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So it’s been one week - actually a little more - here at college, and wow, is it odd. Surrounded by geniuses and jocks and all sorts in between, and many racial combinations I had not thought possible. In some areas, I’ve felt somewhat shaken in composure -- especially math, after I had to drop the class I eagerly signed up for. Those days of sitting in Starbucks with a cup of coffee – always dark, quite dark, in a ceramic cups – listening to my mp3 player solving Calc problems in pencil seem gone, along with my sense of personal strength in Mathematics. I loved making integrals; they seemed to be so quietly powerful, but I just can't compete with the 50 other students who are better prepared and more skilled.
But it’s also good. I meet people who know what The Damnation of Faust is about, and some quite interesting personalities. My entrepreneurship class in particular seems to attract professional people, an association with whom will be motivating and possibly profitable. In Biotech class, we talked about RNAi, and I thought back to the RNAi lab downstairs at my summer job. Mentioning it to a classmate who seems intimidated, I feel cocky.
Too bad you don’t solve biotech problems in Starbucks with pencil and integral signs.
I miss the walks home that were long and passed trees; trees show the passage of time so well around fall. Dark, foreboding, they let down their leaves in a mossy carpet and kicking through it on the way home was always fun.
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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It sounds like your first week went pretty well. Don't worry too much about the math thing, that's one place where college really is on a completely different level than high school. I found my A.P. Calc class downright easy my senior year, but when I entered Calc II my first semester I was absolutely lost. I felt like I had never seen a number before in my life. I managed to get through it, though, and actually did pretty well in the end.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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From what I've heard from my friends a lot of high school math classes are just not in the same league as college. That being said, some (like mine was) are... which has been making me look pretty damn smart in my calc 2 class (even after waiting two years to take it) this semester, while in my high school math classes, I was about average in the honors sections. I would bet that if you've traidtionally excelled in math that it's more an issue of being under prepared by your high school classes and less an issue of actual skill. Would it be possible for you to go back and take Calc 1? I know some colleges will at least let you audit courses that you placed out of with AP scores, and doing so would probably be a great way to strengthen your foundation in calc to the point that is expected in a college calc 2 class.
Posts: 187 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Good to hear you're settling in; I'm also at a bit of a loss as I get into the swing of beng a graduate student.
What college (or type of college) are you at? How's the living situation and/or roommate? What other classes are you taking?
As a former math tutor at my college, I have a few tips. The main thing I recommend is being sure to KEEP UP with the problem sets. And get help early if you need it. Also, remember that it's not a sign of failure that you need to drop down to a lower level: math is a combination of mental skill (smaller factor) and preparation (larger factor). If you don't have the proper preparation, skill is almost never enough. Reading ahead in the textbook is always a good idea (in any class); it'll let you concentrate on figuring out all the little troubling details during the lecture, rather than just trying to keep up with the flow.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Today I went to a more normal Calculus class -- and this time, perhaps it was a bit too easy. The teacher was Russian which reminded me of my good ol' Russian-mathematician Dad. If this class is indeed not too strenuous, this is good, because mathematics is not really my thing, but it's always good to be challenged.
The living situation here is interesting. Mostly good, because I don't particularly notice it, but it's taking a bit of time to get used to the party atmosphere. I do not want to see people I respect and/or associate with on the floor drunk, or charge at me for a random comment.
It's a weird atmosphere and a weird time. Fun, though.
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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Yeah, college can be kind of a shock at first. You'll settle in. I hope you try to tackle that math class again next semester or the one after....sometimes you just need to ease into things and take the harder things a little later.
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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But of course, let me add that I am taking quite challenging courses, one of which I am only 1 of 2 freshman in a class of 50. Just that this is a field where my strengths combine to work smoothly together (marketing, speedy-thinking, high proficiency with language) and something I highly enjoy.
It would be nice to get round to this hard class eventually; would make a nice story .
Thanks for all the advice and support ya'll. Love ya! Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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Maybe it's just me and my high school math teacher (and Shigosei can probably back me up on this) but my experience with college math has been far less difficult (and far more boring) than my high school math classes. I took vector calc at Oregon State my senior year of high school (along with a half-dozen or so classmates) and we as a group averaged better than 95%. I'm actually taking the class again here at USC (something about the credits not transferring properly, what with OSU being a quarter and USC being a semester school), and thus far it has been extraordinarily easy.
(Apparently I like parenthetical statements.)
Posts: 1466 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Yep, college math was a walk in the park after high school calculus. And much less entertaining. I really miss the opportunity to figure things out for myself during class.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Is your new prof Goncharov? I had him for topology -- that was a fun class. He was always talking about gluing things together.
Where are you living? I was in Jameson (way lower part of Keeney) my freshman year. Then I was in Tech House. Yup, such a nerd. Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999
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Oh, dear. What is it with universities getting rid of close grocery stores? ASU apparently did something similar before I started there.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Well, there is apparently a replacement. And I gather the students prefer it. I have a suspicion the rest of the neighborhood is less happy, given that Notrica's had a plethora of ethnic products I've never seen anywhere else, and the new BigHugeStore probably doesn't.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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