Posted by llrrrpp on August 12, 2006, at 21:29:32
In reply to Re: Am I *trying* to fail? Setting myself up?, posted by Jost on August 9, 2006, at 0:38:20
hi racer,
I'm totally there with you. I know you're scared about a certain class. I had a class like that. It caused me to avoid being a molecular bio major. I actually ended up taking it because I found out that it was a prerequisite for graduate school. I decided to take it pass/fail. It was AMAZING to take this class without the pressure of stressing out about it ruining my GPA. I actually had time to think about how the material related to the rest of my coursework and my life. Sometimes daydreaming is not a bad thing. And I wasn't under pressure during exams and so I didn't get that familiar panicky feeling. Instead, I just learned my stuff, and went in feeling like I was going to get a "pass". My homework and test average in that class was 98%. The highest grade in the class. The professor was very confused when I asked him 6 weeks before the end of the semester to be graded pass/fail. He said "why?" I said, it's because I don't need the pressure, I just want to pass this class, and worry about the next step in my life, rather than this last class that most people take in their sophomore year.Anyways,
figure out if you need a degree- what will change in your life if you have a degree? Are these changes important to you? Are the consequences of having a degree worth the sacrifices and the stress? Also, figure out if you need a specific degree to accomplish your goals. If your goal is to have a degree to demonstate that you have taken many courses and passed them, then certainly choose courses that are meaningful to you. If you are taking courses just to broaden your horizons and stretch your mind to see which subjects are interesting to you- then I'm not sure why you need to take a course load that is too expensive or not interesting to you.If your goal is to drive yourself crazy, well, there are a lot of courses you can take, all at once, and if possible at a very expensive private college. I don't think this is your goal, however. Continue doing what you're doing. It sounds plenty challenging, and plenty rewarding. When the time comes to take American History, perhaps you can prime yourself to find this subject less intimidating. For instance, watching movies and miniseries about the American Revolution, the Civil War, the World Wars, and the Civil Rights Movement helps me understand written material, because I can visualize events better when I know the faces, places and characters involved. Visiting museums helps too, as does doing some road trips to important places nearby that have historical significance. Get to know Ken Burns... :o)
And Racer, don't drive yourself crazy. Summer session will be over in 96 short hours. And you will be so relieved! you're just ready for a break, that's all. Physiological psychology sounds like a lot of fun! When you learn something new promise to share on psychobabble, okay?
(oh yeah, and when all else fails, I buy pretty pens in colorful inks. if the work is SO awful, I might as well write with an instrument that makes it a tiny bit more happy...)
-ll
poster:llrrrpp
thread:674700
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/studs/20060709/msgs/675942.html