Here is a satellite view of McCarty’s flow in New Mexico. Some people from my Volcanology class and I are trying to spend spring break there doing rock nerd shit and trying to demonstrate an understanding of things we think we know. Really looking forward to it– camping and rocks that aren’t carbonates or sandstones.

I am done with my exams for a few weeks, very happy about that. Stratigraphy exam wasn’t nearly as bad it could’ve been; I was running out of time because my answers were so detailed, which usually is a good thing (in my head at least). I know I missed points on a few questions, but nothing that would sink the ship. Didn’t get Cycles exams back today like I thought I would, which is probably for the best. Had I got it back, I probably would’ve spent time obsessing over it instead of studying for Stratigraphy

Anyway, I get to spend my free time working on Physics and labs, and not obsessing over studying. Studying will not disappear completely, but hopefully be a constant that reduces the need for stress inducing super-study sessions.

Also, I got an e-mail today informing me that I would not be offered a position in Svalbard. A little disappointing, but the note was very will written and very complementary and came with a lot of information and advice based on what I wrote in my essay. That’s what I guessed anyway, if it was a mass, generic e-mail then it was very well written because it fooled me. So, it’s disappointing overall, but I don’t feel terrible about it. I will be doing something else this summer.

Well, today was a day of mixed feelings. I had my Structure and Physics exams today and I really thought I was better prepared for both of them. I probably did OK on my Structure exam, but my Physics exam was stupid (read: I was stupid). I tend to overthink physics a lot, and especially with kinematics I  work myself into these circular logic things. I might have squeaked by on that one, but there was a question on that exam that my answer just seemed way too off to be true (there were only 4 questions on it).

Given the opportunity to do today over, I would definitely seize upon that opportunity. I’m not happy with my exam performance.

I did get my Volcanology exam back though, and I am happy to report that I recieved an A on it. I didn’t think it was bad at all, but I’ve found myself to be enthralled with the subject. I hope  to get my Cycles exam back tomorrow, but as that class is rather populous, I expect an essay exam to take longer to grade than that.

Speaking of Volcanology however, I think I am settled upon my term paper (about damn time too, considering that it’s 15 pages and I need to get working on it). My paper, assuming nobody else has laid claim to the subject without my realizing it, will be on back-arc basin volcanism.

I figure that it’s a broad enough topic that filling 15 pages won’t be hard, and I think the tectonic settings and their implications for volcanism are really interesting.

Plans for this week: Taxes, finish last weeks labs, start this weeks labs, start studying for Stratigraphy and create some sort of schedule that allows this all to happen in the most stress-free, non-sleep robbing way.