new uses for bubble wrap

Hi,

It's been a quiet week of project work intermingled with a bit of Harry Potter reading, and a little outing to lug a load of shopping back from sainsburys today because its closed for refurbishment next week! I've been to try out techniques on the chick embryos a few times, as well as researching in the library. My aim is to write an article to publish and then summarise it a bit to hand in as coursework, so I need quite a lot of background information to justify my hypothesis before I try to prove it. The practical side of things is going a bit more slowly - I'm just trying to come up with a way to make a silver background stay put under the embryo - it's looking like it might involve little bits of bubble wrap or polystyrene cups at the moment!

Since there are so few people back yet (although more are slowly turning up) I haven't had much chance to do a lot of socialising, but this evening I'm meeting up with some friends to eat and watch a dvd together. Next week I'm expecting to be a bit busier because I'm involved in meeting and welcoming international freshers who come before the start of freshers week - it'll make a change from mostly spending time with chicken embryos!

Back in Oxford

Hi,

I came back up to Oxford yesterday to start the first term of my third year. Well actually, that doesn't start for another 3 weeks but I'm here early to get some of my project work done. There are a few other medics around. Some stayed in Oxford after the end of last term, or came back for a few weeks during the summer, and others managed to get a lot done last term or are planning to do more this term. It just depends on what the project involves and when the supervisors are free. Since my project involves using chick embryos, I can only work on it when the eggs are at the right stage as well as needing my supervisor to be around so it's likely to be a bit more spread out than other peoples.

Today my supervisor wasn't available so I can't get properly started until I see him tomorrow. I've just been planning my experiments and re-reading my work from last term today. I spent yesterday afternoon moving in to my new room and unpacking. I have a bigger room this year - it's a bit nicer because I was higher up on the room ballot so I got to choose it - but its in the same college annex as last year. Most of my friends aren't back yet but some are coming up next weekend and everyone else will be here the weekend after for Freshers week. Hopefully being here early will mean that I have less work pressure during the term, and I'll be able to enjoy the fun of Michelmas term!