catch, the solution MUST NEVER BE ALLOWED TO BOIL. With this kind of constraint, it really makes it much more annoying. I spent 3 hours stirring a solution of cobalt ions in oxidizing agent and ammonia, to prepare a complex compound consisting of ammonia coordinated to a central ion of cobalt. The first attempt to obtain crystals by cooling the solution didn't work out as it wasn't concentrated enough. So, I had to reheat, to ensure 70% of the initial volume remains. To think that it takes 3 hours to achieve this volume, my life suddenly feels miserable. Final-year project. Oh dear. However, the second attempt to isolate the crystals was a total success and they were, WAIT FOR IT... BEAUTIFUL! YEAH! Looks like dragonfruit sorbet. Except that it's all glittery.

TADAH! SO PRETTY! More scientifically, this is coordination compound (salt) is called: pentaamminecarbanatocobalt(III) chloride.

Pretty right? Things started to take a turn for the worse on Thursday. Thursday is terrible. I hate Thursdays (strictly for this semester only). The six-hours-in-a-row lab is a killer. 2 p.m to 8 p.m with no breaks in between. I fell sick because of the weather and due to exhaustion. Up until now, I'm still not completely well, but I'm thankful this isn't as bad as the time I contracted a viral fever. That, was way worse that what I have now.

I guess this week is quite a dramatic one. Nope, not as dramatic as those that have some loud opera music in the background. Just, drama. Next week, a better week, I hope.

That's all for now! Hope you readers have a blast too!