I'M MAKING ROBOTS!!!!!!

I was recently informed that I received a very cool research position this summer which will involve making robots. MAKING. ROBOTS. I cannot wait to start.

Monty Hall Problem

Probability has long been one of my favorite subjects. For whatever reason, probability has always evoked images of the kind associated with Casino Royale or poker players in fedoras sitting around a table smoking cigars. At least, this is what I imagined myself as when I was as a small, awkward, twelve-year-old sitting down to do my math homework at night. I think I probably made math cooler than it was, but this is another story. One of my favorite probability problems is the Monty Hall Problem. Monty Hall was the host of a 1980's game show called "Let's Make A Deal." Contestants had to choose which of three doors their prize lie behind. If the door did not conceal the prize, which was an expensive car or something of that nature, it concealed something more along the lines of a goat or a llama. After the contestant guessed a door, the host would open one wrong door. The contestant was then asked whether or not he or she wanted to choose another door. When "Let's Make A Deal" was popular, a woman named Marylin vos Savant was writing a column called "Ask Marilyn" for Parade magazine. Savant was famous for being in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest IQ. Someone wrote to ask Savant whether the contestant on "Let's Make a Deal" should change his or her choice once the contestant saw the host reveal the wrong door. Savant said that the contestant should always choose the other door. Some very intelligent people argued with her on this point. Eventually she was proven correct. Although somewhat counter intuitive, the problem is fairly simple. When there are three doors and you pick one, there is a 2/3 chance that you have chosen the wrong door. The host will then reveal a wrong door. If you switch to the other door, you will choose the prize door, only if you had a goat the first time. You will only lose after switching if you had the prize door the first time (which is a 1/3 chance). Therefore, a person who switches has a 2/3 chance of winning the prize, while a person who doesn't switch has a 1/3 chance of winning. Wow. Such math.

(via www.letsmakeadeal.com)

Seizures at the Career Fair

For most of my life, I have had a reputation as being a particularly shy person. At times this has caused me to do some ridiculous things in social situations. It can be somewhat embarrassing at times, but the story I share here is particularly bad.
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the term, a Career Fair is a place for students to talk to recruiters from various companies. The recruiters will hopefully give talented students an interview, and eventually a job or internship. I went to our Career Fair for the first time last month. I felt a little nervous at the moment I walked in, largely due to the amount of pressure I put on myself to get a job. I was wearing a pair of heels at the time, as well as a large backpack that contained the books I needed for my classes later that day. I walked around for a while and jumped in a line of students waiting to talk to a software company recruiter.
Everything was going as planned. The recruiter started asking me things about my resume, and I felt that my responses were adequate. Suddenly, my legs started quivering. I was so nervous that my legs were actually shivering. I tried to stomp my leg subtly to make the shaking stop. Before I could stop the shivering in my legs, the tremors had moved upwards. My head was shaking now and the recruiter was looking at me like I had spouted a third arm or something. He was probably wondering whether I was having a seizure. I awkwardly thanked him for his time, smiled, and walked away. The people behind me in line had stopped talking and were staring at me. Needless to say, the recruiter did not give an interview to the girl who started shivering and stamping her foot on the ground like some kind of raging bull.
 It was incredibly embarrassing at the time, but so hilarious in retrospect. After talking to that recruiter I sat down and changed my shoes. I felt that part of the reason for my weird muscle spasms was the fact that I was wearing particularly painful footwear. I took a few deep breaths and went on to another company. I performed much better at the booths for the companies I visited later.
So that was my first Career Fair experience. I hope that every one of you looking for a job has good luck!

First Post Ever!

My name is Mimi Anne and I am a student of Computer Engineering and International Studies. I like math, writing, technology, science, fashion, music, yoga, running, biking, dessert, history, and chillin' with my dog, Wabby Doodles. I wanted to start this blog long ago, but never had the time. I still don't have the time for blogging. In fact, I am already running late for class. Bye!