angientsdev

[angientsdev]

Hello, glad to be back :)

[angientsdev]

“Let’s see what we have here. Ergh. Linear ODEs.”

Differential Equations Professor (via scienceprofessorquotes)

[angientsdev]

Very little idea.

[Friday.3.Aug.2018]

I love to think of myself as a recreational artist. For about six years now, I’ve tried to design various things on the computer. Things for other people and for myself, and I actually enjoyed the feeling of completing something. I know this may not be the right way of looking at design (or art, I can never tell them apart). But it was what I did. 

Today was supremely weird. For the first time in my life, I woke up with a migraine. I decided to skip my 9 am class. In the afternoon, I went to a math practical class and noticed I held back on defending myself when working through a problem in a group. I waited for the tutor to assert what I had said earlier to them as correct. Then, I attended a “Physics book fair” and “Diversity in physics” panel which were very exciting. I may talk about diversity in a later post but right now, I am confused at my actions, and writing a post about it is in some ways the atonement I need. 

I didn’t mean to let you down, but the thing I did that was so weird was, I didn’t do anything. There were third years and post-grads of various fields of physics and I didn’t try to ask them what they do or talk about anything mundane. This wasn’t the first time, and I was aware of it throughout the two hours I hung around at the venue (which was also a study space). I opened my notes and worked, hoping no one noticed my silent exit out of the group chat. 

Then I went into a somewhat painful argument with a good friend about it. I think we’re fine now. I, of course, put on Netflix and found The Art of Design. The first episode talked about the abstract illustrator Christoph Niemann and realized, even though I’m a much better graphic designer than I am a physicist right now, I am very grateful to not have art as my job. A lot of work in design is out of desperation. Some people love that, I despise it. As I was watching, I thought about why this afternoon was so weird. I think I understood now.

The other students in my class, all seem to have big questions. X is interesting because of Y, how can Z happen, etc. I too have those questions, but always felt mine were nowhere as big or interesting or underground as theirs. Right now, what I want to do with my physics degree is to make something that solves a problem. It feels weird to not be interested in one specific thing. But I think it’s time for me to accept that. The next time I’m with them, I’ll not care about what I sound like. I can manage on my own, and I will. 

[angientsdev]

dimensions

#38

Title: Hypercube 1

Technique: Drawing with Stabilo markers on quad paper (22 Frames)

Inspiration by Martin Holtham: https://twitter.com/GHSMaths/

[angientsdev]

Hang in there

[26.july.2018]

So I was recently made into director of social media for a pretty big student association. The past year, I worked there as staff so I knew the job really well. Going in, I also got along with the design team and knew half a dozen other people in other divisions. I had hoped working here now would be easier than last year.

However, that may not be the case. I now have to work with people who have no background in media & communications. As a result,  they’ll often make us do contradictory things. Like demanding quality posts but only giving us hours to work on them. I find this to be the most stressful part of the job. Especially if they get to decide what you should/shouldn’t do. For now, I managed the stress by expressing this discomfort with the other directors. I know it can’t continue this way. We need everyone to be on the same team.

The more I think about it, the more I realize it’s inevitable. I have to learn to communicate better with them. There’ll be an executive meeting this weekend, and I’m making it a priority to address it. Hang in there, problems are always temporary.

[angientsdev]

Richard Feynman to Arline - Read by Oscar Isaac

Still the most powerful and devastating declaration of romantic love of all time, though, IMO.

[angientsdev]

<3 <3 <3

- “Identity Crisis - The human, the tigress, the witch, and the Gatekeeper. ” - 

What happens…when all your personas are perfect…and you yourself aren’t?

[angientsdev]

Always keep your sails pointed in the direction in which you wish to travel. Sometimes there may be a change in wind, however, you are in charge of how that affects your path of discovery.

Nicole Addison @thepowerwithin (via thepowerwithin)

[angientsdev]

top: breakfast for the past few days now: ceral + maths bottom: I found my new fav way to concentrate – ASMR Rooms! _

Today’s pretty good. Woke up feeling really rested after sleeping in bf’s jacket (which I’m deeply contemplating if I should keep for the rest of the week). Got a decent amount of work done, and went for the calc 2 swotvac tute that was held everyday :)

[5/30, 1 June 2017]

[angientsdev]

pic: still struggling with finishing 1 past paper. _

Good evening :) I hope everyone’s well. Celebrated my friend’s birthday yesterday, so working extra hard today T…T To exam takers: I know we can go through this. Never lose hope!

