to Riverside and back - all in a day

I recently mentioned that I'm planning to study at UC Riverside starting this fall. To learn more about the school, my family took a day trip down to Riverside yesterday to see the campus. This was a worthwhile experience as we gained a lot of insight about the statistics program.

It was an exhausting morning as we had to get up early for our 7:30 a.m. flight. Though there was an 11:05 a.m. one available, my parents didn't want to arrive too late. The weather in SoCal was warmer than expected but too hot for the most part.

Our day in Riverside began with a meeting with two statistics professors, both of whom were very helpful. Three PhD students then showed us around while sharing their experiences. This was followed by lunch with two other students who also gave us useful information. The statistics department had generously provided the food vouchers.

Later in the afternoon, my family met two staff members who went over the dining and housing plans. They always took the time to address our concerns. I can't thank them enough for their hospitality and kindness. The visit couldn't have been more pleasant.

There was some free time, during which we went to Claremont Graduate University and Harvey Mudd College. The three of us then had dinner at Denny's before going back to the airport. Though we could have gotten home two hours earlier, there was a $80 fee for changing flights. The other thing is that I got a nasty headache on the way home. Blah.

Because I had never gone this far on a day trip, returning home on the same day did feel a little weird. On the other hand, Dad is planning an overnight stay in Riverside later this summer. I'm looking forward to that for sure. In the meantime, you can see the pictures from yesterday's trip here.