#ipeaachen

1 - German lessons

The German course I am enrolled in actually started on April 20th, so I had already missed 4 classes by the time I showed up, because I physically was not in Aachen until mid May. Although the class is not mandatory, the final exam is worth 100% of the grade, so I figured I had better attend and not fail, or else I would not get my transfer credits. So on Monday I finally showed up, and it was quite different from what I expected. The professor is super friendly and the class is really small, around a dozen people, so everyone already knows each other. They were all very welcoming to me as a newcomer. The class format has everyone sitting in a semicircle and the content is highly conversational, basically nonstop talking from 8:30 until the class is dismissed at 12:00 on the dot. By the end I am nearly falling asleep from how long it is, but I sat through the whole thing. If you are coming to Aachen next year, be prepared to wake up at 7:00 on Monday morning and speak German for 3.5 hours straight.

2 - Mensa (dining hall)

The dining halls here are really different from Michigan too. They are called Mensa and there are a couple around campus. The best one is at campus central near the Audimax bus station, and there is also one in the Informatikzentrum right across from where I live on Halifaxstraße 85. If you have a student blue card it is very cheap, only 3.30 euros for a lunch dish with either salad or boiled vegetables. Currently my favourites are the Swedish meatballs with potatoes and the cordon bleu with french fries, and both come with a small bowl of salad included. The lines are really long though. Another thing I do not love is that the food is not an unlimited buffet like back in Michigan, but the food quality is genuinely much better and the taste is always incredibly pleasant. It is also really inconvenient that the Mensa only opens for one meal per day, which is lunch, and closes at 2 PM, and does not open on weekends. So plan accordingly if you want to enjoy the cheap and delicious lunch.

3 - Cooking in the WG

I set a goal to master cooking one dish at a time while I am here. This week I have been focused on practicing spaghetti. Although it might seem like madness to make the same dish every single day for a whole week straight, I am quite certain the taste is improving noticeably each time. My current recipe uses cherry tomatoes and brown mushrooms combined with either Hackfleisch or Wiener to make the meat sauce, then shredded mozzarella combined with Gouda or Edammer and egg yolk to make the cheese sauce, and I have also been alternating between spaghetti and fusilli to see which one mixes better. In the end it comes out as a delicious baked pasta. I will try a completely different dish next week.

4 - Maastricht again

Because the Netherlands is so close, our UROP group went bowling there and I won. Barely, though, considering I had not played in nearly 8 years.

5 - Bonn, Haus der Geschichte

The Haus der Geschichte, or House of History, in Bonn is one of Germany's foremost museums of contemporary German history. It traces the story of Germany from the rubble of 1945 all the way to reunification and beyond, spanning the parallel lives of West and East Germany through an extraordinary collection of everyday objects, political artifacts, propaganda posters, original vehicles, and reconstructed interiors. The museum does not just present facts but immerses you in the texture of what life actually felt like across different decades, from postwar reconstruction and the Economic Miracle of the 1950s through the social upheavals of the 1960s and the political tensions that defined the Cold War era.

I barely made it through to the 1970s, with a special section dedicated to the Beatles along the way, before I realized 2 hours had already passed without me noticing. As I rushed out, I saw the exhibition continued all the way up to right now! It was recently renovated to include the current Bundeskanzler Merz, which is cool. The museum's slogan is literally "You are part of history!!" so I will definitely come back for more next Sunday to finish seeing everything. It is my favourite museum I have visited so far in Germany.

6 - Botanical garden

Afterwards we walked over to the University of Bonn's botanical garden for a Spaziergang, but the rain started falling heavily so we left early, and the train back to Aachen was also delayed by over an hour. Next time I will come back to Bonn on a day with better weather.

Bonn is also the birthplace of Beethoven, and Germany's UN city and seat of western europe along with 18 UN organisations. I'll be back next time to visit them all!!

