Math, math and more math
The subject line refers to the majority of what I'm doing in 3 of my 4 classes right now. All 3 happen to be the face-to-face classes. In Calculus, we just had our first test on the 4th day of class (I have much more to vent about related to that class, specifically the instructor but I don't have time right now.) Calc so far has consisted of precalc review and limits. In Chem, we've been calculating rate reactions, activation energy and equilibrium-related calculations with a test next Monday. In Engineering, we're finishing a review of geometry, algebra, trig, vectors and some computing basics in preparation for a test Wednesday morning.
Engineering was vector review today and after the first 5 minutes of vectors taught by an engineer I understood them ten times better than I ever understood them as explained by a mathmetician. After that I had to make sure my chem homework for today was right and then finish up the calculations and graphing for my lab report from last week that was due today (I had to consult with my lab partner to finish.) I got most of that done between classes and studied a bit of calc. In chem we continued to discuss equilibrium. After that I finished actually writing out the conclusions on the lab report during a 45-minute break. At the beginning of lab we had a quiz on last week's. Then we went into a discussion and calculations related to LeChatelier's Principle (When a system is in equilibrium, the system shifts back to equilibrium when stresses are applied.)
After that we went into the lab and tested this principle out - first by changing the concentration and then by increasing the temperature. At one point, I had my first experience with HCl so concentrated that it a cloud came out of the dropper bottle when the stopper was pulled out. I don't think I ever had any dealings with acid that strong on its own (unless the whole issue was the change in pressure and volume because of uncorking it.)
Just as we finished that lab and started writing it up (for a report due today) we got our next assignment to do today. It related to pH. We briefly discussed that pH relates to Hydrogen ions in a substance and the 14-point scale, etc. We then had to test several solutions and household substances with pH paper.
After that we had to finish both parts of the lab report and turn them in. Next was a quiz on today's lab. Of course, I was running an hour ahead at one point (misreading my watch apparently) and getting panicky about finishing in time so I could get to my calc test. I wound up grabbing Jack in the Box and eating it in the parking lot outside the building for calc.
The calc test was supposed to include an hour of review. We were lucky if it was half that. Additionally, we were given 2 pages of formulas and I might have used it one time for the whole test. One whole page of formulas was on subjects we hadn't dealt with yet. Then we were told certain subjects on the syllabus wouldn't be on the test because we didn't cover them. Later on in the review, we were told that a certain way of doing one of those subjects that wasn't covered would actually be covered on the test. The calc teacher is driving me crazy this semester. We jump around with no apparent framework for when we're doing what. We spend inordinate amounts of time covering homework from the class before and then barely cover the new material. This will end up being a self-taught class from how it's going so far. I'm going to try to supplement everything else for that course with the videotapes in the library at school and the CD-ROM that came with the textbook (I haven't gotten into it yet to see how good it is.)
My intro to computing course that I'm stuck taking because the similar one for engineering students got cancelled (my section did at least) started today online. CPT 101 counts the same for the prerequisite as EGR 130 so I'm not sure what is actually covered in EGR 130. CPT 101 is just Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. Of course there is a paper required toward the end that uses all of the programs except Access. The topic of that paper: Cultural Diversity. The amount that paper counts is so little that I'm probably going full-bore politically incorrect on it.
Throw in incompetence and past skills (Calc and CPT) and you have a similar experience to a recent one Kelley had with a temp agency. I've had very similar ones with agencies around here. I haven't had a positive one like the one she's had since then since I've worked in IT. (Before that, when I was back home from Georgetown and going to PC and then working before I went to Basic I could get menial admin jobs transcribing sales reports from field reps at one chemical plant and running checks through a vacuum sorter at a bank's ops center.)
This turned into a partial rant by way of narrative of my day but I think some of the venom that was waiting to explode took care of itself as I wrote. Now it's back to vectors homework and some equilibrium problems.
A quick update: Lest anyone think I'm 100% negative about how my day went; the traffic (or lack thereof) this morning was wonderful.