(no subject)
Two years later I still maul over the same question: what to do, what to do?
Here is what I've decided so far:
I won't play frisbee for my whole life. I will do martial arts for my whole life.
I plan to start teaching martial arts in Davis. Starting with Shaolin, Lanshou and Xingyi.
I want to go to graduate school and obtain an advanced degree.
Right now I'm filling out the application for Sacramento State's math program. Originally I had planned to wait until possibly next year before trying to enter grad school but then I found out I could apply for the fall right now. Going through the application I can't help but keep thinking of reasons for them not to accept me into the program, i.e. my low GPA, my ridiculous course selection. I'm sure they'll wonder if I have sufficient background in abstract math. If I really know differential equations after only one quarter. Will they wonder if it will all come back to me? I'm sure.
They may also scoff at my references. I don't know how to tell them that I did not put much energy into forming relationships and win letters of recommendation from my professors. I went to office hours, I asked questions, I interacted with the teacher and the material. But when the class was over, it was over.
There is also that D in intro to abstract. What can I say for that? I just didn't get it. The nature of the way I had thought about math for 22 years was changing and I had questions that weren't answered. I don't blame my teacher. I should have taken it to her face, but I waited and in the end when I finally did it was too late. The second time I took that class, I wasn't completely committed but I shut up, didn't argue, and just did what the teacher said. I ended with a C after taking the final a quarter later, when I had 5 finals and it was the last one.
That may already be 500 words of my failures but I could definitely go on.
What not to do:
Already covered.
What to do:
1. Make a routine. Schedule time to work on class material and stick to your schedule.
2. Go to office hours. Even if the teacher says the same thing they said in class. It may actually be better the second time around and someone else will have good questions worth listening to. Also its a good place to meet people to study with.
3. Flash cards, white boards. Textbook reading is difficult. Interact with the material as much as possible.
When I think about it, do those who have failed and succeeded have any advantage over those who have always succeeded? I want to say yes, but I'm also inclined to doubt this feeling.
Here is what I've decided so far:
I won't play frisbee for my whole life. I will do martial arts for my whole life.
I plan to start teaching martial arts in Davis. Starting with Shaolin, Lanshou and Xingyi.
I want to go to graduate school and obtain an advanced degree.
Right now I'm filling out the application for Sacramento State's math program. Originally I had planned to wait until possibly next year before trying to enter grad school but then I found out I could apply for the fall right now. Going through the application I can't help but keep thinking of reasons for them not to accept me into the program, i.e. my low GPA, my ridiculous course selection. I'm sure they'll wonder if I have sufficient background in abstract math. If I really know differential equations after only one quarter. Will they wonder if it will all come back to me? I'm sure.
They may also scoff at my references. I don't know how to tell them that I did not put much energy into forming relationships and win letters of recommendation from my professors. I went to office hours, I asked questions, I interacted with the teacher and the material. But when the class was over, it was over.
There is also that D in intro to abstract. What can I say for that? I just didn't get it. The nature of the way I had thought about math for 22 years was changing and I had questions that weren't answered. I don't blame my teacher. I should have taken it to her face, but I waited and in the end when I finally did it was too late. The second time I took that class, I wasn't completely committed but I shut up, didn't argue, and just did what the teacher said. I ended with a C after taking the final a quarter later, when I had 5 finals and it was the last one.
That may already be 500 words of my failures but I could definitely go on.
What not to do:
Already covered.
What to do:
1. Make a routine. Schedule time to work on class material and stick to your schedule.
2. Go to office hours. Even if the teacher says the same thing they said in class. It may actually be better the second time around and someone else will have good questions worth listening to. Also its a good place to meet people to study with.
3. Flash cards, white boards. Textbook reading is difficult. Interact with the material as much as possible.
When I think about it, do those who have failed and succeeded have any advantage over those who have always succeeded? I want to say yes, but I'm also inclined to doubt this feeling.