The College Life, Part Two

By DeltaX, Posted 03 Nov 2010

Well, since I've gotten nice and settled into things at college now, I suppose it's finally time to sit down in this short break I have, and tell you what's been going on.

 

At this current quarter, I only have four classes: English, Engineering Mentoring, basic Computer Science 10, and Math. I have classes on Monday through Friday, where Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are when I have the most time, and Tuesday and Thursday are my most busiest days. On Tuesday and Thursday, I have 3 separate classes, starting at 11:00 AM and ending at 6:30 PM, with only an hour and 20 minutes between each. It's good enough to go for a quick bathroom break or eat, but not enough to actually get something done. I'm sure some students would probably kill to have as much time as I do between classes, so I'm counting my blessings and this is one of them.

 

English is relatively easy. I'm stuck in a limbo class, between the idiot one and the standard one, used as a quick route into the regular second quarter English class. I do realize why I'm here:  I completely and totally digressed on my analytical writing placement exam, and I got stuck into that class. The TA who does mandatory tutoring for the class was surprised that someone of my caliber would actually end up in such a class. And for peer review of the first essay done in our class, I received positive remarks on the structure and content of my essay. Normal day in the English class for me.

 

Engineering Mentoring is mostly a course about teaching freshman about the do's-and-don'ts of college life. Mostly, we do things like basic programming using a 3D animation program, listen to guest speakers talk about their computer/science-related field of study, and take weekly clicker quizzes on what everyone thinks on a certain subject. It's a pretty nice class to take as it helps those freshman who missed mentoring sessions during the first week of school.

 

Computer Science 10 is just about as hard as the Dean said it to be. He'd told us college of engineering students that "while the other students are out partying and playing, you guys will be hard at work and studying in your rooms." Well, he wasn't kidding. Just today, our professor announced that anyone who did not receive a mark of 55% or higher (minimum 9/15, but continuing on the minimum will require extra effort not to fail) on the latest quiz (which was brutally hard, by the way) to submit a withdrawal from the class and take it next quarter. The news left the class shocked. My friends, my brother, and I all immediately checked our scores. My friends received relatively good scores, mostly 10-11. I myself barely passed with a 9.

 

Anyways, we've mostly been focusing on things like basic graphics programs and C++ programming, and are now just starting on control structures. I intend to use this knowledge in the future to help as a tech intern for a private server I know of, if not only to stress my programming skills.

 

Math, overall, is as hard for me as usual. As it usually is when it comes to this, I always end up feeling very stupid and downright idiotic. Math is very hard for me to grasp, and I have lots of trouble trying to keep up, even with help. I can't help but think I'm a snail-slow learner when it comes to math; I'm trying to get as much help as possible as out of an average of 60-70 percent on the first midterm as stated by my professor,  I scored 52. I'm scared to death that my slow comprehension of math will kill my chances of passing, and doubly so since our next midterm is next Tuesday. We're currently on limits and derivatives and it's just ripping me apart.

 

As of this time, I have:

-English online quizzes on reading comprehension and grammar due this Friday

-Standard online Math homework due Thursday

-Massive 80-question Math homework assignment due before Math midterm next Tuesday

-Engineering Mentoring animation project due Monday

-Weekly Computer Science programming homework due Monday

-Math Midterm next Tuesday that I'll be damned lucky to barely pass

 

The life here at college is pretty swell. I find myself pretty fortunate that my hallmates are not all idiots and assholes and are generally nice people to be around. The food is better than the crap they served in high school, and I enjoy bi-weekly Panda Express. There's a local mall and shopping center within driving distance and a local boba tea shop just down the street from the university proper. The independence is something I enjoy greatly, finally being stripped of the shackles to my parents (and the idiotic ranting of my dad).

 

Yeah. So that's that. I've got my week cut out for me.

 

-Delta

comments powered by Disqus

  • Good to hear that you finally enjoying your surroundings and found some nice people. But your computer course does sound pretty hard. Good thing that you passed. Doesn't matter how closely you did. Good luck with the studies ;)


    Posted Nov 03, 2010

  • @Sleven: Yeah, well, I wouldn't really put "nice people" as a plus just yet.



     



    Some asshole had the nerve to call me ugly under his breath as I passed him. He and his little girlfriend were really giggling it up. I sort of wish I had the damn right to make him uglier than me using my fists. I suppose that's funny to them. My idea of funny is financially ruining someone for life.



     



    But that's just me, and, honestly, I'm just tired of that shit. I go to university to get away from that stupid jackass behavior in high school and I just end up running into more of it.



     



    -1 faith in humanity.


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • Sometime you just have to overlook them. Not every person you meet or see won't like you or wants to be friends. Can't say I haven't had any around like them. Though for you it's a different situation. You are in a different country for studying and being a foreigner must be difficult.


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • You definitely have a busy schedule there mate. I am a freshman as well, and things are pretty rough. We are the same when it comes to math - I really dislike it and am not of fast math learner and I just feel the way you do doing math.. downright stupid.



     



    Anyway, I am sure you will pass everything in the end if not on the first try. Good luck and stay with us.


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • Reminds me how badly I should start my high school studies. Good luck with the semester and the math midterm :) Some of the words needed to be censored in your blog but I'm guessing you were just too pissed at those boys.


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • @Sleven: Well, I'm not in another country. Still in the US. :p Still feel like a foreigner, though. Except I speak the language of the locals.



     



    @Domen: Heh, well, I find that taking advantage of all possible math help improves the skills quite a bit. Almost no one ever shows up to the professor's or TA's office hours, so it's helpful when you get 1-on-1 tutoring.



     



    @Amaya: Normally, in most cases, I censor the words. If I don't, it usually means I'm angry. But, thanks. :)


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • All these time I've been thinking you were in a different country like China :P


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • @DeltaX : ah good old Freshman days!! reminds me of going back to that time!! at least i need to know some stuffs that you are learning!!


    Posted Nov 04, 2010

  • Yup you're right about the breaks between the courses. We have only 10 minutes to get to the next course building that is somewhere at 20 minutes walk from the previous course(yeah we do courses in different buildings), so it's kinda bummer.



    As for the classes they remind me about my first year, which wasn't really a piece of cake(and I still have to retake 2 exams that I failed...).



    Well, I'm wishing you the best of luck, to pass the year without any problems!


    Posted Nov 08, 2010

Related Blog

  • 1

    New Website!

    By JPPT1974, Posted Feb 24, 2013

    Hey I like the new banner. Just need time to get used to. Hope that you all are doing well. Blessings of March on the way!

NoobFeed

View All

Popular Articles