My entertainment for September

Started to feel bored after my exams have finished. I think it is time for me to resume my studies and prepare for my coming exams, GRE and GRE physics. Since memorizing those vocabs everyday will be quite tiring, I decided to add in some interesting readings and exercises for my schedule in September.

For the 1st time I visited the library of Yukawa Institute of Theoretical Physics. There are SO many nice books inside and yet I didnt come here before for the past 4 years. What a waste. Then, I began to search for my "toys" and finally found 3; 「Facts and Mysteries in Elementary Particle Physics」,「Problems on atomic, nuclear and particle physics from PhD qualifying exams in US」 and 「Fundamental of Particle Physics 1 and 2」.

 

Hope to finish these books in 3 weeks time..hehe..
I am a strange guy isn't it? Need to study physics to clear my boredness. Haha. And I will be participating in a badminton competition on 14th, which is this sunday. My muscles are still painful after 3 hours training on sunday and hopefully I will recover by weekends. Go go go !!!

悠闲的周末

经过一连番的考试，我的暑假终于到了。睡到中午12点，听听歌，吃个便当，和家人，女友聊聊天。储存了整个月的压力开始慢慢消失。整理了杂乱无章的房间，心情也变得比较轻松。啊~~好久没这种感觉了。其实在这个时候，是最容易胡思乱想的。哈哈。
周五在东京大学面试完毕之后，在大学内的咖啡店遇到一个KEK的教授(之前认识的。是去年夏季营的主席)。他说，我的第一志愿教授和他商量过，说我可能会去美国念书。然后，他给我的建议是，要我仔细想清楚。因为美国现在经济不好，而且今年初才对particle physics的预算案大屠杀，导致fermilab大量裁员。可能不是去美国的一个好时机。而且，我京都大学要好的教授也是在电邮中提到要我仔细想好未来的进路，因为在master专攻的研究可能会是长久继续下去的。说到这里本身感到惭愧。
说实在的，我在大学里并不是一位很出色的学生(厉害的大有人在)，而且又不是日本人，却有日本人教授三番四次给我宝贵的提议，有点受宠若惊的感觉。这时让我想起4年前，还在日语学校的光景。我当时要去京都大学的笔试和面试，前几天就去问问物理老师的意见。竟然没有想到他想都不想的回答说，你去考什么大学都不会及格。我当时根本不知道要给什么反应。因为简直相信不了自己的耳朵。当然，我并没有把它放在心里。因为，如果我都不相信自己的话，那就没有人会相信我。就这样，让我考进了京都大学。他知道之后的反应是，哈？有没有搞错？！
说了那么长的故事，一定有一个寓意吧。就是，建议是建议，作决定的是自己。所以，要做一个不会让自己后悔的决定。哈哈。

So, no more written exam for Japanese Universities

Finally, the written exams for both Kyoto University and University of Tokyo are finished. You know, my last paper was English!!!
1st question: please translate the following English essay into Japanese !!!!
2nd question:please translate the following Japanese essay into English...............Is this called English paper?..OMG..
Luckily my 5 years stay in Japan is not wasted.....I still remember that I did badly during my 1st year english class-translation.(I think I just get about 30% for it)...but this time, yeah, without much problem, I did it. Oh, yes! But anyway, nothing to be proud of. I just shorten the distance between me and the japanese students(Losing master's exam to them due to a english paper is a BIG PAIN). They are just too good for that translation stuff.
Interviews are awaiting for me, on 4th and 5th which are just 2 days away. Well, I must really enjoy my days after a long period of studying non-stop.(About 14 hours per day, what do u think? Wake up then study then eat then study then sleep.XD)
It is kinda surprise for me to be scheduled for 2 interviews for University of Tokyo. I thought my score wasnt enough to enter my 1st choice, LHC-ATLAS experiment as there are many students putting it as 1st choice as well. Anyway, need to appeal myself more during the interview as I am maybe floating on the border line.Haha. As for Kyoto university, I think my score should be enough for my 1st choice, high energy physics lab for neutrino physics. Just need to wait for the announcement of the interview list tomorrow evening.
As for University of Tokyo, questions like what is the voltage being used in Japan? and why?, explain 1 of the experiments that you have done in 3mins, etc. Well, the 1st few questions might not be that hard but I heard that they will ask everything in detail after that. Like, explain how a PMT works, why linear collider must be used now instead of the conventional ring shape accelerator?...bla bla bla...
on the other hand, we also need to explain about what we have done for Kyoto University's interview. But in 7mins. Then, will get bombed by those professors. I just cant imagine how will my heart beat standing in front of 30+ professors. calm down,calm down........

