Big indecision. Today, I discovered that CMU won\’t partially support me to attend CHI, the HCI academic conference, because I am a part-time student. They will only reimburse me partially for next year.

So while I have met all these great people, I won\’t be able to spend a whole week with them in our own personal hci adventure.

Or I could always pay my own way. In reality, I spend over $600 in a month. And surely, not going on a trip to Japan last summer saved me over $1000. And I am less afraid of spending that much on my electronic fascination. So why is the price making me balk? Mostly, I just can\’t justify it to myself. Firstly, it\’s almost slightly embarrassing to attend a conference, not being supported by the school…especially since I didn\’t publish a paper or am not presenting a talk. Rather I am going for interest (I have always wanted to see what others have done in HCI), the experience…and most of all, to spend this valuable time with people I may not even see in 12 months.

Despite all my rants about disliking people or being annoyed by people, it\’s people that make my day. Starting as an awkward shy child, I never really trusted anyone. I felt like people would tease me, attack me, ridicule me, and reject me. I started shedding that belief as an undergraduate at Berkeley. And yet, even then, I kept my distance. And when I came to Pittsburgh, I was given a chance to fully leave that belief. I found my trust and loyalty in people. So maybe the upcoming year would have the very same experience. Yet isn\’t the first time always the one you remember the best?

2 thoughts on “

  1. But I am paying for rent and other things myself! Argh…if I can get the conference fee funded, then the likelihood goes up.

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