alexbean's blog

So the year is progressing at a lightning rate, already at the end of week 7, three to go before the Christmas break.  The academic term has been very busy and enjoyable simultaneously.  Starting with a 4 week intensive hydrological and geological project and now full steam ahead with the 3rd year research project – throw in some structures, geotechnics, rugby and socialising and you get one busy cocktail!

I have enjoyed playing rugby for The University of Bristol Engineering Society (TUBES) and looking forward to getting back to the team Sunday after a brief period of illness.

Squash games have been few and far between over the past few months, I blame the work!  Hopefully, this statistic can be changed in the coming weeks with my last term deadlines being imminent.

Christmas is going to be amazing this year and I am very much looking forward to seeing my family and friends at home – it will have been 12 weeks by the time I get home…a long time not to have home luxuries!

The final term of uni is always stressful and overshadowed by a depressing atmosphere with people spending silly hours a day in libraries and studying.  I don’t know how people manage to cram so many hours of work into one day, I get bored after about 20mins and have to get up and have a wonder about!  The civils had their first exam yesterday, a gruelling 3 hour maths paper with the joys of partial differential equations, Fourier and Laplace series and transforms, numerical analysis, vector calculus and statistics…and to top it all it was a damn hard one!  Needless to say the first port of call was the appropriately named “Wreckless Engineer” pub opposite the examination hall!

There are now 4 to go, we have been fairly lucky with the placement this year having at least two days between each.  Materials is up next and I should now get cracking rather than procrastinating by updating this…

Well time is flying past this year, already I am approaching the end of the Spring term and exams are looming ever closer! The work has really stepped up a notch and to say it is hard work would be an understatement – but of course I am still finding time for the odd beer or two!

Also, had my 21st…yes 21ST!! Unbelievably old now! Only two years until I have my Aston Martin DB9…well I can keep dreaming :P

My new PC is all up and running however the Sandy Bridge SATA port issue potentially affects my motherboard which means disassembly and return of that part…annoying.

I have just booked a holiday for Easter with Izzi which is very exciting seeming as I haven’t really seen her much this term – she is rowing in the Cambridge Blue Boat (very proud!).

On a side note, I am competing in a charity dodgeball tournament today. Should be a great laugh and a much needed cardio session for my body! I have tried to gym it at least once a week since Christmas…it has worked out well so far in combination with playing squash…come on biceps!

Enough for now…back to “Steel Design” revision and a beautiful spreadsheet creation…mmmm spreadsheets….

I have many boring reasons for the lack of posts since August but the only one that really applies is laziness!

It has been a mentally busy term at Bristol University, 2nd year is always said to be tough and for Civil Engineering this is especially true! It has been hard work but an enjoyable term and I particularly love living in a house with my mates. I had fun in halls last year but there is something very “grown up” about living in your own (rented!) house. Less exciting is the bills and maintenance aspect eg. no boiler for the coldest weekend in Bristol…brrrr it was chilly!

I have had a lovely Christmas break and it was particularly nice to see my family and friends back home – the month has flown past…

I have recently decided to actually build my own PC from scratch and am now sourcing all the componets…something I have wanted to do for some time now. It is really exciting but unfortuntely, due to it being just after Christmas and the money situation at the moment, I have just one component so far…my Antec Three Hundred Mid Tower Case (pictures to follow soon when my phone is fixed – after a accident before Christmas). The case is all shiny and I can’t wait to get the rest!

Oh, I forgot how long ago it was that I wrote…I ment to write a small entry about a trilogy I read in September: The Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson – FANTASTIC! A brilliant read and I thoroughly recommend it for all those who love a mystery/action read!

I hope to post more regularly in 2011!

Over the weekend I visited my newly rented house for next year.  It is quality!  I am living with mates from my halls last year and after sending two nights there I cannot wait to move in for good.

I have since been planning what I am going to do with my room and the living area and have started buying things already!

Bristol University has many student halls of residence in Stoke Bishop (SB).  SB is approximately 50-35 minutes from the University – depending on walking speed and faculty.  To the engineering faculty it takes roughly 45mins at a comfortable pace; of course a bike speeds this up massively…but be warned, Bristol is hilly!

I stayed in Badock Hall while I was a fresher and, putting all bias aside, it was the best.
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