Tuesday, September 21, 2004
A Piccadilly Circus
There's so much to talk about that I don't even know where to start. First, I'd like to explain my lack of blogging yesterday: the internet was out in our dorm, as it tends to be from time to time. I don't know if they're still working the kinks out or not...I guess we'll see as the year goes on.
So the next thing I guess I ought to do is post my weekly class schedule. So here it is:
Monday
8:10-9:00 Physics Lecture
9:10-10:00 Intro to Music Theory
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
Tuesday
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
Wednesday
8:10-9:00 Physics Lecture
9:10-10:00 Intro to Music Theory
Thursday
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
12:10-3:00 Intro to Electrical Engineering Lab
Friday
8:10-9:00 Physics Lecture
9:10-10:00 Intro to Music Theory
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
12:10-3:00 Physics Lab
3:10-4:00 Intro to Electrical Engineering Lecture
I like my schedule quite a bit. I never have class between 11 and 12 and that makes for a Piccadilly lunch hour. (I told you I was going to use it.) Monday through Thursday are easy days. I get home at noon (later on Thursday, but at least I have a late morning) and start my homework to be done by 4 or 5. It's nice to be in class for such a short time because when I get home I'm not so burned out that I can't stand to do more work. Also unlike high school, all of the class time is used by the professors (at least, it has been with my minimal experience with them so far). They teach the whole time you're there, and there is no time for you to sit and stare or do your homework. It's much more efficient, and it is definitely a nice change to not feel like I'm wasting my time when I'm in class. Fridays are by far the worst day, but I'm still finished with class by mid-afternoon. And, because it's Friday, I don't have to do my homework right away. So hooray. There are people in my dorm whose classes don't start until 3 in the afternoon everyday, and I suppose that might be nice...but I personally prefer to get the work out of the way so you can really enjoy the rest of the day. But then, that's what's great about college: you build whatever schedule you want.
So do you want to know about my actual classes? Okay. My physics class is a continuation of what I've learned in high school. Hooray for waves and optics! My professor is Dr. Poling. He says he's been able to retire but has decided not to. But his attitude is one that seems to me to be, "I'm sick of all the crap from these kids but I have to keep dealing with it anyway." Do you know what I mean? Well, he just didn't seem to happy to be there. I've only had him for an hour though, so maybe he was just having a bad day.
Music Theory should be a good class. It's weird to choose my own classes. In high school you had to take an English class, and you had three choices. And for me it was always wishing I didn't have to take any of them. But in college there are requirements you have to fill and you can choice from a plethora of classes to do so. So you end up with classes you're actually interested in. Gasp! My professor is Antonio Barata, and yes, you have to say it with a Spanish accent because his father was born in Madrid. Wondering why I know that about him? We spent the whole hour discussing both himself and his reasons for choosing our textbook, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory." Interesting, no? I don't know if any of you have ever read an Idiot's Guide, but they're well written. They have puns. Granted, they're corny...but they still make the reading more interesting. And while we're on the subject of corny puns, Antonio is full of them. But again, they still make the subject matter more interesting. The only problem is that he'll crack a joke on occasion and no one will laugh...and that's always awkward. But I still like the guy. Should be a good class.
Now, Calculus III. My professor is from Wisconsin. He wears overalls. Need I say more? But in all seriousness, I really like him. His name's Mueller, but in Wisconsin talk it's apparently pronounced "Miller." I like him because he seems to genuinely want us to succeed. He doesn't think of himself as above his students, as many professors seem to. He's just a guy who happens to know a lot about math and who happens to be sharing his knowledge with us. And that's it. As for the class itself, it should be pretty easy. There's an overlap between the AP Calculus BC curriculum and the Calculus III curriculum, so I should already know about half of the material. But it's still a good review. The homework takes me longer than math homework did last year, though. Last year I would do a problem until I had showed the direction in which I was headed. I got to the point where it was clear that I could solve the problem if I was asked to, and then I stopped. But we turn in our homework for a grade, and it's actually graded on our work and our answers. So I'm spending quite a bit of time on it to make sure I get everything correct. I'm sure I'll learn some shortcuts as the quarter goes on...
And that's all I've been to so far. There's so much else to talk about. I haven't even gotten into all the WOW stuff yet. (There's some good stories in there, let me tell you.) But it's getting close to 11:00 and I need to get up for class tomorrow. So for now I'm going to stop. But it again been a pleasure to write this. As I type I can picture my friends and family at home reading these words, and that's a comforting thought.
Good night, all. I'll talk to you again soon.
