Last night I sent out an email at 2130 hours to my lab group asking what the plan was. I didn't have the data from the experiment, I wasn't designated lab leader, and I wasn't even part of that hour. Then the guy in charge sends back an email to everyone asking what we want to do. He sends out the data and the coversheet in file form, but that's it. Eventually out of frustration I make a game plan for us and send it to the whole group. That's the best I can do though, because I can't just materialize a lab report if I don't have the data, and I definitely can't by looking at his tables because I'm pretty sure they are mislabeled and he doesn't know exactly what he's doing. So I tell him to do the introduction, the theory, and the procedures and graciously offer to do the more difficult results and discussion. I usually do this in my group and it helps because people don't like to do partial derivatives. I'm not fast at them, but I understand them and can slowly navigate them. I wait and wait and he doesn't send anything that night except for the data and a coversheet. It's 2300 and he's made no indication I need to start anything. I make the horrible mistake of assuming he's going to do the right thing... rather I assume he's going to do much of anything.
I have classes all of this morning. This day did not start well, because I snapped at my classmate at breakfast formation. I completely overreacted to his trying to get under my skin. Fortunately his cell phone alarm went off and I was sort of off the hook because everyone gave him a hard time. Then a plebe gave me an attitude, but I knew it was because of the relationship we had. I was not in the mood, but I was also not calm enough to deal with him without blowing up so I had to bite my tongue and go to the end of the squad. This looked odd to some people, but I did it to control at least some of my actions this morning. Then, I was embarrassed and upset all morning. I walked into the wrong room in the morning for statistics, and then second hour my instructor kept us late so I had to sprint from the 5th floor of the library to the 6th floor of Washington Hall. Second hour - which is jurisprudence - is actually one of my favorite classes but not worth 5 hours for something as simple as an avoidable late. Today we started watching Who Shot Liberty Valence?
Then we had a pop quiz I wasn't ready for in Economics. I got back my WPR and got a B+ on that which was grudgingly a little better for the day. There was a short break in the day... because during Portuguese - fourth hour - the civilian coordinator of my summer trip to Capo Verde (10 islands 250 km off the west coast of Africa, north of the equator) started talking to me animatedly and desciribing all the awesome things she was trying to get us to do and the minor "issues" that were going to make the trip an amazing adventure. Obviously we want to see as many of the islands as possible including the white beaches where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs, and maybe staying in a hotel that is actually inside the crater of a volcano, and visiting the greener islands as well. It looks like the only other girl is also a very good friend of mine since Beast Barracks and I'm sure we're going to have loads of fun.
Still lunch formation was still a drag and I didn't socialize. Lunch was not very fun either because I was floated to the other lunch table and the plebe who was supposed to be floating with me got his spot back just by chance so I was just three feet away but rendered invisible. I was already having a horrible day so I just sat in silence, ate a taco, and a bowl of icecream. A couple of teammates sort of messed with me in good fun, but by that time I was just too down to really notice. All this time I also have the thought of the lab hovering like a thundercloud over my head and I really don't want to do it because of the irresponsible way this kid who is the lab leader has acted. I go over and tell him I have an appointment, which I do, at Arvin Clinic for my IT Band. He tells me he will work on it, but he has two appointments of his own, one for a study group for economics and one for A.I. with his philosophy instructor. I am legitimately pissed off at this point because if he knew that his afternoon was this busy then why in the hell did he put it off until now? Does he assume I'm going to do it? Does he assume that he is going to do it? I go to Arvin and forget it for a while when I get back I pick up the cover sheet imagining I'll finish it and turn it in on time. It's 1400 hours and it's due at 1500 hours when I do this. I get to my room and read what he has sent me. It is A.F.U. The introduction is measly, the procedures are partially incorrect, and the graph is wrong for some reason and I cannot do calculations for error with this. I call his room in anger and when someone picks up and says, "CDT Smith*'s phone," I start to yell at this person saying that what he sent me doesn't make sense and we're going to have to turn it in late because this isn't right and the person interrupts me, "Uhhh, this isn't actually CDT Smith, it's his roommate I was just answering the phone." and I stop because that wasn't supposed to happen. The guy is very helpful and says he is good at physics and he would like to help me if I go over. I head over and most of my suspicions about the lab are right. The kid comes back to the room - his name isn't really Smith by the way but anyway - I chew him out some more and say, "Well, it's late now whether we turn it in now or 23 hours from now, so let's fix it." and I say I am going to take a nap and he can work on it. He says he will get on it... which I doubt but I did take my nap and waking up can't say I feel a whole lot better except I know I'm not failing any of my classes. Small comfort considering the work I have to do tonight including put my room away by Thursday night... ugh that's tomorrow!
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