I could draw a graph of the effort required for higher education

I don't know that I'll ever stop ranting about the broken education system.  Maybe when I graduate and no longer care.  Yea right.  :)

Most of my classes have a similar effort pattern.  At the beginning of the semester, everyone's gung-ho, doing work ahead of time by days, working on extra things to be all knowledgable and stuff.  In the middle of the semester is when the slide starts to happen.  There's less work, or we've gotten in a groove and the work is easier.  Then in the two days before there's a break (fall or spring, take your pick), we take a test in every class we have.  You know, just for fun.  Then it starts to pick up a few weeks before the end of the semester when professors realize they didn't get to all their goals and they start cramming stuff in until we submit all the final projects and papers on the last day of class (again, why not?) and breathe a sigh of relief...for 2 days until Final exams start...then there's a week of zero sleep, at the library 'til 2am, and then it's *finally* over.  Seriously, it's done this time.  

This semester has gone a little differently.  In one class we'll pretty much finish up tomorrow and just get to do fun little projects.  One class has pretty much become an online class between the cancellations and e-mails.  

This semester I'm learning a different lesson.  I'm not gaining knowledge (well kinda), but wisdom and experience instead.  I've always been an all or nothing kind of person and after the disaster that was Freshman first semester of college I swore unless I was dying I wouldn't miss a single class.  Ever.  Now, before I say my peace, understand it's a good goal.  And if you only do school or work part time say at Mickey D's, then there's no reason for you to be out of class.  Unless you're lazy, and I can't judge.  This semester is a little different.  This wisdom I'm learning is which classes you can miss without affecting (effecting?) your grade.  Sounds like I'm becoming a lazy delinquent.  Well I'm not.  I have all A's and B's with 1 C thank you so much.  And one of my A's is in the class I failed last semester.  Explain that.  

I know there are some traditionalists out there that will chastise me for missing classes.  And I would ask you this: if I pass my classes, what does it matter?  I'm in it to get the piece of paper.  

Until next time,

:)