Summer 2000
 

I was an URP during summer 2000. I guess one of the first things I noticed was how everyone was so "casual", and so, casual I tended to be. At the beginning, Jane Reader gave us all a file, which had our checks, and the list of course lectures going on, incase anyone was interested in attending. I wanted to attend a lecture as part of the "Molecular Embryology of the Mouse" course in Plimpton Hall, Beckman. It was the first day in the URP program, I got up, wore a pair of shorts and sandals ("casual"), and off to Plimpton. Since I had no breakfast I entered the Hall's side room to get a doughnut. From the moment I stepped in I felt that everyone was looking at me, and for some reason everyone was so dressed up, and when I went for the doughnut, I felt that I was making a wrong move. I took a doughnut anyway and sat at the back of the Hall, every time someone passed by me, they gave me a strange look. Until one person came and said, "Good morning, I'm William Miller". I thought to myself, "oh how friendly" so I replied "Hi, I'm Ahmed, I'm an URP". He shook his head hopelessly and left. I didn't understand what was wrong; obviously I thought I wasn't supposed to have come to the lecture with shorts and sandals, I was sure we were allowed to attend though, and Jane assured us that casual was the theme. But I only understood what was wrong when a women walked up and asked me why I was sitting there, so told her I was here for the Lecture, she said "What lecture?" after a short conversation I found out that the lecture was rescheduled to another place and I was sitting in the middle of the Board of Trustees meeting, and that the man that talked to me (William Miller) was the Chairman.
Spending the summer as CSHL as an URP was unforgettable, I feel so fortunate to have been part of it. http://urp2000.50g.com