Yuqi SUN

Department of Robotics, Robotics

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science

1 - Travelling to Dreiländereck, where three countries meet: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands

Dreiländereck, which literally means "three country corner" or "three lands point," is a place where the borders of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany all touch. It is roughly a 1.5 hour hike from SuperC, RWTH's central landmark building. Though the entire hike did not feel that long — we walked around 30 minutes to leave the city and another hour through the fields — the scenery is very calm and you can see endless stretches of farmland and plantation. The weather was also gorgeous: extremely sunny, with clouds so white they looked fake. Incredible temperature. Many people complained it was too hot, but sunny days are exactly what I miss most after spending a cold winter in Ann Arbor, because the warmth and that tingling feeling on my skin reminds me of the weather back home in Hong Kong. If you want to do this hike, I would highly advise bringing a hat and enough water, plus some fruits or snacks along the way. The difficulty is low but staying hydrated is the most important thing. I brought a carton of Durstlöscher, which literally means "thirst quencher" and is an extremely popular drink here. It tastes like sweetened tea, decent, but not exactly what I would reach for next time I actually want to quench my thirst.

2 - Manna Bunsik, restaurant recommendation 1

Since I am still waiting to get my blue card so I can eat at the Mensa (cafeteria), I have to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day, and very quickly I got tired of it. I discovered Manna Bunsik, a small restaurant with only six tables that serves quality and authentic Korean food. I ordered the Ganjang chicken rice. The price is fair and the portion is fulfilling. The chicken is stir fried with onion slices in a BBQ and soy sauce mix, coated with honey for a sweet finish, and placed on top of salad leaves and rice. I was extremely satisfied with this meal and the taste was exactly what I expected. I would highly recommend it. They also have a variety of waffle desserts and Korean corndogs, and even more menu items featuring different styles of Korean fried chicken.

3 - Auf der Hörn, restaurant recommendation 2

Another recommendation is Auf der Hörn. Since I live on Halifaxstraße, I am quite far from Aachen city center and do not want to take a 30 minute bus ride every time I want to eat out. Auf der Hörn is only a 14 minute walk from my apartment and serves both German and Italian dishes like Schnitzel and lots of handmade pizza and lasagna, as well as Turkish dishes. I tried the Kofta with tomato sauce and yogurt. Kofta is essentially elongated meatballs, though I am not sure if these were roasted or fried. The texture is grainy and quite firm, but the taste is like a better burger patty. Beneath sits bread cubes covered in tomato sauce alongside half a raw tomato. The yogurt mixes with the bread and adds a creamy finish. It is a delightful dinner at a very acceptable price and the service is great as well. Highly recommended for both the food quality and its convenient location.

4 - Bibliothek, not quite like our library

After the lab meeting, I went with my colleague Aday to study at the Bibliothek. I was really surprised to see that there are more people than books inside, and although the word simply means "library," it functions very differently from what I am used to. It is a great place to just come and study together, and I was struck by how quiet it is despite being packed with people row after row.

5 - Maastricht, Netherlands

At 9:00 AM we met outside Aachen Hbf, but the train got canceled again. Since I arrived here, the railway to Aachen has been so inconsistent, broken more often than it is functioning. So instead we took bus line 350 to Maastricht and walked around 30 minutes to Sint Pieter Fort, where the tour for North Caves Maastricht Underground begins.

The North Caves are a vast network of underground tunnels carved into the soft marlstone beneath Sint Pietersberg hill, stretching for hundreds of kilometers and even crossing into Belgium. The limestone was quarried here for centuries, and the caves run deep enough that the temperature inside stays a constant cool even in the height of summer. During the tour, our guide pointed out dinosaur fossils embedded directly into the walls, preserved in the rock since the Cretaceous period. The caves carry a layered history: nearby sections were used during World War II as shelter and evacuation routes for civilians and even for hiding artworks. One of the more memorable stories from the guide was about Napoleon's general, who invaded and attempted to bomb the caves in order to bring down the fortress above, but failed not once but twice, leaving the fort partially sunk into the ground. This apparently gave rise to a Dutch saying: when someone does something only halfway and gives up, they call it "doing it the French way."

Afterwards we explored some of the attractions around the town center and, of course, had ramen again. Could not resist.

Yuqi SUN

Department of Robotics, Robotics

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science

Dinner, football, Monschau, and Berlin !

This past week has been WILD in Aachen. A lot of good fun has taken place. Research has been busy and straightforward. Firstly, Valerie and I cooked a penne pasta dish with tomatoes, feta, and garlic. The oven started to smoke as the oil in the dish burnt. We managed to rectify the situation.