这一个月来第一次睡得安稳

在抛下考试压力的包裹之后，终于可以有一天睡得安稳了。在这之前，就算是身体累了，脑子总还是不停的在消化一天之中念完的物理，让我睡不好觉。
今天就只是准备面试的内容，比如装置的操作原理等等。感觉上是我的强项。虽然用日语发表当然会比日本人逊色，不过非日本人却会说日语算是我的筹码，哈哈。还有，自信！自信！
明天面试之后就要赶去东京了。周五的两个面试过后，就是和我的朋友们一起在东京庆祝。漫长的硕士班考试，就此告一段落。
虽然天天念书的日子不好过，但我倒是突然间明白了很多之前向也想不通的物理法则，还有很多计算方面的trick.所以8月算是一个丰收的季节。当然，从本科生到硕士之间还有很大鸿沟，反而是现在开始要更加努力，稳固物理的基础，方能在研究方面解决诸方面问题。如果有机会进入LHC-ATLAS的研究的话，下个学期就要努力专攻particle physics,phase transition,Higgs mechanism之类的理论。当然，也要专注在实验方面的装置，如muon粒子detector,calorimeter之类的东西。可能还要出席ALTAS数据解析课程。这样才像一个物理学家的生活嘛。哈哈，我梦寐以求的。
我当然并没有说物理是一切。不过，人生就有那么一次。如果有自己喜欢的东西，就应该勇往直前，一一克服途中遇到的任何障碍。说实在的，我的热诚主要在于这个世界，宇宙的由来。它，是怎样出现的，为什么要出现。然而，为了达到这一个境界，我必须从低开始，以自己最能接受的研究方法-科学开始。科学-高校物理学-大学基础物理学-大学物理学-高级物理学，一步一步往上爬。就是一个过程。当然，每一个阶梯都有很多障碍。比如大学的时候，物理学里有太多的数学。Bessel函数，Airy函数之类的妖怪都会出现。虽然花了很多时间去掌握这些数学，但还是值得的。每天只要想着，只要自己能过这一关，就可以更靠近自己的梦想。那个时候，推动力就自然而然的来了。
话不多说，我去makan了。

Master's Entrance Exam @ University Of Tokyo (25,26 Sep 2008)

  8/25和8/26只不过是两个很平常的日子。但是，对于我来说，是一个刻骨铭心的期间。大家都知道，如果是在马来西亚的话，STPM或Matrikulasi的成绩是进大学的门票。然后，如果想进入硕士班的话，只需要交上本科生时的成绩，申请理由，研究计划之类的东西就大概可以通过。

  然而，在日本这个国家，无论你在本科的时候成绩有多好，要进入硕士班却需要符合临一个条件:大学院(硕士及博士)入学考试。这个就好像美国的PhD qualifying examination.不同之处为,美国方面的话，每一张考卷的范围(如quantum mechanics,classical mechanics,等等)已被指定，今天考这个，明天考那个;日本呢，东京大学方面就是一张4小时的物理学考卷，一张1小时数学考卷及2小时的TOEFL ITP。范围呢？很简单，就是从第一年到第四年，全部你学过的东西(不是开玩笑的，加起来至少也有30多科，以5小时决胜负，而且哪一个科目会被出题也不知道。比如今年，我做了几百题electromagnetism，结果一题都没有。老天一定在跟我开玩笑)。

  京都大学方面呢，就比较刺激一点。第一天3小时加3小时的两张物理试卷，第二天三小时半物理试卷加1小时半的英文考试(主要是翻译英-日，日-英，真是TMD难，因为我不是日本人,T.T).当然物理试卷里面也有数学的问题，主要是物理方面的数学，比如偏微分方程式(partial differential equation)之类的。范围也是一样，全部。而且每一张也是random取题。其中有一年，必选问题中有一半的问题(3题!!!)有关联到利用fourier series来解偏微分方程式。简直痛不如死。时间已经不足够了，计算却长到要命。能拿满分肯定是laser printer,XD。
  写到这里，其实京都大学的入学考试是在9/1和9/2，还有两天准备....T.T。如果能够顺利通过笔试，就有机会进入第二关-研究发表和面试9/4。东京大学的是在9/5。所以必须再乘子弹火车上京，如果9/1的发表名单中有我的名字。
  顺便upload一些考试问题还有在东京时享用的美食(好像是意大利餐厅)。虽然是日语，想挑战的话，等我得空的时候再翻译吧。呵呵。