[4/30, 31 May 2017]

[angientsdev]

[angientsdev]

top: my desktop :) bottom: was doing some calculus 2 revision. Kinda behind schedule. _ Not much happened yesterday except revision revision revision. I was learning functions of two variables. It's my favorite chapter of the subject, so all is good. [3/30, 29 May 2017]

[angientsdev]

Hi! I just found your blog and loved it! Do you have any tips for a mathematical physics undergrad that has not much clue of what she wants to pursue as a masters? I quite enjoy working with the mathematics of physics but dont really know what field this would be required.

Hello! Why, thank you. There’s a lot of research going on in physics which requires mathematical skills.I don’t know what you’re most interested in, but I’ll tell you, had I graduated in mathematics or mathematical physics, I would be working on string theory, branes or extra dimensions theories. Basically, almost pure mathematics. So if you’re into geometry & topology, there are branches of research such as:

Mirror symmetry. It’s a study of the property of manifolds used as hypothetical extra dimensions. Basically, these manifolds are completely different geometrically speaking, but generate the same physics. The question here is which describe our actual universe.

Calaby-Yau spaces & manifolds that might describe extra dimensions, or the so called “hidden dimensions”. They seem to be working very well with string theory, but there’s still a question as to how to include gravity.

If you’re interested in this stuff, you could consider a masters in gravity & string theory. If you’re into analysis and differential equations, 

Dynamical systems. There’s a huge number of applications in physics for this field; from planetary orbits to movements of particles to fluid dynamics to models for interacting polymers etc. 

This goes for a masters in statistical mechanics. And then, of course, if you’re into algebra and geometry, you should consider quantum field theory. Again there are a lot of quite different types of research. 

Renormalization. The eternal problem. It’s about finding a way to get rid of the divergences. Not very fun from my point of view, but it might be if you like that sort of stuff

Supersymmetry. The symmetry between bosons and fermions. I think this is a very interesting field, as it either doesn’t exist, or there’s something vital we’re missing.

Grand unification theories

There’s a lot more than this, of course, and a lot going on that I don’t know about, but… to give you an idea.

[angientsdev]

left: was working through my last assignment for the semester - physics hw. If I may give u a tip: Read them textbooks. right: snack after using all that brain power. _ Ah yes. I missed posting most of this week’s productivity challenge. That was actually a telling of how busy my week 12 had been. Caught the flu, but I think I’ll recover before exams start. If you’re taking foundations of computing you’ll know how relieved I feel rn (no more worksheets! And No. More. PROJECTS. I’m only half joking, but damn those words give me goosebumps).

If you feel like interacting, I’d love to know what you all are studying :) I’m taking physics, computing, calculus II, and critical thinking.

[2/30, 27 May 2017]

[angientsdev]

What is it that we find so sexy in math? After all, it seems to be dull and abstract, just numbers and computations and rules to apply. Mathematics may be abstract, but it’s not dull and it’s not about computing. It is about reasoning and proving—our core activity. It is about imagination, the talent which we most praise. It is about finding the truth. There’s nothing like the feeling which invades you when after months of hard thinking, you finally understand the right reasoning to solve your problem. The great mathematician André Weil likened this—no kidding—to sexual pleasure. But noted that this feeling can last for hours, or even days.

Cédric Villani in TED Talk https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc0Kthyo0hU (via mathblab)

[angientsdev]

top: essay prep on pop star mortality for my breadth subject, featuring a Bruneian snack 💖 bottom: view to the west of Union House. __

Final exams are starting in two weeks so I’ve decided to begin a 30-day challenge to catch up with work and revisions. I’ve also decided to start posting here so that I remember my progress :). It’s not *the* 30-day studyblr challenge since I don’t think I’ll be organized enough to follow the guidelines 😂.

Anyway, the semester is almost over (at least here in Melbourne)! We’re close ppl!

[1/30, 20 May 2017]

[angientsdev]

13.05.17 // Updated my physics window for the first time in ages! Had some thoughts over the past few weeks surrounding a free scalar field universe model so I drew them up as well as some old game theory because I watched a Beautiful Mind and felt nostalgic. I hope you are all having wonderful days / evening / whatever plane of existentialism you currently observe 😉