Visual reference of the ultimate comeback!

Deutschkurs is going well! We learned how to order and bargain in German in Monday's class. Pictured here is the exercise featuring Olisename's groceries.

On Tuesday night, we went to a Germany vs Colombia soccer game in Essen. Colombia won 2-0. There were so many Colombian fans which is surprising but very cool.

The UROP program took a trip to Monschau this past Wednesday. Monschau is a quaint town on the Belgian border and is known as one of the prettiest German towns. It was quite beautiful and felt like a mountain town. I got to explore Monschau for a couple of hours and enjoyed some schnitzel nom nom.

This weekend I traveled to Berlin. I was able to see many historical sites such as the East Side Gallery, the Berlin Wall Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Jewish Museum. On Friday, I went to the Pergamon, Altes, and Nues Museums.

Checkpoint Charlie was the best-known border crossing between East and West Berlin. American and Soviet Union tanks faced each other at this checkpoint.

Here are pictures of an exhibit in the Jewish museum and the East Side Gallery, respectively.

Not only was Berlin a historical experience but an international one. I met people from all around the world at the hostel I stayed at. I'm so glad we chose to stay at a hostel compared to a hotel or air bnb.

That's all for this week my people. Bis in einer woche!

1 - Köln trip 

Took RE trains with 1 umsteig (exchange) to Köln, and headed straight to the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral). Its full name is “High Cathedral Church at Cologne” and it is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. For a short time during 1880 to 1884, it was the tallest building in the whole world, and currently its still the 4th tallest church in the world and the tallest building in Köln. Inside there are also three golden sarcophagus worshipped by millions of people every year, because it is possible that they contained the remains of the three Magi who gave gifts to Jesus, and it was also the place of worship for the Holy Roman Emperor. I’ve been to St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican city before, and honestly this cathedral’s beauty could rival the Vatican. Truly marvelous. The pictures are insufficient to show how much I was in awe.

After visiting the cathedral, I had lunch with some other UROP students at Gaffel am Dom Köln, which serves the famous Kölsch beer thats local to Köln. Later we had a boat tour of the city and saw many landmarks, and played cards on the ship. The weather was cold for past few days but today there is amazing sunshine and warm winds, making everything extremely enjoyable. 

2 - Japantag at Düsseldorf 

Actually Düsseldorf is home to one of the largest Japanese communities in Europe (the 3rd largest after London and Paris!). It all started back in the 1950s when Japanese companies were looking for a central hub to access the European market. Because of its strategic location in the Rhine-Ruhr industrial heartland where over 50% of West Germans (FRG) lived, Düsseldorf became the go-to spot for big companies like Mitsubishi to set up their European headquarters. 

3 - Immermannstraße, little Tokyo

Over the decades, this grew into a massive cultural infrastructure. The area around Immermannstraße, right by the Hauptbahnhof, transformed into "Little Tokyo" which is a vibrant district with bilingual street signs even for doctors and parking spaces. It’s also got authentic ramen bars, Japanese supermarkets, and manga shops. It’s honestly like stepping into a different continent for a few blocks. So to celebrate this deep friendship between Germany and Japan, the city hosts Japantag (Japan Day) every year. It officially started in 2002 (though it evolved from earlier "Japan Weeks" in the 80s) and has since exploded into a massive festival that attracts over 600,000 visitors!

4 - Activities at Japantag

Besides taking selfies with over two dozen cosplayers, I also tried playing sumo with a sumo wrestler who is also an influencer on instagram. Of course I also had a ton of japanese snacks like Doraemon’s favourite dorayaki. There is even a massive Gundam model and special menus at every restaurant for Japan day. The most interesting scene is to see Japanese tōri gates standing in front of German bronze statues, this juxtaposed view truly shows the bi-cultural harmony and coexistence. At the LEGO stores, there are even exclusive and limited cherry blossom models for Japantag, its found nowhere else in the world and specifically made for this year. I had to finish the day with a classic miso ramen with eggs. It is absolutely delicious. 

Next time I’ll share some of the work I do in my lab. 

