The last shebang

I just finished my last semester.  The. Last. One. EVER.

It was a rough one too.  Had a math professor that hates grading in a hard math class.  Went into that final having no clue what my grade was.  That was fun.  He came through for final grades though.  He posted them before graduation (2 days early) because I asked begged him.  

I did have a wonderful Chemistry professor and I did exceedingly well in my last Computer Science class.  (A!)

All in all, I survived and graduated.  I'm in a good mood so I won't go into the utter stupidity of finding out I was approved for graduation 4 days after I graduated.  

People keep asking me if I'm going to continue on to my master's.  hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...NO.  Not NO, HELL NO.  

Couple reasons: 
1. NO.  Just NO. 
2. A masters in Computer Science is only useful if you want to work for MIT.  Or if you want to teach, in which case you'll need a PhD also.  NO.  
3. If I never take another test in a classroom again, it will be too soon.

I'm done.  

:)

Parking woes

To my shock, when I went to the parking office to obtain my parking pass, they confirmed I was not living on campus.  I asked why they asked (out of curiosity, I'd never been asked this before) and they said some parking was now marked for students living on campus.  Red flag #1.  This can't be good.

I go home and peruse my new parking map.  Which reminds me that MTSU could really reduce costs if they quit printing parking maps 11 x 17 in full color on nice paper.  I mean really.  It's the 20th century.  No wait, 21st.  SEE?!  :) But I digress.  On the map, the parking areas labeled for on campus dwellers is marked in red, and eliminates any close parking hopes for commuters.  BECAUSE IT WASN'T ALREADY BAD ENOUGH.  Ugg.  

Someone PLEASE explain to me why students living ON CAMPUS need to park next to their dorms.  You're not going to be driving to class. 

Counting the days til I never set foot in this place again.

SIGH

Exit Exams

In order to graduate, I have to take 2 "Exit Exams".  One is the General Education test, and the other is a Major Field Test (MFT) - a test for each major. These tests get submitted to some government or private or something to determine how much grant money the University gets and my college gets.  

Notice above I said "take".  The score you make does not affect your GPA or ability to graduate.  I could get a 0 (yes, ZERO) on both and they would still let me graduate!  (Yes, I thought about it)

So let me get this straight: the University gets money based on my score, but I have absolutely ZERO motivation to score well?!?!  Yeah ok.  

I go into this test thinking I'm going to get some reading questions, some basic math, english, history, etc. You know, that stuff I slaved for a couple years on pointless high school repeat classes to learn?!  What was the test?  35 logic questions.  

Example (Source here):
a. If there are no dancers that aren’t slim and no singers that aren’t dancers, then which statements are always true?

1. There is not one slim person that isn't a dancer
2. All singers are slim
3. Anybody slim is also a singer
4. None of the above

I wish I was kidding.  I'm just going to let the irony sink in for a second.  

...


...


...

A logic test that is classified as a General Education test that earns the University money based on scores, but offers ZERO motivation to do well.



YOU MEAN TO TELL ME ALL THAT GEN ED WAS FOR NOTHING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Mrrrrrrr

Hopefully the MFT I take for my major will be more interesting.  

Until next time, 
:)

Stuff...and...Things

Since I didn't blog for the majority of the Spring Semester, I'll give you a rundown:

• Calc 3: Failed.  3D math taught by professor who couldn't speak English, read from the book and wouldn't answer questions.  yay
• All other classes: passed.  

That's about it.

Until next time,

:)

Yes, let's read from the book. That will be fun. And new.

I really hate college.  Grrr.  I'm so tired of this gross blah.  

What I'm really tired of is this whole reading from the book.  If all you call teaching is reading from the book, save me the trouble and remove your attendance policy.  Or actually learn how to teach.  (Ha, yea right).

In my calculus class, he reads from the book.  All the examples are from the book.  Am I missing some magic here??? (I COULD DO THIS ON MY OWN TIME)

In my web technology class, she reads from a website about web design or from power point slides she posts online.  (I COULD DO THAT ON MY OWN TIME TOO).  

And I (or rather my parents) PAY FOR THIS?!?!?!  My parents should be furious.  I am and it's not my money.  But it is my time.  Ew. 

I really try not to wish my life away, but is MAY here YET?!?!

In other news, this is the SOUTH, where is the warm weather?! :|

Until next time,
:)

Real learning is addictive

By real, I mean learning on your own terms by people that actually know what they're talking about.  They've actually worked (or do work) in the field.  Not university professors.

Recently, I attended a conference for SQL Server called SQL Saturday.  (SQL Server is a Database thingy...tech jargon blah blah blah)

I did not do this because work wanted me to.  I did not do this because a class required me to.  It's my field and I went for the pure enjoyment of going and learning legit stuff.  And did I learn????  YES oh my goodness yes.  I was giddy with learning and knowledge and being surrounded by really smart people. 

So basically what I learned is I love learning useful things.  Luckily I'm less than a year away from no longer learning non-useful things.  

Until next time,
:)

If you have to cheat in a Sophmore level Lit class.....

Tee hee.  So yesterday my lit class gets this e-mail (I took out the names...):

"Gentlemen, Mr. J's 2nd paper is Mr. C's with only minor changes. Mr. J has committed Academic Misconduct by plagiarizing, and Mr. C has facilitated Academic Misconduct by making his paper available for Mr. J's use. Both of you will fail the course and, per MTSU Policy, be referred for Academic Misconduct to the Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs. "

OK I'm sorry, but it's a 2000 level class.  And the paper only had to be 1200 words (about 2 pages DOUBLE SPACED). And the paper was on Sherlock Holmes.  I mean really now people.  I completed the paper in 2 hours.  The night before it was due.  And got a 95.  It's not like it was about the book Contact (no offense to anyone who actually liked that book - maybe I will if I read it un-begrudgingly, but I digress).

I'm going to save this little e-mail gem as a reminder that there are Professors who still care about academic honesty, and that cheating is still punishable.  And it's always nice to see justice.  We all *know* it happens, but seeing is believing.  

And if you have to cheat on a 2 page paper, what's going to happen in a senior level class when you have to write 10 pages...3 times...in 1 semester.  :o

Until next time,
:)