Hi everyone! So last time I revealed my bucket list for the nearby restaurants and places that I would like to try before I graduate. This time I will talk a little bit about all the museums around UPenn. I love museums and science centers as a kid growing now and even more so today! The exhibits are becoming more and more hands on and it's refreshing to learn or re-learn those materials. Some of my friends would always ask me whether or not I mind the children running around science centers and museums. Honestly, I feel like a kid every time I step into one of those museums so I appreciate the enthusiasm and the active learning that takes place.
Over the past year or so I have gone to several science centers and museums, but I know there are still a few that I have not gone to yet. Hopefully (and this might be a long shot by now) I will have a chance to visit some of these before I leave!
1. Penn Museum
Crazy! It is literally right there (10 min walk or so) and I believe it's free for Penn students! I just never found the time to visit. We did host the PhD and EdD weekend in the Egyptian exhibit and that was the extent of my visit. I hope to visit this museum soon!
2. Museum of Art
I have to admit that I only ran up the steps (like Rocky) and did not actually go inside the museum. My friends were on a schedule and we did not have enough time to dedicate at least half of a day to the museum. Art museum is lower on my priorities when it comes to museums and science centers but I would still like to go and experience it before I leave.
3. Mutter Museum
I don't know too much about this museum, but from those who have went, they have given me very good reviews. The focus of the museum is on medical history so it does have lots of skeletons and potentially bone-chilling exhibits.
4. Barnes Foundation
Similar to the Penn Museum, I had the opportunity to go in there briefly when we hosted the GSE centennial celebration. However I was helping mostly with registration and did not have time to walk around the exhibits. The place is beautiful and I would compare this place to LACMA from back home. I hope to find some time as well to visit this place again!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
UPenn Bucket list - Food edition
So I have about three weeks left in the program and I realized...there are so many restaurants and places that I have not yet tried! So I will describe a short list of restaurants near Penn GSE that I have to try before the semester is over. There are only a few weekends left in the semester but thankfully some of these places are super close!
Must try list
1. Doc Magrogan's
This place is super close (on sansom st.) I heard from my friends that they have a really good happy hour late at night. And I love seafood! Can't believe I haven't tried this place yet (maybe it's the frugal grad student in me)
2. Pod
Also really close (less than a min walk from where I live) famous for their expensive but delicious sushi. I will have to try it one day just for kicks and experience. maybe for happy hour as well?
3. Pattaya
There are a few Thai restaurants around UPenn but I have heard great things about this particular one. I love the Pad See Ew back home so it will be a nice way to compare the quality!
4. Reading Terminal Market (because they have so many places to eat there)
I have been there a few times already but there are just so many places to eat there! I have tried the most popular ones I hope (Dinic's roast beef, Beiler's donuts, Dutch breakfast place, etc). But I still need to try more places there, preferably on a weekday so it is not as busy.
5. Gigi's and Big R food truck
Another good food truck recommended by someone. The Caribbean food I heard is AMAZING so I am excited to try them! I heard it is a bit on the salty side but jerk chicken and sides sounds good to me!
6. Food trucks on Market street
This is a bit of a walk for me (like 5-10 mins) but there are a lot of wonderful food trucks there, especially during lunch time. I remember fall semester when I walked around and saw several interesting ones, but never really got around to trying them. Must try them soon!
Must try list
1. Doc Magrogan's
This place is super close (on sansom st.) I heard from my friends that they have a really good happy hour late at night. And I love seafood! Can't believe I haven't tried this place yet (maybe it's the frugal grad student in me)
2. Pod
Also really close (less than a min walk from where I live) famous for their expensive but delicious sushi. I will have to try it one day just for kicks and experience. maybe for happy hour as well?
3. Pattaya
There are a few Thai restaurants around UPenn but I have heard great things about this particular one. I love the Pad See Ew back home so it will be a nice way to compare the quality!
4. Reading Terminal Market (because they have so many places to eat there)
I have been there a few times already but there are just so many places to eat there! I have tried the most popular ones I hope (Dinic's roast beef, Beiler's donuts, Dutch breakfast place, etc). But I still need to try more places there, preferably on a weekday so it is not as busy.
5. Gigi's and Big R food truck
Another good food truck recommended by someone. The Caribbean food I heard is AMAZING so I am excited to try them! I heard it is a bit on the salty side but jerk chicken and sides sounds good to me!
6. Food trucks on Market street
This is a bit of a walk for me (like 5-10 mins) but there are a lot of wonderful food trucks there, especially during lunch time. I remember fall semester when I walked around and saw several interesting ones, but never really got around to trying them. Must try them soon!
Monday, April 14, 2014
The transition period
So I officially have a little more over a month before graduation. This week is the calm before the storm (next week I will have 3 presentations followed by a few big papers the week after). The job search is still going, but luckily I have received some responses, both good and bad (but hey, at least they are responding now). These next few weeks will truly test my resolve and will because there is not enough energy in my body to manage classes, social life, job search, and graduate assistantship.
Recently it has been classes because we are getting to the stages of preparing for our final papers and presentations (therefore less readings). But now that those are due soon, something else must give. The balance between those four aspects of grad school has definitely been a challenge. Since my post graduation schedule has been planned already to visit my sister's graduation, I want to make sure of every single free moment is spent with my wonderful cohort members. But hanging out with my cohort members means giving up precious time to write papers or search for more jobs. I have been tip toeing this line very carefully over the past several weeks and now comes the hardest balancing act of all, surviving the month before graduation.
An exciting time nonetheless, but things are about to get real.
SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.
