Long time no see, a.k.a. another studies update
I went for a walk today, and realized the trees have leaves! It seems I have missed spring, and summer is just around the corner. Apparently I haven't done a proper update since April 4th either...
I am absolutely exhausted right now, but content because my studies will soon be over for the time being. My Bachelor's thesis, about Quality of Service Routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks, has been approved, and I got a good grade too, 4 out of 5.
In addition to writing my thesis, I have studied two courses on mathematics on my own: Introduction to Discrete Mathematics and Introduction to Mathematics. I haven't received the results for the latter exam yet, I really hope I passed. I'd rather not retake the test in June...
I also tried to master the material of the course Introduction to Statistics, part 2 on my own, but apparently one week wasn't really enough for a course covering such a wide range of topics. I'm retaking the test next week. I just hope I'll pass this time, as I need this course to graduate.
My Advanced Sumerian course didn't go too well, but what can you do when you don't have enough time. Sometimes I wish I could just concentrate on one thing at the time, and do it well. But I guess I'll just have to learn to deal with my perfectionism, and accept the fact that sometimes all I'll have time for is a superficial understanding of a topic. Just to clarify, I wouldn't call my understanding of Sumerian superficial, but I was absent from a lot of classes, and the text we read (Gudea's Cylinders) was really difficult, so I don't know it as well as I would like. :(
I went to see the Professor of Assyriology yesterday, as I wanted to reschedule my Akkadian exam, as I won't be able to participate in the exam next Monday, as I will be busy studying Statistics. He was kind enough to tell me I will pass the course anyway, but that he just wants me to review the material. The sad thing is, even with this information, I will study just as ferociously, as my perfectionism won't allow me to slack. ;) I don't know what it is about him, but somehow I always end up talking about my personal problems. This time I complained that I have done nothing but studied from morning to night for the past two months. He countered with saying he hasn't done anything but studied from morning to night since the fall of 1969. Damn, he wins. I just hope he didn't mean it quite as literally as I did, because if that's the case I really feel sorry for his wife and children. I certainly haven't had time for my relationship with Mike this spring.
I also had an interesting conversation with Mr. Parpola about how the Romans rewrote history, and how the entire Western history is based on the premise that the Greek invented civilization, and the Romans spread it to Europe. This belief is so ingrained in our culture that it seems like we absorb it from our mothers milk... It's part of the things we learn unconciously as children. And it's really difficult to teach people otherwise. Kinda reminds me of feminist struggles - it seems impossible to get the masses to question the ingrained essentialist beliefs about gender. But we didn't talk about that, I just drew the parallel in my mind.
I am absolutely exhausted right now, but content because my studies will soon be over for the time being. My Bachelor's thesis, about Quality of Service Routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks, has been approved, and I got a good grade too, 4 out of 5.
In addition to writing my thesis, I have studied two courses on mathematics on my own: Introduction to Discrete Mathematics and Introduction to Mathematics. I haven't received the results for the latter exam yet, I really hope I passed. I'd rather not retake the test in June...
I also tried to master the material of the course Introduction to Statistics, part 2 on my own, but apparently one week wasn't really enough for a course covering such a wide range of topics. I'm retaking the test next week. I just hope I'll pass this time, as I need this course to graduate.
My Advanced Sumerian course didn't go too well, but what can you do when you don't have enough time. Sometimes I wish I could just concentrate on one thing at the time, and do it well. But I guess I'll just have to learn to deal with my perfectionism, and accept the fact that sometimes all I'll have time for is a superficial understanding of a topic. Just to clarify, I wouldn't call my understanding of Sumerian superficial, but I was absent from a lot of classes, and the text we read (Gudea's Cylinders) was really difficult, so I don't know it as well as I would like. :(
I went to see the Professor of Assyriology yesterday, as I wanted to reschedule my Akkadian exam, as I won't be able to participate in the exam next Monday, as I will be busy studying Statistics. He was kind enough to tell me I will pass the course anyway, but that he just wants me to review the material. The sad thing is, even with this information, I will study just as ferociously, as my perfectionism won't allow me to slack. ;) I don't know what it is about him, but somehow I always end up talking about my personal problems. This time I complained that I have done nothing but studied from morning to night for the past two months. He countered with saying he hasn't done anything but studied from morning to night since the fall of 1969. Damn, he wins. I just hope he didn't mean it quite as literally as I did, because if that's the case I really feel sorry for his wife and children. I certainly haven't had time for my relationship with Mike this spring.
I also had an interesting conversation with Mr. Parpola about how the Romans rewrote history, and how the entire Western history is based on the premise that the Greek invented civilization, and the Romans spread it to Europe. This belief is so ingrained in our culture that it seems like we absorb it from our mothers milk... It's part of the things we learn unconciously as children. And it's really difficult to teach people otherwise. Kinda reminds me of feminist struggles - it seems impossible to get the masses to question the ingrained essentialist beliefs about gender. But we didn't talk about that, I just drew the parallel in my mind.