Week 10 - It's Finals Week! Choices. Optimism.

It's the beginning to the moment of truth. The moment of truth to the analysis of the educational work put in as a student. The moment of truth tells me, as the student on how I should gauge my next quarter-- my study habits, the load I take in, how to observe the quality of a class, etc.

Thus far, the first truth has been for my Multivariable Calculus class. I do admit, I'm bumming on the my grade of 87. That is not what is the most important though. I feel that I could have studied harder, understood the concepts better. My next question to myself was: how do I remedy this situation from happening again? Well, I've set up to meet my Professor to view my final exam. Then, I plan to work on the problems I missed to understand the concepts to a fuller extent. I realized that the faults I had from this class was not asking enough questions. It was helpful that I had a friend who visualized the surfaces that were being integrated because I couldn't visualize them in my head. By constantly having him show me how the mechanics to the work was done, I was able to understand enough of it to pass the class.
I find that horrifically unpractical though. I have just proven that I can pass a multivariable calculus class just by knowing how to solve equations, but not understand what's going on. Um....excuse me? Yes, I am happy that I did pass the class. Truthfully, 87 is a decent grade to boast. It would just be more satisfying to be able to internalize the grade because I fully understood the concepts rather than being a great equation solver.

Nevertheless, it is almost four o'clock in the morning now and I have another final for Critical Reasoning & Logic at eight o'clock tomorrow. I am not motivated for this class and I am glad I have opted for a P/NP (pass, no pass) option. I have decided to skip this final for the reason being that I did not learn anything. As mentioned, grades are not the most important in receiving a university education (or any education for that matter), but it is the concepts that have been understood-- but they do exist, so maintain a presentable GPA and be certain of the classes that you know won't give you a presentable grade. Note to prospective UCI students, and students who don't read the UCI Catalogue: You are only allowed one P/NP every quarter. Use it if you're taking a class you're interested in (not in your major) but aren't sure of the grade you will be getting. I particularly had an interest for this logic class, but later found that the definitions given to class from the Professor does not prove logic so much learned how to flourish on words. Well, on the bright side, I learned the main point of a logic class, and that is "A logician can seperate bad arguments from good arguments" the only problem was, Professor, you were a ten week course of an obscure argument.
So I have this minor guilt for just skipping the final. I'm in the midst of deciding whether I should just burn through the two-hundred point final exam....to get a, 100/200. Ha! But see, the most practical...logical explanation on taking this exam is to test the concepts that have been internalized in the first place, and the percentage of the material learned throughout the course for me is 50%. Maybe I'm estimating a little too high as well. Anyways, there was something gained from the course, it is to observe your instructors well and observe the interest level your are experiencing with the class.
Don't waste time is a key advice, and it was learned this quarter, thank you.

I will talk about more truths on a later post. I wish me luck on my upcoming finals!
Optimism.

Week 9 - A minimal analysis beneficial to the University student

Hi,

If you plan to survive a quarter at a University (for me UCI, duh) you should be a maniac at:

• Planning - Have a gameplan before you start the quarter. Create a managable yet adjustable schedule. Know what you'll "figuratively" be doing every hour. If you know you will have a lot of reading for your classes, read some of the material before the quarter starts. It will save your okole.
• Improvisation - These are for individuals who can't help but to procrastinate. If you're not a planner, at least be a great improviser with a well-equipped vocabulary. Improvisation works usually towards the Social Sciences, Fine Arts but you might be a genius if you manage to do this with the Physical and Biological Sciences.
• Memorizing - You can recall the first & second day when the Professor talks about his/her syllabus. Usually the first&second day, the Professor sets out all the goodies for the students (dropped quizzes, late work acceptance, etc). Improve your memory skills if you're in Calculus 2B - lots of formulaes. Chemistry. It is advisable to also have a highly intuitive way of thinking along with a great memory.
• Adjustments - Take this into consideration from this personal story: A very committed student always kept up with their work. A family emergency happened. They informed their TA/Professors what was going on with them, gave tentative days of absences, asked for materials of reference for lectures missed, communicated with peers in the class and asked if they can borrow their notes when they get back, and kept up with the reading for the lectures time permitting. You just don't know what can happen the next day. Be flexible, flexible, flexible! There'll always be adjustments, get used to it. Nothing is static!
• Reading - If you love reading, try to get faster at it. If you hate what you're reading-- burn through it. There isn't any other way around reading material. Just do it. Do it while you exercise!
• Doing the required material...and then some - The name of the game is to always aim to get ahead. Give yourself motivations to get ahead (ie: you can watch a movie if you finish your work, get some sushi, dance!, etc.) You're in a race with yourself. Manage your schedule that will fit into your required work. Take breaks in between to alleviate the intensity of the work you do
• Being optimistic - Look Ahead. You already know what to expect going through school for twelve years! (K-12). It's just diligence. Keep this in mind: "It is ten weeks, that isn't so bad!" "You're in school for 4-5 years for a bachelors, another 5-6 for a doctorates...and you work FOREVER, enjoy it." "What else would I be doing?" "I paid a couple grands for these courses, it should be worth it!" ... what else can you think of?
• Prioritizing -All right, all right. Check your Facebook if you really have an urge to. After that, start on your work. Work with what you can burn through quickly to get it out of the way. Know the best hours that you are most attentive-- invest that time to the material that you don't quite understand. Prioritize with regards to the understanding of the material, not the grade you're getting!
• Dividing Tasks - Know what you need to finish throughout the quarter course. Break it up by month/week/day/hour.
• Working well with groups - It's inevitable that you work with other people for group projects. If you hate it, learn to accept it. You work with people in the real world. If you want to be successful, you still need the help of the rest of the population. Even if you are an Einstein. (Say...how do we know about Einstein anyways?)
• Knowing Thyself, Know Thy Limits - In reference to economics: with every choice, there is a cost. Be it monetary or opportunity. As students, it's usually an opportunity cost. Let's see...should you spend your time getting wasted til' 3am, or do a presentation for your 9:00am class? 3am party sounds like fun! Going to class and not knowing what's going on = warming up a seat for the next body, hm, not fun. Which one do you pick? Both, duh! Go to the party, drink early and sober up before you leave; stay until a reasonable time you're body is used to and do the work needed for the classes equivalent to the work you put into the party. Balance yourself!
• Eating Healthy - You will break down if your appetite involves: Monster Energy Drinks, Starbucks, a couple or cigarettes, and Doritos. Can't stay awake in class? Then get some adequate sleep time. Eat a good sandwich-- in class if you have to. Feel uncomfortable? Make time in your schedule to eat a satisfying meal. It'll help your noggin' pay attention.
• Getting Enough Sleep - OK, most of us students know this is impossible. What I mean about "enough" sleep is-- a relaxed state of sleeping. Give yourself fifteen minutes to calm down from the work you've done. While brushing your teeth before you go to bed, take deep breaths to slowly loosen all of your thoughts away. You're entitled to your own free time, your own space-- this can be achieved through what your body naturally needs: sleep. So take the time to relax before you sleep, and dream-- dream limitlessly.
• Vent - (in a nonviolent way) write in your journal about your experience. Take a walk at the beautiful Aldrich Park to take a breath of fresh air. Write in your blog!
• Stress Less! - You already know finals are hectic, you know that there's a lot of work throughout the quarter, you know that the days are unexpected aside from the plans you have, you know that the harder you work, the luckier you get. Take it easy then and "just keep swimming." (Dory from Finding Nemo)

Above are what I've encountered throughout the quarter. There are less than two weeks left for the quarter. We're on the ninth week. I've heard students say "Fml" all throughout campus. Hey, if that's your way of venting...do what you need to do. What do I have left to do? Review for Math Final, Prepare an Outline for two in-class essays for a literature class, memorize and understand inference rules for Logic, and write and ethnography about Facebook culture. So far:

• Math - 80%
• Asian American Studies - 30%
• Logic - 15%
• Anthropology 80%

Am I stressed? Yes. Do I know why? Yes. And that's the most important. Know you, know why you're doing this, know the duration of these experiences; then it shouldn't feel like *breaking news* every quarter. Think of yourself as a Casanova to the University campus. Or Dora the Explorer....Hm, is she a Casanova, too?