Recently it has been classes because we are getting to the stages of preparing for our final papers and presentations (therefore less readings). But now that those are due soon, something else must give. The balance between those four aspects of grad school has definitely been a challenge. Since my post graduation schedule has been planned already to visit my sister's graduation, I want to make sure of every single free moment is spent with my wonderful cohort members. But hanging out with my cohort members means giving up precious time to write papers or search for more jobs. I have been tip toeing this line very carefully over the past several weeks and now comes the hardest balancing act of all, surviving the month before graduation.
An exciting time nonetheless, but things are about to get real.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Spring is here!
Yay it is finally getting warmer! It's practically t-shirt and shorts weather now! Looking back at the winter season we had in Philly, I definitely have to say that it was a wonderful and fun learning experience. I had totally expected the snow and cold to stop around late February and BOY WAS I WRONG! We still had flurries and light snow all the way through late March. But now that it is close to mid April, the snow has been replaced by a weekly occurrence of rain...It is just amazing to think about the drought that California went through recently and the amount of moisture the East Coast gets on a regular basis. BLOWS MY MIND.
So this week's forecast is in the 50's and 60's, which is UNHEARD of in the past few months. I see students walking outside with spring dresses, t-shirts and shorts! These are the days that I wish I can just go outside and play football or Frisbee and just enjoy the day with my cohort. Too bad this nice weather comes right in time for my final papers and projects so instead of frolicking outside, we are stuck indoors writing papers and creating presentations. I am looking forward to the week leading up to graduation when I will not have any classes or graduate assistantships. I am planning with a few of my friends in the cohort to have field days and hang out times with everyone before we go out separate ways. Hopefully I will get a chance to plan some more events leading up to that week, maybe even smaller food outings or happy hours. In any case, here is to the sunny weather in Philadelphia!
So this week's forecast is in the 50's and 60's, which is UNHEARD of in the past few months. I see students walking outside with spring dresses, t-shirts and shorts! These are the days that I wish I can just go outside and play football or Frisbee and just enjoy the day with my cohort. Too bad this nice weather comes right in time for my final papers and projects so instead of frolicking outside, we are stuck indoors writing papers and creating presentations. I am looking forward to the week leading up to graduation when I will not have any classes or graduate assistantships. I am planning with a few of my friends in the cohort to have field days and hang out times with everyone before we go out separate ways. Hopefully I will get a chance to plan some more events leading up to that week, maybe even smaller food outings or happy hours. In any case, here is to the sunny weather in Philadelphia!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Me Time
Another tip for incoming students!
In the midst of all this craziness (last few weeks of classes, papers, job search, social life), it is still important to get some time to reflect and process everything. I've come to realize that as graduation approaches, I need more time to process everything and make sure that I am intentional with everything that I do. There is no time for wasted hours and weekends!
I went this past weekend to dim sum in China Town. I haven't eaten dim sum in Philly before and the experience was actually really good! I love ordering in Chinese and showing my cohort members the food and culture that I grew up with. I only hope that I can get more of my cohort members to come with me next time so we can all share this cool experience!
The countdown is real and it is fast approaching!
In the midst of all this craziness (last few weeks of classes, papers, job search, social life), it is still important to get some time to reflect and process everything. I've come to realize that as graduation approaches, I need more time to process everything and make sure that I am intentional with everything that I do. There is no time for wasted hours and weekends!
I went this past weekend to dim sum in China Town. I haven't eaten dim sum in Philly before and the experience was actually really good! I love ordering in Chinese and showing my cohort members the food and culture that I grew up with. I only hope that I can get more of my cohort members to come with me next time so we can all share this cool experience!
The countdown is real and it is fast approaching!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Dedicated to the Higher Education Masters Cohort of 2014
You know that moment when it hits you and you know that graduation is only a few weeks away? I got that feeling when I picked up my regalia from the bookstore the other day. I tend to remember small details like when someone needs to pick up his/her regalia and so I went straight after NASPA to pick mine up. When I got home and opened it, that was when I realized...I am graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in a couple of months. WHOA...
As most of you all know, I am currently job searching and looking to move back to California to begin my career in a university or college setting. The old cliche of "time flies" really holds truth to this program. We are so immersed into this program in terms of classes, graduate assistantships, social events, and personal life that it is only now that I realized I have less than 6 weeks to hang out with this wonderful cohort. And I am not trying to be too sappy and sentimental, but meeting these folks have truly been life changing. I have met some of the smartest and most passionate people in this cohort. This cohort and I have persevered through the hard times and laughed through the fun times. We went out to happy hours, birthday parties, karaoke, pot luck, and so much more. Even now I have so many things I want to do with everyone but have so little time.
I feel that my cohort is set out to do great and wonderful things; some to eventually become PhDs and teach in a university and some like me will be working in higher education administration. One small goal I have before the school year is out is to collect everyone's business cards, because this is the start of a fantastic network of higher education scholars and practitioners.
As most of you all know, I am currently job searching and looking to move back to California to begin my career in a university or college setting. The old cliche of "time flies" really holds truth to this program. We are so immersed into this program in terms of classes, graduate assistantships, social events, and personal life that it is only now that I realized I have less than 6 weeks to hang out with this wonderful cohort. And I am not trying to be too sappy and sentimental, but meeting these folks have truly been life changing. I have met some of the smartest and most passionate people in this cohort. This cohort and I have persevered through the hard times and laughed through the fun times. We went out to happy hours, birthday parties, karaoke, pot luck, and so much more. Even now I have so many things I want to do with everyone but have so little time.
I feel that my cohort is set out to do great and wonderful things; some to eventually become PhDs and teach in a university and some like me will be working in higher education administration. One small goal I have before the school year is out is to collect everyone's business cards, because this is the start of a fantastic network of higher education scholars and practitioners.
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