Josh
mood: tired (from racquetball. yes, I occasionally do physical exercise.)
music: none (Kevin has gone to bed.)
location: dorm
So the next thing I guess I ought to do is post my weekly class schedule. So here it is:
Monday
8:10-9:00 Physics Lecture
9:10-10:00 Intro to Music Theory
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
Tuesday
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
Wednesday
8:10-9:00 Physics Lecture
9:10-10:00 Intro to Music Theory
Thursday
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
12:10-3:00 Intro to Electrical Engineering Lab
Friday
8:10-9:00 Physics Lecture
9:10-10:00 Intro to Music Theory
10:10-11:00 Calculus III
12:10-3:00 Physics Lab
3:10-4:00 Intro to Electrical Engineering Lecture
I like my schedule quite a bit. I never have class between 11 and 12 and that makes for a Piccadilly lunch hour. (I told you I was going to use it.) Monday through Thursday are easy days. I get home at noon (later on Thursday, but at least I have a late morning) and start my homework to be done by 4 or 5. It's nice to be in class for such a short time because when I get home I'm not so burned out that I can't stand to do more work. Also unlike high school, all of the class time is used by the professors (at least, it has been with my minimal experience with them so far). They teach the whole time you're there, and there is no time for you to sit and stare or do your homework. It's much more efficient, and it is definitely a nice change to not feel like I'm wasting my time when I'm in class. Fridays are by far the worst day, but I'm still finished with class by mid-afternoon. And, because it's Friday, I don't have to do my homework right away. So hooray. There are people in my dorm whose classes don't start until 3 in the afternoon everyday, and I suppose that might be nice...but I personally prefer to get the work out of the way so you can really enjoy the rest of the day. But then, that's what's great about college: you build whatever schedule you want.
So do you want to know about my actual classes? Okay. My physics class is a continuation of what I've learned in high school. Hooray for waves and optics! My professor is Dr. Poling. He says he's been able to retire but has decided not to. But his attitude is one that seems to me to be, "I'm sick of all the crap from these kids but I have to keep dealing with it anyway." Do you know what I mean? Well, he just didn't seem to happy to be there. I've only had him for an hour though, so maybe he was just having a bad day.
Music Theory should be a good class. It's weird to choose my own classes. In high school you had to take an English class, and you had three choices. And for me it was always wishing I didn't have to take any of them. But in college there are requirements you have to fill and you can choice from a plethora of classes to do so. So you end up with classes you're actually interested in. Gasp! My professor is Antonio Barata, and yes, you have to say it with a Spanish accent because his father was born in Madrid. Wondering why I know that about him? We spent the whole hour discussing both himself and his reasons for choosing our textbook, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory." Interesting, no? I don't know if any of you have ever read an Idiot's Guide, but they're well written. They have puns. Granted, they're corny...but they still make the reading more interesting. And while we're on the subject of corny puns, Antonio is full of them. But again, they still make the subject matter more interesting. The only problem is that he'll crack a joke on occasion and no one will laugh...and that's always awkward. But I still like the guy. Should be a good class.
Now, Calculus III. My professor is from Wisconsin. He wears overalls. Need I say more? But in all seriousness, I really like him. His name's Mueller, but in Wisconsin talk it's apparently pronounced "Miller." I like him because he seems to genuinely want us to succeed. He doesn't think of himself as above his students, as many professors seem to. He's just a guy who happens to know a lot about math and who happens to be sharing his knowledge with us. And that's it. As for the class itself, it should be pretty easy. There's an overlap between the AP Calculus BC curriculum and the Calculus III curriculum, so I should already know about half of the material. But it's still a good review. The homework takes me longer than math homework did last year, though. Last year I would do a problem until I had showed the direction in which I was headed. I got to the point where it was clear that I could solve the problem if I was asked to, and then I stopped. But we turn in our homework for a grade, and it's actually graded on our work and our answers. So I'm spending quite a bit of time on it to make sure I get everything correct. I'm sure I'll learn some shortcuts as the quarter goes on...
And that's all I've been to so far. There's so much else to talk about. I haven't even gotten into all the WOW stuff yet. (There's some good stories in there, let me tell you.) But it's getting close to 11:00 and I need to get up for class tomorrow. So for now I'm going to stop. But it again been a pleasure to write this. As I type I can picture my friends and family at home reading these words, and that's a comforting thought.
Good night, all. I'll talk to you again soon.
Josh
mood: tired (from racquetball. yes, I occasionally do physical exercise.)
music: none (Kevin has gone to bed.)
location: dorm
