Understated Ur-Drakon Callie Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Yay! School has started again! I don't have to take any more core classes! ...excuse my excitement. What I'm really getting at is your spring semester. What classes are you all taking? Me: Strength of Materials Thermodynamics II Transport Phenomena II Renewable Energy Systems Thermodynamics and Kinetics Lab Partial Differential Equations I'm taking Strength of Materials as an elective and PDE so that I have enough credits for scholarship considerations. There was supposed to be a class on polymerization that I was a eager to take but it's been delayed for two years . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Goldengirl Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 My school does an in-between January term that's one class (or two, if the second one is a basic PE class) for an entire month. I chose to study linguistic anthropology, which is a 100 level course that's designed as an introduction to basic theory (the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, indexicality, pragmatics, performatives, etc.) and a few famous case studies. For spring semester, though, I'm taking... An independent study history course on the theory of history - looking at Marxist, post-modern, post-colonial, and feminist lens of analysis of history. Independent study means it's just me and the professor meeting up to talk every now and then, as well as writing papers; An introductory course on ballroom dancing; Meteorology, and its attendant lab; Public Finance; and Calculus I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 i don't need to study any more because i already know everything nikki. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast keira Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'm taking get a job 101 because i did spectacularly well in can't afford college 167 last semester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Student of Trinity Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I have almost finished teaching Quantum Mechanics 1. Next semester I get to do QM 2. It should be fun, because I'll get to put all my own favorite stuff in it, but won't be obliged to cover anything really horribly hard. I'm also going to help do our seminar on scientific writing. I started that seminar, and it's always fun. Preparing the QM1 lectures has been taking me about 3 hours preparation per hour of lecture, maybe 3-1/2. So around ten hours per week. That's about as good as it gets, because I know this stuff all cold. QM2 will probably push that up quite a bit, but on the other hand I'll be able to re-use some old notes from a few years ago. QM2 is a good hunting ground for future grad students, too. I can slip in a few plugs for my own research, and also get to see which of our undergrads are really sharp. Undergrad teaching takes up a relatively small fraction of my time. It's not actually the main part of my job at all — it's not even supposed to be. I'm mostly supposed to do research and train grad students. That's the German concept of professors. Students are mainly responsible for teaching themselves. The university is the well of knowledge, but they have to hoist the bucket. They don't pay tuition, after all. If you're a student then depending on where you're going to school, your professors too may be spending quite a few hours preparing their classes, yet having their performance judged mainly on entirely different things. It's not always smart to leave your education entirely up to them, trusting them to give you all you need. You should ask them all the questions you can think of, when you have the chance in class, and then get some second opinions from other sources. By doing that you can also affect the course itself, even to the point of affecting what questions you get on homework and exams. Thinking up homework and exam problems is quite time-consuming, and professors are always looking for ideas. We're also usually strongly influenced by student questions. If you ask about something, there's a chance your professor will decide that it's an important point, worth putting into the week's exercises. So if you just want to get a good grade, you might want to ask questions about things you're sure you do understand. It will raise the chances that you'll find those things on the exam. (Don't read the above if you are only going to school for the sake of pure knowledge.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I remember when I took graduate Quantum Mechanics, the professor looked out at an extremely large class of 40 and said, "There are many fine opportunities for MBAs." The first few weeks he kept stressing that we should transfer to the business school as he tried to shrink the class size. The next year turned out to be his last as he took a research position with AT&T's Bell Labs. But as he looked out at the large number of students crammed into a small classroom he announced that there would be 3 mid term exams, a paper and weekly homework as he tried to scare us away. A few undergraduates that missed the post it note that their class had been moved fled immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Kelandon Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Economic Analysis of Public Policy (Econ) Empirical Methods II (Stats) Political Institutions and Public Policy (Politics) Some kind of Finance class, most likely either Financial Management in Public and Nonprofit Organizations or State and Local Public Finance. An elective, most likely The U.S. Congress and Law Making. I'll also be teaching introductory Macroeconomics. I'm a little worried about Econ and Politics, because the sections that I'd take by default are taught by teachers with pretty awful student evaluations in past years, so I'm pretty likely to switch out. For Politics, that's fine, because I'd be switching from American Politics to Comparative Politics, which would probably be more interesting anyway, because my guess is that American Politics will be too basic for me. For Econ, that's a little more disappointing, because I'd be moving from the harder math Econ to the easier math Econ. But I was reminded last semester that it's worth any effort to get out of classes that are going to be bad. Next year, I'll have a lot more choices, and my classes are going to be AWESOME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I have reached that time...that time when I don't have classes. And yet I'm still in school! I just have to study for the largest exams of my life (my comprehensive exams) and perform research for my dissertation. That's all. I regularly alternate between inspired and intimidated. nikki. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I've just started my final year of my undergraduate degree; first lecture was today. This semester I'm takin Modern and Contemporary Poetry Gender and Identity in Contemporary Literature 18th Century Literature: Terror, Wit and Letters of Love I'm also starting my Independent Study/dissertation. I know that my subject is going to be, so now I actually have to do the required reading for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Death Knight Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I finished my bachelor's in college 2 years ago and I dont think I need any more learning. After dealing with teachers missing 15 classes out of the 30 that we're supposed to meet, I think Ive had enough of Kean. I understand if a teacher doesnt want to have class, but dont make me drive an hour up to school just to find that out. Jeez... