Dead Week

Dead week is the name given to one of those brilliant days when you have more than multiple deadlines. A regular event in the life of grad students who are incapable of managing time, pushed things to the last minute, have over ambitiously ventured into more than the required number of courses, have some exceptionally affectionate advisor or a subset of this.

The last week of February and last week has brought out in the clear that I somehow fit into one of these categories. The dead week funda has only partially to do with the deadlines.. it is more to do with the state of mind.

The typical day in a dead week. Midnight. Grad Lab. I'm sitting there coding..

----Good... so far so good..... Maybe I should try coding the next module.... The last bus is only at 1254... I just don't get it.. How can there be so much more... Let me just do some reading........

Oh my god !! Its 1 o clock.. I just missed the last bus... I should probably go ahead with this.. this is actually interesting to read..

Sweet, now that I have understood should I start coding... What its 0220 ???? It was 1 o clock some 10 minutes back... I can't take so long for understanding this stuff... C'mon quick......

Good.. now this should be compiled... Its 0335 ??? Ugh... these procesors should be fast.. they can't take so long to compile.. and look at the sound...... No.. don't tell me this wouldn't compile... Errors in MY code ???

There.. you silly bunch of paranthases.. can't you just stay in place ??? Ok.. Finally... Zero errors... Way to go.. time to execute it... It can't be 0400 !!! Fine atleast this one is over.. Wait.. where is this sound from now.. Oh !! my poor wretched stomach... Let me grab something... pop corn ? iced tea ? Hot choclate ??

Let me execute this code... This is silly.. there is no reason it should hang.. Its flawless..... Ohhhhh.. Now I know..... There.. I fixed you, you brainless moron... Now what ??? Why can't you just run properly..... Its 0450 in the morning and I have better things to do............

Where am I ???? its 0520 ?? When did I sleep ?? Let me wash my face... I'm getting this done in 20 minutes and taking the first bus at 0545...

Ok.. its 0540.. maybe I should take the next bus.. Just half hour..

0610 ?? Code or the bus ???? Ok.. let me take the 0645... I'm no good if I don't get this thing working before that..

0640... I think I'm just too sleepy.. Maybe I should sleep some time and try it later...

10th Ave ?? The bus is already here ??? When did I get in... Now stop thinking about the code !!!!

C'mon Arjun your house door doesn't require the swipe card... Keys.. keys...

Bed.... Where is the alarm clock ??? 0710 to 1010.. Ideal.... Wait.. did I save my code... zzzzzzz...

Its 1040 ??? I need to find a way to disable this snooze button... No way I'm goin' to be in time for the class at 1115..

Yeah.. maybe what others say is right.. I shouldn't have come to class if whatever that prof says is goin' to go over my head...

Let me atleast do this Teaching Assistantship job properly.. Hmm.... I can actually hear what this guy says but why isn't anything going into my head...
Good.. I did a decent job with these demos.. but its 1600 already... When did I last eat ??? What day is it today ???

Now.. Two more hours with this bird brain and it still can't execute my program... Give up !!! I think I need to go home to eat something...

Man... I have just 3 quarters.. I've got to settle for that Apple pie now.. Why is this vending machine so different... Oh... Steady Arjun... this is a Fridge and you don't have to use quarters at home...

Maybe I should just close my eyes for a while its just 1920 and I have the whole evening with me...

2140 ????? Oh my god !!! When's the next bus ?? Why is my head so groggy ??? I shouldn't have just eaten those ccokies before I slept...

I can see some food in the house.. Plain dhal... Rice.. Curd... I think this is the best meal I have eaten in life... What's the point in living if I don't get proper sleep and food..

I should just probably finish that part of the code... Its now 2220.. Here's the deal... I'm going there to the lab.. finishing that part of the code and taking the last bus home..................................... -----