Hi, Hiya, Hi.
First week’s been great.
I remembered A LOT more MATH31A then I thought I would (though my trig function/evaluation knowledge has all kinds of holes that I have to fill in. And I got an “A” in trig in HS. Whatever). I mean, I walked out of the first lecture feeling panicked that I wouldn’t do well enough in the class to get the grade I need to change my major, but then I, like I do, told myself to “get my shit together” and start doing every odd-numbered question in the first few chapters of the text (answers in the back of the book). Sure enough, I was able to to most, no problem. Miracle.
I’m telling you, any class you have time to audit in advance, fucking DO IT. Your brain can’t help but absorb all kinds of details you don’t think it’s absorbing.
In another class, it’s like taking a luxurious bath to be able to sit in CS31 and completely know what’s being talked about. I don’t know that I can ever really articulate that feeling, because this time last year, I felt like I was drowning and felt that way most of the year in the CS classes (though I loved it).
Connected with a bunch of Bruin friends I made last year. That felt really good. Don’t have friends yet in the classes I’m taking, but I remember that takes about a quarter. Again, Whatever.
OK, one of my classes is ART HIST 54 (aka Modern Art). I’ve always loathed reading art criticism and now I’m horrified that I will be writing some. I’ve always found art criticism completely full of shit. I’m talking about the text printed on the wall as you enter a museum exhibit that usually, instead of giving you historical context and information about the composition of the pieces, paints all over itself some masturbatory essay about who-the-fuck-knows-what as it “relates” (not) to this painter and his/her work. My challenge to myself in this class is to write essays (“art criticism”) that I would actually want to read.
I went to my first MATH31A Discussion. Jesus, people were talking full-tilt throughout the hour and then the TA had students “trying their hand” at certain problems up on hte board. It was like some crazy high school class. Not what I need. I know I’ve whined about math TA’s before (though I had a great one in MATH1), but, hell, I’m going to be trying out other TA’s for the next week to find one that goes to town on the explanations.
You’re going to think I’m absolutely out of my mind, but my experience with this math TA makes me miss this old TA I complained about with all his vehement banging-of-chalk-on-the-blackboard explanations. At least he seemed completely focused on showing solutions.