Yuqi SUN

Department of Robotics, Robotics

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science

1 - Regional train hopping

Every student at Aachen is given the "Semesterticket" through an app called Naveo, and I have one too. It lets me take all regional trains (coded RE) for free and is valid across all of Germany. So today I decided to take a trip to Bielefeld to meet up with my cousin who is also studying in Germany. I woke up at 8:15 to make myself a smoked salmon, cheese, and egg sandwich and packed it along with an orange for breakfast on the train. Since Deutsche Bahn is known to be super unpünktlich (unpunctual), I gave myself plenty of spare time by leaving at 9 AM, and was already waiting for the RE6 train at Aachen West at 9:20. The trains are more often late than on time, so I was really grateful that my train showed up exactly when the schedule said it would. In no time, I was sitting comfortably in the RRX train cabin enjoying my breakfast, and even performed a few magic tricks with my poker cards for the passengers sitting next to me.

2 - Train connections

About 1 hour and 15 minutes later I was at Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (main station) with only 5 minutes to catch the next connecting train heading to Minden, passing through Bielefeld, my destination. One tip for future travelers: it is really convenient to simply write down the platform number of your connecting train before you leave, so you won't be panicking like I was when the train app won't load due to bad signal and the slow to nonexistent RRX public wifi that disconnects every 3 seconds. This might sound counterintuitive, but although train times can vary and be unreliable, the track and platform they arrive on never changes, so just run there as fast as you can and wait until the train appears. Fortunately, although the next train was 8 minutes late, I was now successfully heading towards Bielefeld on the RE4.

3 - At Bielefeld

When I got off the train after another 2 hours, the light rain had turned into a downpour. I was really glad to see my cousin waiting for me at the platform, and we went to get ramen together at a highly authentic Japanese restaurant called S'J Ramen, which I highly recommend. It is only a 10 minute walk from Bielefeld station and the prices are cheaper compared to the US as well. My cousin then surprised me by pulling out a brown cardboard box from her backpack. It was a birthday gift from my parents! My birthday was yesterday, and somehow my parents had secretly prepared a gift in advance and arranged for her to bring it to Germany weeks ago. I am so grateful to have received a physical gift even while living alone thousands of miles away from home on my birthday.

4 - DB being DB on my way back

On the return journey everything was normal at first and I was expecting to be back in my dorm by 6:30. Then, when I boarded the RE6 heading to Aachen Hbf, three stops before reaching Aachen West where I needed to get off, the train suddenly stopped and the conductor announced that there had been a "catastrophe" on the tracks ahead and that we did not know how long we would have to wait before we could continue. I eventually fell asleep on the immobile train, and when I woke up to another announcement I learned that this train would now head back to Düsseldorf and all passengers had to step out. I scrambled to shove everything into my bag and quickly searched for alternatives. It turned out I could take the RE33, so I waited 30 minutes for it to arrive, thinking I would still make it back home on time.

5 - Another twist

The RE33 traveled for one stop before halting again. I vaguely understood the announcement in German, something about "massive defects" in the Aachen area, meaning all trains heading towards Aachen were stopped and sent back the way they came. Everyone on the train got off and flooded to the bus stop in the pouring rain. I was one of those people, and like penguins clustering together for warmth, we all stood packed tightly in line waiting for the S47, the only bus back to Aachen Hbf from Herzogenrath station. When the bus came it was more packed than a Bursley Baits bus on a Friday afternoon, but luckily I got on. Standing for 23 stops and walking another 25 minutes, I was finally back in my dorm at 9 PM, and still had to cook myself dinner since all German stores and shops close on Sundays.

Next time I'll share some of the food I cook and some recommended recipes!

Yuqi SUN

Department of Robotics, Robotics

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science

1 - Transportation method for arrival

It's 7:05 AM and I'm trembling in Aachen's cold morning air, having just stepped off an 8-hour train from Zürich with a connecting ride at Köln at 5 AM.

Note to self (and future prospective students for this program): remember to book Nightjet (NJ) trains operated by ÖBB for a bed and breakfast experience, or book through SBB and get the Sparpreis Europa ticket for only 30-40 CHF, instead of booking through DB, which has overpriced mandatory standard tickets at 188 euros and limited availability, with beds running out so fast you're stuck in a 2nd class seat. Lesson learned.

