January 25, 2009
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So the first week is over and I'm still not sure if I can post with civility, but I guess I'm going to spill it all out regardless.
This semester my goal is much different than it ever has been before. I simply want to pass. I want C- or above. I don't care about my GPA because the graduate schools I have applied to have already been given a number and once I have been accepted I cannot be unaccepted unless I do not graduate. That said, first impressions of my classes are as follows:
Statistics: English is not the professor's first language which leads to quick and concise explanations of concepts so that the smallest number of words must be produced from a mind that likes another kind of words better. I like that for mathematical classes because it really cuts back on the confusion factor for me. I would rather have a professor I can just barely understand but who knows how to explain things instead of a professor that expounds way too much and just jumbles up the concepts in my mind. Also, as for the actual content I foresee no problems with my understanding of it. I've already taken a course on logic and statistics is just an extension of those principles when applied to numerical analysis. In summary, I should not be in danger of getting a failing grade in this class.
Quantitative Chemical Analysis: Oh gawd the professor is a huge douche. He sounded jaded and almost resentful that he was being "forced" to teach us mindless idiots anything about chemistry. That said, he sucked at explaining things (yep, native English speaker), hurried way to quickly through the lecture and seemed to be trying to insult us, saying that he had moved at the pace of a snail and if we didn't understand the concepts at this rate we should drop the course. How 'bout you be a little more negative about teaching...jerk. I honestly think he derives some sick pleasure from the discomfort of his students. He made fun of a girl in the front row for giving him the correct equation for something, just with the variables in a different order. He told us that if we came to his office outside of the time he set aside for office hours that he would help us, but it "might" effect his mood when he was making tests. I mean honestly, does this dude think he is so important that students needing help is somehow below him? Ugh. He's also one of those professors that prides himself on low averages for tests. He started complaining about how year after year students would get averages of 50% on his tests and blaming it on poor study skills and blah blah blah. Excuse me, but a consistently low average on tests does NOT reflect a failing on the students' part. The average student should get an average score, probably around a 70%. That is your goal as a teacher, to run your course so that your efforts produce this result, so if you don't it isn't our fault, it's YOURS. Anyway, at this point I'm a little worried about the course. I could imagine a scenario in which I fail it, that being that I jump up from my seat and throw a punch at the professor, so I will probably have to work hardest for this. Not academically, but in controlling my building rage. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I went up to introduce myself after the first class (just something I do for my own benefit of remembering the professor's name) and he responded with, "I know that tactic. Don't think shaking your hand will make me raise your grade. I would have learned your name anyway," or something to that effect. I was floored by the rudeness and honestly didn't even respond with anything but a nod before I walked away. Okay enough ranting.
Design II (my "capstone" course): My professor is an organized, knowledgeable, and approachable human being. I am glad he teaches the course that is supposed to be the top of the so-called pyramid of chemical engineering. I feel like I will learn a lot and, while it won't necessarily be easy, I will be graded more than fairly for my work and my frustration levels will be limited. I will also be assisting the professor in grading homework for the other class he is teaching this semester, so hopefully if I am prompt and orderly that will increase my reputation with him and he will look even that much more kindly on my work. A passing grade should not be a problem as long as my group and I keep plowing through the project and don't get behind. Something crappy and unrelated to the professor about the class is that I thought I had a group with the girls I worked with in Design I, but after the first class when the professor announced we needed to pick groups, I get an e-mail saying that I am kicked out and another guy is in. Alright...thanks...glad to know my intelligence is so valuable. Well, thankfully another group of friends was grouping up and when they found out I wasn't taken by the usual group like they expected they were delighted and immediately took me in. So, disappointment followed by validation. I think I came out about even, but at the same time I felt very betrayed by those girls, especially since I was told at the end of last semester we would be working together. I think one of them found out I'm a bisexual (don't know why it took so long since I have both women and men selected on facebook as well as "whatever I can get" in the relationships block, and they frequent that pointless site enough to use it like some kind of reference material) and became uncomfortable with me, but that's just speculation. Whatever. Moving on.
Controls: I am working for the professor of this course as well, not grading for her but teaching her how to use the course website more effectively, so once again I hope that adds a positive touch to grading my homework. She's a little strange and I don't really like her teaching style, but I'm very interested in controls so I don't think I'll have trouble absorbing the information regardless. I don't think I will be failing this class either.
Medicinal Chemistry: This is possibly the most unexpectedly exciting course I have ever taken. I was forced to take it to graduate as it was the only upper level chemistry elective being offered this semester. When I "chose" it I kind of sighed but I had heard it was easy so I wasn't really nervous, just disappointed that it wasn't another one of the much more interesting sounding classes. However, to my surprise, the professor has this really amazing sense of humor and a quirky personality that I appreciate in people. He also (again, to my surprise) WRITES HIS NOTES during class. And I was beginning to think that the only way to present to a class was to pop a powerpoint up over the blackboard which was clearly designed for the same purpose. I pay sooo much more attention and get so much more out of a course when the professor forces me to write everything he writes because it only exists for a moment in chalk form. So, in terms of professors, this dude is a perfect 10 for my actually learning something. Also, medicinal chemistry has turned out to be a lot more interesting than expected. I thought we would be talking about what to prescribe people for headaches and would have to memorize a bunch of over-the-counter drug names or something, but instead we will be learning about the actual mechanisms of drugs with respect to the specific parts of cells that they effect. Have I ever told you that I'm a sucker for anything that tells me more about how a single cell functions? Don't know why, but that's me. Anyway, yeah, no problems here either.
Conclusion? I should be good if I can just keep my cool when it comes to that rat bastard teacher for Quant. Did I mention that that class has a four hour lab? It's like the rotten cherry on top of a melted sundae in a trash can. I think the enjoyment of the other courses should make up for how pissed off I will get every Tuesday and Thursday with Mr. King Douche. I guess I should be happy that he isn't as bad as the racist, sexist old guy from last semester. Look on the bright side, right?
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In other news, I am the House Manager for Windsor Auditorium at the upcoming True/False Film Festival. We had our first orientation meeting today and it got me pretty excited about the whole business, mostly because I get a special pass for the event and I didn't know that ahead of time. I get to see the movies for free! Awesome! I was more doing it to help out my boss at my tutoring job because she wrote me stellar letters of recommendation, so anything in addition to that is icing on top. Yay!
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I went and vented about people at a friend's house. I was really nice because I hadn't seen her in a long time and we watched Van Helsing beccause it is awful and therefore hillarious. Also she cooked the whole time while I was there and it smelled amazing. I love standing around in a place where cooking is occuring.
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Well, that's about all. I have all my homework done like a boring person and consequently I spent most of today playing World of Warcraft and having sex. *shrug* I can't really imagine a better Saturday, honestly.
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