Another "first time"

  Again, my sweet dream was spoilted by the high kinetic energy of air molecules. With my brain is still warming up, I rode my iron horse to the school and had a buffet breakfast. Nice huh? Buffet style breakfast, take as much as you can for only 385yen. A sandwich will cost you 200yen. So, of course a big eater like me will wake up in the morning and get "free" food at the school canteen. 
  And this breakfast proved to be paid off as I eventually understood what that has been confusing in my mind recently. Nothing can be happier than clearing a hurdle in concept of physics for a physics major student like me. Sometime you will need 2-3days to understand the physics underlied in a page of textbook. Hence, to finish a textbook with 300 pages will sometimes need you a whole year, no kidding man.
  As I was playing badminton too hard recently, I feel exhausted all the time. Yet I still managed to carry on my daily life without much problem. As you are wondering what is the "first time" that I put in the title, I can tell you the answer now....It is....the first time I have written my blog in a school computer lab. Haha. Well, as I already have my own internet connection in my room, I normally just come here to download the articles from the popular journal like physical review letter,etc, since the school has already subscribed to those expensive journals. A bit sleepy now, better return to my bed.......

另一个人生交叉点

  好久没以中文写部落格了。
 
  上个星期刚去了东京，参加了东大某个研究室的说明会，顺便和教授交谈了一会儿。研究内容和环境基本上都很不错，算是我的研究室首选吧。
  现在已经是6月的最后一天，8月25号到9月5号我将为东京大学，京都大学的硕士班入学考试而忙，之中还要来回2次，钱不够用啊。。。
  而且，如果考上东大的话，10月开始可能要每星期来回京都-东京，出席研究用的软件讲习会以及其物理讲座。子弹火车来回的花费是25000日币=RM780,一个月=RM3000左右。好恐怖。。留在京都要4年了，想要换一换环境，但必须牺牲一笔金钱。搬家，签合约之类的事情也挺麻烦的。

  虽然还不是应该考虑的时候，去了东京之后，就会得到美国大学的消息。那个时候也是多了一个烦恼。是留是去要到时候才知道。去美国可能会得罪研究室的教授等人，不然就是得不到现在想做的研究；留日本可能永远就是以日语为主要语言进行物理学的教育和研究，到西方国家发展的机会较低。之前在京都和东京之间选一的时候已经够烦恼的了。

  希望明年作决定的时候会比较干脆吧。当然，如果东京，京都大学的入试失败的话，明年3月就必须回国了，不必烦恼多多。以现在的程度去考的话，没希望。哈哈。基本上还有1个月的时间，20多个科目合成的考试有点困难，再加上GRE,TOEFL,GRE PHYSICS的考试还有毕业研究。。。。请赐我Intel TriCore。。。。还有，避弹衣。。因为面试的教授阵容是20-30人左右。左一枪，右一炮，不死才怪。

 
  这个时候想起了一个道理。。。。。。。时常让自己面对最难的挑战，是在竞争的世界里生存的锻炼，也是让自己成长的最佳手段。

A trip to Tokyo

  Last week, I went to Tokyo for the 3rd time in my 4 years in Japan. For travel? No. For meeting? No. Well, I was there just to attend the Open Lab of International Center for Particle Physics(ICEPP), University of Tokyo. My possible research lab for master's degree in Japan next year.
  The highest building for department of Physics in Kyoto University is about 7-floor but ICEPP is located on 9th and 10th floor in a 11-floor building, probably to indicate that it has a high potential (to be sucessful?) ICEPP has about 40 members including professors and graduate students. Well, 1/3 of them are staying at Switzerland for LHC-ATLAS and MEG researches.(even for master students) Not only researches with mega-size accelerators like LHC can be done, tabletop experiments, such as determination of extra dimensions by using positronium are also part of students' works. Chances of going to CERN for summer school, research presentation at CERN during the 1st year, publish a paper in physical review letter during master, etc are the attractions that fascinated me. 
  Well, maybe it is still early to worry about staying at Tokyo or leaving for US if i get both universities. For me, Kyoto university has a good mentor, University of Tokyo has the research that I am interested in, and US has the system which is probably the best for nurturing a all-rounded physicist. Of course going to the States is the best choice but sometimes things are not running smooth all the time. Anyway, perhaps I should try everything that I can do from now. Sit for master entrance examinations Kyoto university and University of Tokyo, then at the same time, applying for the Graduate schools in the States. (Well, I will go back to Malaysia if I failed the 1st two exams. More precisely, will be kicked back.)