So spring break has started since the end of my last Winter Quarter final on Friday...what a relief! I don't really have much planned this week other than a load of errands and other miscellaneous duties. But this weekend my girlfriend and I are going to Santa Barbara and Solvang, and we're meeting my classmate and his girlfriend there to go wine tasting. Since I am in the military, I was fortunate enough to get a hotel room in Vandenburg Air Force Base, which offers rooms for about $30. And I've stayed in dozens of military hotels (called "billeting"), and they have all been pretty good accommodations - I'd compare them to something like Holiday Inn. The hotels around the area seem to average about the $100s...ahh yes, one of the benefits of the Army HPSP scholarship at its best.

Finals week barely started but the Optics II exam on Friday got the best of me - I got a huge neck sore during the test for some reason, and it's still bothering me and making it hard to focus on studying. I think it was because of the stress. And I still have four more exams to go!!! So I took a quick trip to Newport Beach with my girlfriend yesterday to catch the sunset and relieve some of that stress - and it was worth it...



This photo definitely does not do justice for the view. But despite being burdened (and behind!) on my studies, this trip to the beach helped me a whole lot! I came back refreshed and studied even more last night because of it.

After four exams in the last two weeks (plus a lab practical last Thursday and a lab practical tomorrow), we are finally having reading week. But this time reading week is cut short because we already have a final next Friday (Optics II). Other than that, there isn't much going on besides studying...

Oh, and one tip: on exams, always trust your gut feeling!!! It's always better to say that you went with your first guess rather than changing your answer at the last minute. The "I knew it!" feeling is one of the worst feelings to have after an exam.