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The Academics Thread


Pariah

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14 hours ago, Cancer said:

 

I can certainly relate. My theater undergrad degree is one that I have second guessed many times. However, it did get me my teaching job, and some very interesting life experiences, so it wasn't a complete waste. I don't do theater anymore, though. 

 

My graduate degree in librarianship, however, was chosen explicitly to start a new career, and it was successful on that front. Some regrets with it, sure, (like student loans) but overall happy with that choice.

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I started college as a chemical engineering major. You know, because I was good at math and science, because engineering majors get paid a lot of money. The turning point for me was a class called CHEM 3000. Analytical Chemistry. And let me tell you, you cannot spell 'analytical' without 'anal'.

 

The class basically consisted of this: Here is a sample of tap water. Calibrate your reagents and your equipment, and then conduct no fewer than six chemical tests on the sample. Conduct statistical analysis on your results, eliminating any outliers and conducting additional tests until you have six valid data points. Then report your final concentration to the nearest part per ten thousand. 

 

All semester long.

 

I hated it.

 

I was on my way to this dreaded class one day, crossing the quad just outside the college bookstore, as I recall, when this thought hit me as if from the blue: "If you stay in chemical engineering, you're going to be doing this every day for the rest of your life."

 

Although it took a while, I think this was the point at which my focus started to shift from the laboratory to the classroom. Now I'm in my 14th year as a high school science teacher, and this is the best job I've ever had.

 

The really ironic postscript: the capstone project for my Master's degree was basically and analytical chemistry project. I loved it.

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Out old friend teh bunneh posted this today on the Book of Face:

 

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”

― H.L. Mencken

 

On another note, I have parent-teacher conferences tonight.

 

Coincidence...?

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There will be assignments in this class in which you will have to use scientific notation.  Trying to avoid it by counting zeros is grossly error-prone, and I will mark as incorrect large (and small) numbers presented in ordinary notation.  I'm the one in charge here, and you're not going to force me to count lots of zeros because your deficient little brain is too innumerate to deal with things like 2.0 * 10^33.  Astronomy has big numbers.  Deal with it or GTFO of college, wastrel.

 

I am struggling with how to express the last three sentences in an official course document that won't get me reprimanded.

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