I said on Friday that I’d keep you updated on the possibility of me doing a masters. Well, the descision-making process was a little faster than I had expected. I’m typing this in my new (shared) office, where I’ll be working for the next 18 months or more.
I’ll be working on the same project that I’ve been doing for the summer, only now I’ll be essentially taking over the whole thing instead of just doing the front-end. We haven’t sorted out every detail yet of course, but I have enough to be working on anyway. I’m at an advantage over other new postgrads since I’ve already got a comprehensive todo list and a very good knowledge of the system I’m working with (I should have, I wrote it).
My system in here isn’t set up yet. I was given a computer that was used by a German PhD student who’s just left. It’s set up with FreeBSD in German, and he’s the only person who knows the root password. I figured it would be a good idea to make sure he had everything he needed before I install my own OS on it. He got back to me earlier today, so I’ll do my installing mojo tomorrow. For now I’m working on my laptop (which still works well after all these weeks, despite what the naysayers would have you believe).
There are some new postgrad requirements being introduced this year in the department, one of which is that I have to take at least two taught modules as well as just doing my thesis. There’s a heck of a list to choose from, including all of the fourth-year courses, most (or many) of the taught masters courses, a few computational courses from the mathematical physics department, and some others.
On top of all of this registration, system set-up, choosing courses stuff, I’m hoping to have a working prototype ready to demo to some interested parties in about four weeks. I might need to start coming in before one o’clock.