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rainwatersparkA "real life" ramble, for once. I mean, I obviously love using my LJ for geeking out about Skyward Sword and other games and critiquing the living daylights out of The Hunger Games, and my college life is really not that exciting to talk about (in sum: go to classes -> do homework -> waste some time on the computer -> sleep). But it's getting to the point in the semester where I'm thinking about classes for next semester, and I guess I should pause and look forward, while reflecting back. (Besides, I have twenty minutes to kill.)
Tentative schedule for next semester:
- Ecology & Genetic Analysis for my Bio major. I'm really looking forward to Ecology, because I always preferred ecology to molecular bio/biochemistry, though my friends tell me Genetic Analysis is a "fun" class.
- Science and Society in Modern America. I was originally going to take The Byzantine Empire and complete my European history requirement, but that conflicted with my schedule (which still makes me sad).
- Last class up for grabs. At first, I wanted to take Geology, but that conflicted. Then I wanted to take Intro to Economics, but that also conflicted. My current placeholder is an English class, although I might shop a history class on Dystopian Societies/Imagination in Europe at UMass. We'll see.
What I really want to do for next semester is not to have such a tough course load as I did this semester. I suppose I can handle it, but it's not pleasant to be wearing out my eyes on so much reading and essay writing (for two intense history classes), and the consequence is that my science classes end up shafted, even though they're also pretty tough (especially Molecular Biology--I end up not going over the material until right before the exam. Urg).
I also want time to be able to do stuff outside of class and schoolwork, such as extracurrics and writing. This semester, ironically, I'm more involved than ever on campus: docent/volunteer at the art museum, member of the Historical European Martial Arts Club and Japan Club, webmaster for the China Awareness Organization, contributing writer/editor for the science magazine, and sometimes member of the Tango Club. Oh, and I'm also a grading TA for Bio, and I'm listed as a peer tutor, but no one asked me to tutor them this semester. I also end up going to sleep on average an hour later than before; after I decide I'm too tired to do any more homework, I spend another hour doing personal writing/writing for fun. Not intentionally; it's just become something of a habit by now. (On the upside, I'm ready to dive back into EK Part I after a period of frustration! On the downside, I have basically no time to do so!)
So yeah. I've been doing pretty well in my classes up till this point, but I'm not sure how things will turn out this semester, with such tough classes. (I already didn't do well on my first Physics exam, and I only did okay on my first Molecular Genetics exam.) But I'm trying to take it all in stride. That's been my goal this semester: focus on the learning, not on the grades. Otherwise I'd go nuts.
...Aaaand I have to go pick up problem sets to grade now.
Tentative schedule for next semester:
- Ecology & Genetic Analysis for my Bio major. I'm really looking forward to Ecology, because I always preferred ecology to molecular bio/biochemistry, though my friends tell me Genetic Analysis is a "fun" class.
- Science and Society in Modern America. I was originally going to take The Byzantine Empire and complete my European history requirement, but that conflicted with my schedule (which still makes me sad).
- Last class up for grabs. At first, I wanted to take Geology, but that conflicted. Then I wanted to take Intro to Economics, but that also conflicted. My current placeholder is an English class, although I might shop a history class on Dystopian Societies/Imagination in Europe at UMass. We'll see.
What I really want to do for next semester is not to have such a tough course load as I did this semester. I suppose I can handle it, but it's not pleasant to be wearing out my eyes on so much reading and essay writing (for two intense history classes), and the consequence is that my science classes end up shafted, even though they're also pretty tough (especially Molecular Biology--I end up not going over the material until right before the exam. Urg).
I also want time to be able to do stuff outside of class and schoolwork, such as extracurrics and writing. This semester, ironically, I'm more involved than ever on campus: docent/volunteer at the art museum, member of the Historical European Martial Arts Club and Japan Club, webmaster for the China Awareness Organization, contributing writer/editor for the science magazine, and sometimes member of the Tango Club. Oh, and I'm also a grading TA for Bio, and I'm listed as a peer tutor, but no one asked me to tutor them this semester. I also end up going to sleep on average an hour later than before; after I decide I'm too tired to do any more homework, I spend another hour doing personal writing/writing for fun. Not intentionally; it's just become something of a habit by now. (On the upside, I'm ready to dive back into EK Part I after a period of frustration! On the downside, I have basically no time to do so!)
So yeah. I've been doing pretty well in my classes up till this point, but I'm not sure how things will turn out this semester, with such tough classes. (I already didn't do well on my first Physics exam, and I only did okay on my first Molecular Genetics exam.) But I'm trying to take it all in stride. That's been my goal this semester: focus on the learning, not on the grades. Otherwise I'd go nuts.
...Aaaand I have to go pick up problem sets to grade now.
