Fermilab, physics, academics and Swat, and my life in general

Today the REU group (along with a 2 other UI undergrads) went up to Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois. The trip has made me think about a number of things. This is going to be a long, rambling, mentally-angsty post, so I'll put most of it behind lj-cuts.

( Preliminaries )

( Impressions of Fermilab )

( A surprise! )

( Other tours )

( Life at Fermi )

( Me as a physics student )

( As a student and a Swattie )

Enough. I ought to go to bed soon.

Check out this picture...

Oh, by the way, check out the cover photo of the July Physics Today. Here's the link. The cover photo is the vacuum chamber (modified GEC cell) I work on, and the pink argon plasma is much like the ones I make routinely.

Here's a zoom of the cover photo.

Anyone else think that the color is Utena-like?

(no subject)

In reference to my long post, what is it to attain a genuine liberal education? What is the purpose and meaning of education in general? What is it to truly live?