I'm buckling up. I don't think I've ever embarked upon so many colossal living adjustments, taken up so many responsibilities, and added as much to plate as I'm about to. I'm exhilarated. I really wouldn't have it any other way. But damn. I'm about to start up college again after having taken a four year break. I was accepted into the honors college at my university, which entails more challenging but more interesting classes, like the Changing Face of Masculinity course I'm taking, or the honors variant of macroeconomic principles. The professors are world class (here's a NYTimes piece by my Masculinity professor). I'm also taking Calculus and an Economic Statistics course. And ballroom dancing : ) so the schedule is loaded. And I'll be commuting. I'm also buying a house as part of a subsidy program in an up and coming neighborhood. The other parties involved are dragging their feet in the extreme, and I'm learning a lot through the process. Like how much an agent from the get-go would've helped to keep up a good pace. But it seems all but assured that it'll happen, and that I'll move in--and start paying a fucking mortgage, jesus--sometime in March. I'm really eager to put my budgeting skills to good use, but sometimes I have trouble falling asleep at night because of the worry. Thankfully the PITI is very small, the house is in excellent shape (brand new everything, roof, plumbing, appliances) and there's a lot of demand for rental spaces in the area due to the proximity to Johns Hopkins Hospital. I've been accruing a small nut to cover a few months of expenses. But still. Holy fucking shit. And on top of that, I hope to be exercising regularly (gym and weekly soccer practices) and working a (blessedly flexible) part-time job. I'm reminded of a Homer Simpson quote when he takes on another job to pay for Lisa's new pony:Homer: I work from midnight to eight, come home, sleep for five minutes, eat breakfast, sleep six more minutes, shower, then I have ten minutes to bask in Lisa's love, then I'm off to the power plant, fresh as a daisy.
Taking Calc II after two years of not being in a math course, so I can relate to an extent. How far did you get in math courses before now? I may have some good pages of trig identities and derivative/integral rules I can send your way (for making flashcards or flat memorization) alongside a cool trick for knowing your unit circle. All of which I'm currently using to brush up myself, hehe. FYI, I was just notified that khan academy expanded their math section to cover college level maths and calculus (and higher) if you're able to learn by that method. They also provide practice problems. Dusting off cobwebs using baby steps (reviewing one sheet of identities per day) has been most helpful for me.I'm about to start up college again after having taken a four year break. . . . I'm also taking Calculus and an Economic Statistics course.
I just took a precalculus course in a local community college, which was enormously helpful. I actually loved the class, as basic as it was. It has me jazzed for the upcoming semester. The only downside is that ratemyprofessor has the calculus professor I'm slated for as apocalyptically bad. I'd appreciate any help I can get. I love learning with Khan Academy, as well as Mathway and WolframAlpha. Invaluable.
Awesome! I'll scan some of the materials after class today. Smart move finishing that course off so soon to going into Calc. Finding I've still been needing refreshers 2 weeks in. For better or worse, Calc 1 and 2 tend to be the weed-out courses for the math areas. Most professors I come across while searching for professors happen to have abysmal ratings and happen in massive auditoriums.
Thanks! Im trying to acquire every leg up. I started a video lecture series on calculus, but I've been so busy that I haven't devoted as much time to it as I'd like. But I'm really happy with the timing of my precalculus as well. I also am reading Calculus Better Explained and it's interesting! I'm happy to learn the math in a way that I understand it, and not have a "fragile knowledge" as R. Feynman puts it.
Good luck! It's interesting, seems like a few people are going back to college. It seems like you have a lot of amazing opportunities, though, between that, the house, job, etc. I've become a big believe that chosen business is a good thing, and that seems to be what you're doing. Hope the house deal doesn't become too big of a hassle.
Man, that sounds like a good heap of changes! Congratulations on moving up the imaginary ladder! That sounds very interesting. Any interesting facts from the course you could share? That's awesome, man! Congratulations! Owning a house is damn great, and I'm happy for you having that opportunity. It's a big responsibility to take, but I'm sure it'll be worth it for you, if only because you went to so much trouble to have it well before.Changing Face of Masculinity course
I'm also buying a house
I'd recommend starting with that NYTimes article Dr. Reiner wrote, and then moving on to his muse, Dr. Kimmel -- A Master’s Degree in ... Masculinity?. In the academic sense, I'm ignorant of the field of masculinities studies. But my father is a hard-nosed Soviet (born Moscow 1970). The second-most formative adult male in my life is a Baltimore black man, former-US Marine, 25-year correctional facility veteran with 19 years experience quelling prison riots as my high school lacrosse coach (think insane Drill Sergeant). I am myself a total softie, yet at ease in a locker room. I embrace vulnerability and human frailty, and strive to be as good a listener as possible (though lord knows there is always progress to make). I've also coached poor groups of Baltimore high school-aged boys. I basically can't wait for the course.