One goal I've already set for myself is to master all the free transportation my semester ticket unlocks, every RE/RB/S train, bus, tram, light rail, and subway line. And since it's valid nationwide across Germany, I could technically travel from Hamburg to Munich completely free, just hopping between regional trains. That's wild to me.

2 - Moving into the dorm

My last visit to Germany was a whole year ago, so stepping off the train and looking around at Aachen's street signs and billboards, I was trying my best to reactivate my German.

Fortunately, Jungmin was waiting for me outside McDonald's, he's been assigned as my UROP buddy here at RWTH. While I was still completely clueless about how to reach my dorm, he already had the entire bus route pulled up on Google Maps. I just dragged my two suitcases and followed him, changing buses twice and walking five minutes, until we finally arrived.

The dorm room is extremely comfortable and far more spacious than anything I had at Michigan. Coming from a whole year in Bursley, this feels like a luxury. The desk has drawers on both sides, there's a tall shelf, the wardrobe has vertical sections plus a unified top compartment, and the bed sits high enough to slide my suitcase underneath. The setup is complete, I genuinely have everything I need.

3 - Meeting a new friend

By 9 AM, I was starving. Halfway through unpacking, I gave up, wandered out, and started exploring the rest of the suite. There's a shared kitchen and fridge, and that's where I met Efe, my neighbor, who was already cooking breakfast. I had absolutely no food on me, and Efe was so generous, he cooked an omelette for both of us and shared some of what he had, so we just ate breakfast together like we'd known each other for years. Afterwards, we went shopping together at Lidl, which is kind of the German equivalent of a Walmart, except with better bread. I spent 15 euros on Vienna sausages, yogurt, granola, shampoo, soap, and mouthwash. Food prices here are considerably cheaper than in the US.

Efe, on the other hand, bought an entire grocery store, he left carrying 20 kg bags in each hand. He told me he's planning to cook chicken, salmon, steak, and lamb, and that last week he threw a grill party with other residents in the Wohnheim.

Back in my room, eating lunch, two boiled sausages, yogurt with granola, I had a realization. I've relied entirely on M-Dining at Michigan and have never really cooked for myself. One goal I'm setting for Aachen: actually learn to cook real meals and stay healthy without depending on pre-made food. I'll be handling breakfast and dinner myself every single day here. That might honestly be my biggest challenge.

4 - Some other troubles

The dorm is wonderful, the supermarket is stocked, and my neighbors and UROP buddy have been nothing but kind. But the wifi and the washing machines? Absolutely brutal.

Setting up wifi here is a massive inconvenience, the setup office is only open on Thursday evenings, and I arrived on a Friday morning. That means surviving on one phone's hotspot across four devices until next Thursday. The slow connection eventually frustrated me so much that I bundled up, walked out into the cold night wind, found a school building, and sat alone in a completely empty lecture hall just to write this blog on eduroam wifi.

The washing machines are another story. They're nearly impossible to operate, and without my blue card for Aachen, I can't even activate them. Other residents tell me that the machines actually working is considered a miracle, their broken state is apparently the norm.

So: bring plenty of mobile data and pack more clothes than you think you need. Future me (and future you) will thank us.

5 - Conclusion

That's it. I am exhausted. There are still many difficulties ahead, but with such a warm community and so many people willing to help, I genuinely believe I can push through all of it and have an amazing time here in Aachen. Next blog, I'll share updates on orientation week and my first meeting with my research lab supervisor. Bis dann!

Yuqi SUN

Department of Robotics, Robotics

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science

The last 10 weeks went by in a blur and we finally reached symposium week! It was a week of getting everything wrapped up, full circle moments, and saying goodbye to Aachen. 

After submitting our final posters on Monday morning, we went for one last trek to the Eifel region for a hike. It was a relaxing afternoon after the somewhat stressful week before. While our initially scheduled picnic on Tuesday was cancelled due to weather we still enjoyed drinks at one of the Pontstraße restaurants which felt like a very full circle moment because it’s where a lot of us met for the second time before the program started. We also went to the Lindt factory for their Tuesday student sale because nothing says souvenirs like chocolate!

