As Classes Start...

I really don't know what I'm going to write about, but I want to keep a log of what I've been doing, so here we go. Half way through the first week of classes, I have gotten a good idea of what they are going to be like. Which ones I'm going to struggle the most in and which I will have the most fun in. So, lets go through all of them now, and see if this stays true till the end of the semester.

Mechanical Engineering Design

As a mechanical engineer, I am required to take this class. I find that I enjoy the engineering classes much more than my other classes. I find that generally they are more engaging and challenge my brain more. I find that I enjoy doing the problem sets, up till a certain point in the semester where I start to loose motivation. I think this class will follow suit with the others, staying focused during the beginning of the semester with it tapering off at the end. The professor seems pretty nice, however I'm not sure my brain will be able to process all the information he shares. I think only time will tell how well I do in this class.

Nature Writing

The professor in the class seems really nice and really engaging. I have found myself participating much more than I originally would have thought when I signed up for it. The class focuses a lot of poems, both how to understand and read them, as well as the parts and of them. While I definitely would not have said I am giant poem fan, I have found myself enjoying the lectures, and being able to stay focused the entire class. It also might have been because I took my Adderall right before this. I think if I consistently take my Adderall, and prepare before class, I will succeed in this class.

Astronomy

I think this class is going to be the hardest to stay focused in. I have had 2 classes and 1 lab for this and the first class was just reviewing the syllabus and the second class was reviewing the work we did in the lab (I'll talk about that in a moment), and explaining what science is. The lab was literally just going over how significant digits, ratios and unit conversions work. Because of this, I found that it was so difficult to stay focused because I had already learned this before, and had no desire to learn it again. I think I need to stay off my iPad, and make sure to listen once we get into the more challenging portions of the class.

Engineering Thermodynamics

For this class, the professor seemed very nice. I have heard a lot of great things about him. The professor uses a fill in the spots note format, however it is much less structured than other fill in the spots I have had (I'm talking about Prof. Mante's notes). My opinion on this may change as we get more into the math side of things rather than the terminology. I definitely think this format works well for me, as it keeps me engaged, having a format and way to follow in note taking. The exams seem like they are going to be difficult, as they are open note. My worry with this is I won't be able to find what I am looking for when I take the exam. It is also worth noting that this is the 4th, and last class of the day. To succeed in this class, I need to make sure to get a good nights rest so I maintain energy through the day, and for the exams, I need to prepare a "cheatsheet" with relevant information I need.

Basic Social Questions

This is the only class I have only had once. I am taking this class with a friend which makes me feel a little better however it seems like there is going to be a lot of work for 2 or 3 weeks spread out throughout the semester with the other weeks only have readings. The process had given us a break in our first class, which is uncommon, however I am all for it. I hope he continues this through to the rest of the classes. The class is mostly graded on a group debate that happens roughly in the middle of the semester, I am definitely a little scared about how it is going to work, and if I am going to get a good grade from it. To succeed, I need to make sure I do the readings before class.

The review

Overall, with having 5 classes this semester, I need to stay organized and make sure to stay on top of my work. I need to make sure to start homework early, not leaving it the day off, especially for my engineering classes. And if I find myself falling into the trap of starting homework late, I need to work back up to starting it early and asking questions if I am stuck. In addition to not starting things late, I need to make sure that I read the things I need to!