Big news everyone – studies – Gefion Gymnasium and home

If you know me really well in real life, none of the news in this blog post will really be news to you.

If you follow my Twitter feed (or Facebook), some of this news will be old news to you, but there is still one big surprise – do read on to the end.

If you only follow my life through this blog… well, stand by for the most content rich post since… ever?

Studies

So, at April 7 I finally defended my thesis – and passed! So that marks the conclusion of my many years as a student at the University of Copenhagen and my work towards my Master degree in Mathematics.

To make it official, my diploma arrived on the 21th of July, much to my surprise. There have been many stories of people, who have waited over a year to receive their diploma. It would seem that I have either been lucky, or that some of the problems, that have haunted the administration at the University, have been cured recently.

Work

After a few weeks of looking I also found myself a job. So although the first two and a half week is considered vacation, according to my contract I officially start work at the Gefion Gymnasium on August first. I’m really looking forward to starting my new life, where student is no longer my primary profession, but where I am now a teacher.
Feel free to wish both me and my coming students good luck!
(And if any of my future students read this… don’t you have something more important to do? I’m sure you have some homework you haven’t finished!)

Gefion Gymnasium is a merger between Øster Borgerdyd and Metropolitanskolen. I have been told that the new facilities should be of very high quality, but have unfortunately not seen them yet.


Photo by: Thomas Angermann

When watched from from the outside, the GeoCenter building always gives me associations to Germany in the late 1930’s. However that feeling hasn’t followed me inside, when I have been there. (The building also houses parts of the University, so I have been there in that capacity a few times.)

Photo by: seier+seier

Home

Finally I have been looking for a bigger place to live with two friends for some time now, and we have finally found a big apartment in Østerbro.
So I will be moving quite a lot of my things tomorrow, if all goes as planed, and then when I return from vacation, I will move the rest of my stuff, so I will be all moved in (and out) by late August.

Of course Østerbro is further away from the city center than my current apartment, but the new apartment will give me (and the two other guys) a lot more space, and we will have some opportunities to do something really great with the shared rooms.

All in all I am really looking forward to moving to Østerbro, and making that my new home, although the last couple of days have been quite fast-paced. It took less than a week from we saw the apartment first time until we signed the lease.

FysikRevyTM

So Esben, how did you enjoy the FysikRevyTM?

I found it very entertaining. It lasted for more than three hours, and was packed with different skits, ranging from the more political with critique of the leadership of the faculty and the minister of science to the more absurd where a scientist presents his theory that everything consists of bananas.

As is tradition with the student revues at the faculty of science at KU the audience participated in the show to a great extend, with shouts, cheers and lots of Skål.

All in all a fun evening.

Quantum Field Theory

Yesterday I started what is properly going to become my last course at University. It is an introductory course in Quantum Field Theory (QFT).

I tried following the same course two years ago, but skipped it after about two weeks as I didn’t manage to keep up with the reading and problems. Hopefully this time around things will be different. It is supposed to be a though course, with lots of heavy math – especially lots of nasty integrals to be calculated.

To top it all off the course home page reads

The course in quantum field theory has in the new structure degenerated
to a course lasting 7 weeks. This is probably the shortest course in
quantum field theory given at any university.

Our Minister of Research (who’s main academic credentials seem
to be that he has introduced professional football in Denmark) demands
world class education.

Even with a world class lecturer the combination clearly requires world class students. Well, guys…….

Will I be able to perform like a world class student for the next 7 weeks? Let’s hope so!

Wait, this is not my school… is it?

I almost thought I had gone to the wrong place when I showed up at uni today. I had an appointment with my councillor today, but the sight that met me when I first entered HCØ was that of a fancy cafe theme. There were tall bar stools in fancy green colours and comfy looking sofas – in what could be mistaken for leather. Quite a lot has changed since I last walked those halls before summer.

But it was of course the right place I was at, and my counsellor had found some nice books for me to dive into. Off to Copenhagen University Library North I went and now have in my possession enough books to get started (and more ordered – should show up soon). Now I just need time to start reading.

This afternoon I went with a few other members of the ubuntu-dk loco team to Cafe Retro to see if it could be possible to host a Gutsy release party there. The place is very cosy and holds great promise. I do hope we figure something out (even though I properly won’t be there for the party, as I’m planing to go see Esben in Japan during the fall holidays).

Now I have just returned home from a night out with Søren, and a few people from his work. We went for a few quality beers at Ølbaren oelbaren.dk in Elmegade.

Godmorgen Søde!

Ved nærmere eftertanke så var det jo nok ikke mig som fyren i VVS kasse vognen råbte “Godmorgen Søde” til her i morges da jeg kørte på min cykel. Men derfor kan jeg vel godt glæde mig over det alligevel?
Jeg starter også min forlængede (5 dages) weekend nu. Jeg har, som altid i denne blok, fri om fredagen og om tirsdagen og på mandag er det jo også helligdag. Så jeg skal først i skole igen på onsdag!
Jeg er dog ikke bange for at komme til at kede mig. Jeg har en afleverings opgave for i hvert af de 2 kurser jeg følger – og i den ene opgave kan det være jeg skal til at kode. Bliver spændende at se om jeg sniger mig uden om, eller om det kommer til at gå godt!

Eksamen i morgen?!?

I morgen omkring denne tid skal jeg op til mundtlig eksamen i streng teori. Jeg er endnu ikke helt færdig med læsningen men af mærkelige årsager er jeg faktisk ikke specielt nervøs. Det plejer jeg ellers at være, men det kan jo være at jeg nu efter milliard million års skolegang endelig har vændet mig til eksamener. Det er ikke til at vide.

I øvrigt er klistermærkerne vendt tilbage og jeg bor endnu en gang på Jagtvej. (Jeg burde virkelig få mig et ordentligt kamera snart, så jeg kan få lidt mere liv og billeder på bloggen her…)

Nå, tilbage til bøgerne

What to do with all this spare time…?

I have almost two weeks off from school now. Except 3 hours lecture tomorrow this block is done – I handed in my last homework today at 10 am.

So, what am I going to do with all this time on my hands? I do have a to do list that takes up half the screen of my laptop… on the other hand some friends gave me the Burning Crusade (an expansion pack for World of Warcraft) for my birthday. It’s still in the wrapping, so it is not to late to go get the money back at the store. On the other hand, if I’m going to waste time, playing the computer might not be the worst way to do that.
Incidentally, today’s Penny Arcade does illustrate the thoughts going through my mind on the topic of opening up the Burning Crusade wrapping…