On Wednesday we finally reached the day of the symposium! It was really cool to see what everyone had been researching all summer and see so many supervisors and buddies there to support us. The day was split up into some individual presentations and two longer poster sessions where everyone presented. In another full circle moment we recreated our first “Ponttor” picture during our lunch break. Our Thursday goodbye lunch featured some classic German pizza, a cuisine I will not miss, and had a photo competition, won in two of the three categories by yours truly. On Friday we said our final goodbyes to Aachen before a group of us started our post program travel with a train ride to Berlin!

This program was genuinely everything I had hoped for and more. I enjoyed living in Aachen for its cheap groceries, public transportation, and all of the surrounding nature. It was super easy to explore western Germany as well as Belgium and the Netherlands. The research experience, German class, and program activities were well balanced and all allowed me to grow in various ways. 

Through my research I learned a lot about both lab experience and work culture in Germany. My supervisors expected a lot of independence but were still there to provide guidance when necessary. This prompted me to be observant about my work while not needing to overly stress when I made a mistake. It was admirable to see the work life balance of my bosses and see how they were able to contain their responsibilities to their working hours. My German class also offered insight into student life in Germany where independence is once again emphasized. The only way our grade was determined for the class was through the final so it was up to each person to decide how much of the homework they did. 

The research and German class were both fulfilling but the absolute highlight of the program was the people. After a group of us met on the Friday before the program even started we spent pretty much every day of the last three months together. I didn’t expect to form close friendships with people over such a short time but it truly has been rewarding. Everyone in the program is so unique and brought different energy that ended up meshing together really well. Being able to interact with other people more than just my closer friends on the Wednesday and Saturday trips was another highlight. 

While everything in the program went pretty smoothly for me, I know that the UROP team were there to support everyone and ensure that everything worked out. The trips were also made super fun by the team members running them. Thank you very much to Marlene, Fenja, Alina, Tharuni, and Jan for putting on such a great program!

If you are looking for an IPE program, this is the one. After a summer of research, class, and travel, I have come out of Aachen as a more well rounded and complete person. This program has been so incredibly rewarding and I cannot recommend it enough.

Bis zum nächsten Mal, Aachen!

The last weeks of the program were hectic with finishing up projects, class, and packing, but they also contained many highlights of the program as a whole.

I started off week 9 strong by retrieving my phone from the bus depot when they opened on Monday. I had left it on the bus on Saturday evening, biked across town to intercept it but the bus had gone out of service by the time I caught up with it. Luckily my location and data were on so I could track it from my friend’s phones and my computer and it was never really lost.

Tuesday was my last day of work and I had the rest of the week to finish my report and poster. These were daunting at first but after some drafting it became much easier to see the finish line. I would recommend taking good notes throughout the program because I had a long document but it was disorganized and much of the information wasn’t applicable to my report. If I had taken more notes and begun drafting the report earlier I would have been less stressed about it.

Up until this point of the program we had very little time outside of work where we would need to study. It was interesting to see the various ways my friends locked in, some of them more bizarre than others (Clash Royale and volleyball fueled all nighter). Had this been a normal study abroad with classes I’m sure we would have found study spots much sooner but during this week we ended up with a few. The living rooms in the Kastanienweg dorms, the Starbucks in the center of town, the book store Mayersche, and various cafes all served us well. It was the beginning of exam season for RWTH students so each of these places got busy at times.

The Wednesday activity during this week was the Kletternwald Aachen, a climbing forest. All of the courses were super well made and the park was way bigger than I expected. It was awesome to see almost everyone in the program together for one last fun activity and was one of my favorite Wednesdays.

On Thursday I had my B1.2 German exam which I had gotten very nervous about in the week leading up to it. The exam turned out to be easier and much shorter than I expected. It contained 3 30-minute sections: listening, reading, and grammar. Each section had around 10-12 questions so while each one was worth a lot of points, there was time to focus and think about the questions.

My company event was on Friday and we went kayaking in Maastricht before being served a “barbecue” by a coworker’s roommate which turned out to be the 3 course backyard European sunset meal that dreams are made out of. The event happened to be during our last week of work and I enjoyed seeing my coworkers in a more casual setting and meeting other people in the company and some of their family. There was something unique to learn about everyone at the event and I enjoyed using German conversationally in a low stress environment. 

Each day of this week offered something very different and it was packed with appreciation, validation, stress, fun, and bittersweet excitement for the coming final week.