I am back in school now and it has been a hectic start to the semester. I am quickly remembering what I learned my freshman year: it takes a lot more effort to get As then it does to get Bs. However, this time around I have to get As so I am stuck sitting in the library late into the night, bending over my textbook and scribling chemistry calculations on scratch paper. This probably brings back a twitch or sweaty palms to some of you just thinking about it. I like school but I have found that working backward has its difficulties. For example, in an upper division class, instructors want you to learn to think critically and question what you are learning, but in lower division classes you get a lot of "that's the way it is so just memorize it." So I think the whole critical thinking skills you pick up in your later college career may actually be a hinderance in 100-level classes.
Additionally, this is my first non-BYU college experience. I grew up near the University of Wyoming so I knew in the back of my mind that not all college campuses are like BYU but after living and breathing the BYU atmosphere (aka the bubble) for 6 years, some things come as a shock. One of the biggest has been how many people smoke. It's such a gross habit and I was under the impression that most people were finally heeding surgeon general's warnings and kicking the nasty habit, at least young educated people--not so.
I am looking at a pretty hectic semester so this is my appology for not being a great blogger for the next semster and probably the next 3.5 years--I will try to keep this updated in some degree though.
Well it's a good thing that you're learning the whole 'that's the way it is so just memorize it' method now because in science majors that's how it always seems to be. As the wife of a biology pre-dental major, I have heard my fair share of complaints about crappy professors who just want you to play their game. Hopefully you will have some better profs than Aaron did. Good luck! It's a long road.
ReplyDeleteThat's so great that you're going back to school, I really admire you for that. Maybe someday I'll follow in your footsteps and finish up.
ReplyDeleteI really think it's so great that you're doing this. Send a little of your motivation my way! Good luck and try not to be too much of a stranger!
ReplyDeleteFrom one student to another, hang in there! Part of your transition experience could be going from a right-brain program to a left-brain one. I've just picked up Daniel Pink's book "A Whole New Mind" where he's supposed to talk about the world moving from information to conceptualization. Best wishes.
ReplyDeletesnif... oh man you are in for the long haul.... good luck.
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