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody The Reverend Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 This quarter I'm working on my dissertation, and teaching a 400-level (advanced undergrad, mostly juniors and seniors due to the number of prereqs) Comp Sci course, with a heavy emphasis towards the later. Teaching a class that you've never taught before apparently eats up a ton of time, between preparing lectures, writing homeworks, and making sure the project works and is doable by students who've never seen the material before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Death Knight Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 This quarter I'm working on my dissertation, and teaching a 400-level (advanced undergrad, mostly juniors and seniors due to the number of prereqs) Comp Sci course, with a heavy emphasis towards the later. Teaching a class that you've never taught before apparently eats up a ton of time, between preparing lectures, writing homeworks, and making sure the project works and is doable by students who've never seen the material before. I wish you all the best with that. I know that I probably could teach a class. I just dont think I would want to as Im currently employed. Still hope things go well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Mosquito---Slayer Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Teaching a class that you've never taught before apparently eats up a ton of time, between preparing lectures, writing homeworks, and making sure the project works and is doable by students who've never seen the material before. And you still find time for more and more A:eftp walkthroughs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody BJ Back From the Beyond Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming, second semester Computer Organization and Assembly Applied Discrete Structures Linear Algebra So, basically all I'm taking is math and computer courses. That's my idea of a good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody The Reverend Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I wish you all the best with that. I know that I probably could teach a class. I just dont think I would want to as Im currently employed. Still hope things go well for you. Oh yes, and I have a part-time job as well. I hope my advisors aren't expecting too much progress on the dissertation this quarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Trenton. Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Algebra I-B English I Physical Science: Chemistry Intro. to Info Tech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I wonder what it is about Spiderweb that seems to attract people taking bachelors of science, rather than arts... (edit: in before "would you like fries with that?") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I wonder what it is about Spiderweb that seems to attract people taking bachelors of science, rather than arts... (edit: in before "would you like fries with that?") don't make me post How Nerds Destroy the World again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 (edited) Proud holder of both a B.A. and an M.A., right here! No science for me! Mwahahaha! Liberal arts education FTW! Edited January 24, 2013 by Triumph There are mad scientist stories, but no one ever talks about mad historians... nikki. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 probably they do, but it never gets mentioned by the historians who later discover the stories. Tyranicus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Kelandon Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I never got a BS, and only one of my four subject areas is a hard science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Goldengirl Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I can think of plenty mad historians, such as Foucault, Hegel, and Marx. Famous enough, I'd say! Triumph and nikki. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I'm now imagining an action/thriller movie featuring Michel Foucault as the lead villain, hatching nefarious plots resulting in over-the-top action sequences, and all the while blathering on endlessly about power relations. He conveys secret information to his flunkies via his books. This is perfect. Who wants to be my producer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall A less presumptuous name. Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Oh hey. My quarter system actually lines up with everyone's semesters right now. Honors Gen Chem (2nd of a 3 part sequence) Math for PhySci (1st of a 2 part sequence) Core Humanities and Social Science classes (both 2nd of 3 part sequences) 4 academic courses is considered full-load here; I can't take more without paying additional tuition. Also, can you tell that my university likes sequences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I can think of plenty mad historians, such as Foucault, Hegel, and Marx. Famous enough, I'd say! considering that marx pretty much invented the concept of social class and gave rise to an entire field of academic study i don't think anyone living in a western society today gets to call him totally nuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody The Reverend Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 And you still find time for more and more A:eftp walkthroughs. Gotta do something in the period of the evening between when the brain gets too fried to work anymore and when it calms down enough to go to sleep. Sometimes I watch TV (on the rare occasion when there's something good on), and sometimes I play spiderweb games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt BMA Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I have this Digital Signal Processing. Also known as the "Degree Stopping Paper", it's considered to be the worst of all the subjects one has to go through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Xaiya Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 College Algebra (After looking at the syllabus, I'm considering dropping lest I die of boredom. The material that the class covers is a lot simpler than I thought it'd be, so I might go ahead and test out after a little studying.) Computer Science II (C++, specifically this class will deal with pointers and other stuff apparently. Also, I'm the youngest one here, funny enough. All the others are 20+.) Intro to Philosophy Public Speaking The only thing I'm concerned with is my ability to concentrate. Damn it body, you should sleep well now that you're free of those evil tonsils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I've almost finished my masters in hard knocks. —Alorael, who just needs to finish Getting Screwed by the Man 544 and Slow, Grinding Futility of Life in a Hostile World 599. He doesn't get a diploma, though. Mostly he gets mocked, robbed, and occasionally casually beaten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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