BrockLi Soup

I’ve always been a fast test-taker, so it’s rare that I’m not one of the first people done with any test or final. It’s partly because I like to see how fast I can do it, and party because they’re not terribly exciting and I just want to get them over with. Most of the time, you can leave once you’re done, so that’s always been an incentive.

Today was just a joke, though. A 35 question Tech Transfer final, and I finished in 18 minutes. I don’t know why I bothered getting up at 7 for that.

Part of me wants to just get my day started; I’ve got a lot of stuff to do before I leave for the weekend, but I think I need to catch up on a few hours of sleep or I’ll never make it to Tuesday.

On a related note, I’ve already got three of my grades. I was expecting the C in Haydn and Mozart - Classical music just isn’t something I’ll ever get. I was surprised to find I got an A in Networking, since I remember most of my grades being in the 80’s. And finally, a B in Needs Assessment, despite blowing it on the final - I really should have learned my lesson sooner.

I’ve got a lot more to say about this whole graduating business - stay tuned.

I have never bombed a test quite so spectacularly as the Needs Assessment final I just took. Somehow, he managed to avoid all the material that I’d studied the most. I’m pretty sure the answer to number six wasn’t “In retrospect, I shouldn’t have re-read this article while watching football, but at least Dallas won.”

I was hoping to hang onto that 3.4, but I think that between this and Haydn and Mozart, I’m out of luck.

In spite of my discontent with the test, I can’t help but feel relieved. Just two more finals and I’m out of here.

It’s been a weird couple of weeks. I got back two of the three midterms I took, and did alright. I was hoping to do better, but at this point, I just want to finish what needs doin’ and get out of here.

Some things haven’t turned out as I’d hoped they would, but do they ever?

I’ve been drifting listlessly through this quarter. I’m taking a bunch of crap classes that I put off for years. Work is going well, in the sense that nothing bad has happened, but it’s not terribly stimulating either. I haven’t been too excited or upset about anything in weeks…just generally disinterested.

Part of it is the fact that I’m leaving soon, I know that. Yesterday, I was walking down the sidewalk and realized how I don’t even think about the campus anymore; five years ago, I loved wandering around during the visits I made before I started freshman year. It struck me that in four years, I’ve probably spent 95% of my time on this chunk of land - everything is on campus. Class, work, food, my apartment - most of my friends live here too. Even now that I’ve got a car, I don’t have any reason to leave campus most days. Just as it was a big change to move here, it’s going to be a big change leaving again.

I don’t think I’ve ever failed a test. Homeworks and scores of quizzes, to be sure, but never a test.

But really, who needed to know the development of the symphony from the 1740’s to 60’s?

On the upside, I can re-write the essay on said symphonic development to bring my grade up as high as a 72%. Otherwise, I’ve guaranteed myself a B or lower in the class.

A spot opened up in both the Needs Assessment and Tech Transfer sections that I wanted to get into, so I did some switching around in my last class. With those moved, I could switch into Hill’s section of Networking, and I’m much happier with my new schedule. I can’t take racquetball with this one, but I’m not too broken up about it; I can still play whenever I want, and I was able to learn the real rules on the first day, so I’m happy.

My Thursday ends two hours earlier now, so my weekend starts early. Granted, I’m working all day Saturday, but I really can’t turn down eight hours at co-op pay. I’ve got all day Friday and Sunday off, and I almost never get two full days - I usually wind up working either Saturday or Sunday. This is deal-withable.

You know I’m not really paying attention in class when my notes include “Orchestral use becomes something something.”

This quarter’s going to be unpleasant. I really don’t want to be taking any of the classes I’m in, but I don’t have any options at this point. Networking (4002-342) might be alright, but I haven’t heard anything good about this prof. Needs Assessment and Tech Transfer will both be easy, but a pain in the neck. Hayden and Mozart is just going to be frustrating, because there’s going to be a fair bit of reading that I don’t want to do. I want to rearrange things to get a different prof for Networking and make my Tuesday and Thursday end earlier, but two of the sections I would need to switch into are full right now.

I can’t even procrastinate in front of the TV any more. We had Sharon’s for the summer, but BP and I took it back the other day. I think BP is planning to buy a new one on payday. Fonny drew us one for the interim, but we can only watch The Dukes of Hazzard.

On the upside, I’m taking racquetball. At the first class today, a number of rules were clarified; our version was pretty close to right, but with a few key differences regarding serves.

I should be OK this quarter, but I know it’s going to drain me. I’ve never been able to handle classes I don’t want to take; last winter, when I was taking Genetic Algorithms and Artifical Intelligence, was absolutely miserable. I know I’m just going to put off the stuff I don’t want to do, and this time I don’t even have a fun class that I can focus my energy on. I shouldn’t have saved all this crap for last.

Wednesday was my last day of co-op. I’m really glad I got the job and decided to stay for a second quarter, because I liked working with those guys and learned more than I could have expected. I got to do some projects I really loved, and one or two I hated - sometimes, that’s even better, because it’s good to know what you DON’T want to do before you take a job doing it. I’m still going to be working for the college, supporting the EMBA program on Saturdays.

It always takes a week or so to get used to working full time. This past six months was the longest period that I’ve worked for - I usually only work full time during the summer - so going back to a class schedule is going to be a weird transition. I’m looking forward to the variety of classes, though; it will be a nice three-month break between co-op and the real world.