another one bites the dust . . . .
Another Calc test somewhat down the drain today. Yeah I know, I didn't do the homework and I only crammed at the last minute, but just like circuits, this stuff appears easy in "the big idea". Visually, I know exactly what's going on. I know the practical uses and the general point of things. It's just the details and the stuff I won't need that's putting me down.
All of these years, all we learn is theory. Theory, theory, theory. We learn what happens around us mathematically and fundamentally. But what's the point. We (or maybe just I) can't learn from just the blackboard. I want to SEE what's happening. Not pictures, but actual stuff. Like Physics and Circuits LAB (well, almost. life would be better if they had more of a practical use).
I mean, take like Multivariable Calculus. Multi is much similar to typical math, except instead of working in two dimensions (the x and y axis) you work with three (the added z axis, which is perpendicular to x and y usually coming "out" of the board). This produces a "surface" instead of a line (ie, a 3-D bullet), and we have to analyze the slope of a line in a given direction, which direction gives the steepest line, and where the minimum and maximum points are. I can visualize the graph and I know what their asking for, but mathematically it's much more challenging. Did I know my stuff for today's exam? Somewhat, but I definitely could have studied more, because the math is what we're being tested on, and the math is what we're supposed to know. Same for circuits. Yes, I know what a battery, capacitor, resistor, inductor are, and I know how electrical charges behave. But again, it's the mathematical proof that kills me.
When I toured SUNY Binghamton, the ME dept head said he taught only theory, and there was very little lab work. He said that you only have four years of school, so you should learn as much theory as possible becuause you learn the practicality in the work place. THAT is why I didn't go to SUNY. It should be the opposite. Everyone should learn general theory, so they learn "the big idea". THEN after you understand what's going on, you can learn the math behind it.
I guess that's why I'm an Engineer instead of math or science. I was thinking about double majoring in Physics too, but that is tooooo general, and almost no application to realistic life.
I realixed today that I'm gonna struggle to keep myself just above a 3.0, which is VERY bad. Oh yeah, another thing, WHY IS GPA SO IMPORTANT? I mean, maybe my opinion will change when I start getting into applied engineering classes rather than science classes. Knowing minor details about general stuff will be worthless to me. I'll primarily be working with very general stuff (ie; someone is making the legos, I'm just putting them together). Grrr! It's so aggravating.
And life does kick you in the balls when you find out that half the kids in my suite have GPA's under 3.0, and they too are getting good internships. Why do I have such high standards for myself, and whenever I lower them, I feel like I screwed myself over?
Ugh, back to the neverending attempt at getting back on track with the homework.
>-ttt-< :)
All of these years, all we learn is theory. Theory, theory, theory. We learn what happens around us mathematically and fundamentally. But what's the point. We (or maybe just I) can't learn from just the blackboard. I want to SEE what's happening. Not pictures, but actual stuff. Like Physics and Circuits LAB (well, almost. life would be better if they had more of a practical use).
I mean, take like Multivariable Calculus. Multi is much similar to typical math, except instead of working in two dimensions (the x and y axis) you work with three (the added z axis, which is perpendicular to x and y usually coming "out" of the board). This produces a "surface" instead of a line (ie, a 3-D bullet), and we have to analyze the slope of a line in a given direction, which direction gives the steepest line, and where the minimum and maximum points are. I can visualize the graph and I know what their asking for, but mathematically it's much more challenging. Did I know my stuff for today's exam? Somewhat, but I definitely could have studied more, because the math is what we're being tested on, and the math is what we're supposed to know. Same for circuits. Yes, I know what a battery, capacitor, resistor, inductor are, and I know how electrical charges behave. But again, it's the mathematical proof that kills me.
When I toured SUNY Binghamton, the ME dept head said he taught only theory, and there was very little lab work. He said that you only have four years of school, so you should learn as much theory as possible becuause you learn the practicality in the work place. THAT is why I didn't go to SUNY. It should be the opposite. Everyone should learn general theory, so they learn "the big idea". THEN after you understand what's going on, you can learn the math behind it.
I guess that's why I'm an Engineer instead of math or science. I was thinking about double majoring in Physics too, but that is tooooo general, and almost no application to realistic life.
I realixed today that I'm gonna struggle to keep myself just above a 3.0, which is VERY bad. Oh yeah, another thing, WHY IS GPA SO IMPORTANT? I mean, maybe my opinion will change when I start getting into applied engineering classes rather than science classes. Knowing minor details about general stuff will be worthless to me. I'll primarily be working with very general stuff (ie; someone is making the legos, I'm just putting them together). Grrr! It's so aggravating.
And life does kick you in the balls when you find out that half the kids in my suite have GPA's under 3.0, and they too are getting good internships. Why do I have such high standards for myself, and whenever I lower them, I feel like I screwed myself over?
Ugh, back to the neverending attempt at getting back on track with the homework.
>-ttt-< :)