Thread for complaining about the new semester. - Page 2

Julford Hajime · 02-11-2010, 09:34 PM

I have a teacher who assigned over 1000 pages of reading material at 6PM (via email) for his 1:30 PM class the next day. I looked, and there was no mention at ANY point prior that we would need to have read this for that particular lecture, and nobody from the 100+ class recalled him saying such the Thursday before, either.

He's done this three times since January. The school has told me "Tough shit, drop the class if you hate it so much."

CABAL49 · 02-11-2010, 10:37 PM

I am really dreading tomorrow. I am completely unprepared for my German presentation (pretty good at winging things though) and a test right when I wake up. Anyone here ever read Machiavelli's "The Prince"? Cause I haven't and that is part of the test.

Azisien · 02-11-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julford Hajime

I have a teacher who assigned over 1000 pages of reading material at 6PM (via email) for his 1:30 PM class the next day. I looked, and there was no mention at ANY point prior that we would need to have read this for that particular lecture, and nobody from the 100+ class recalled him saying such the Thursday before, either.

He's done this three times since January. The school has told me "Tough shit, drop the class if you hate it so much."

That kind of request doesn't even make sense.

Geminex · 02-11-2010, 10:52 PM

Basically, he starts the book off with his motivation (which is that he's fallen from grace and seeks to become an associate of whatever noble he's dedicating the book to, I'm not sure which one it is. He basically says that when craftsmen seek a patron, they present the patron with a display of their greatest skills, he's apparently best at determining the traits and actions sucessfull ruler acts, thus he presents his potential patron with a "World domination: A how-to guide".

Ok, not really. But close.
Big M's basically summed up the qualities and actions of a successfull, more-or-less-absolute (a prince) ruler in a number of lessons, which are first explained in both their function and implications, and then backed up with evidence. Some of them are bullshit (in my opinion. Cause I'm a total authority on ruling a medieval european country), but some of them are interesting takes on the process of becoming and remaining a prince. The lessons encompass politics, strategy, statesmanship (as in, how a Prince is supposed to behave, what moral standards apply to Princes (answer: Not many)) and also military aspects, though I feel the military aspects fail slightly. European, particularly Italian politics were quite chaotic at the time, so an interesting analysis of the book would include the question whether the majority of Machiavelli's ideas are axioms which he supported, or deduced from, evidence, or whether he's just seeing patterns in the chaos that was politics.

Eltargrim · 02-11-2010, 11:51 PM

Dear circuit analysis:

Fuck you.

That is all.

batgirl · 02-12-2010, 12:11 AM

Maybe it's just me, but I find that while I'm taking difficult classes (Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology), the material at the beginning of the year is super easy. I was warned that A&P would be really hard, but really, we're going over stuff I learned in high school. I expect it will get harder, but at the rate we're moving we'll hit that point at the end of the semester.

Also, while my microbiology professor is a genuinely nice guy, he has the most monotonous voice I've ever heard. Not only that, but he starts off talking normally, and then moves to mumbling at the end of his sentences/points. A 15 person class in a room made for 100 does not give us the best acoustics.

Roland · 02-12-2010, 01:13 AM

I have not been in college for around three years now, and it makes me very very sad. But I may be going back after this summer, so I'll probably be joining in with the semester hatin' then.

Loyal · 02-12-2010, 01:41 AM

Math class is... kinda disappointing so far.

The teacher spends most of the first class declaring a no-tolerance policy for missed assignments, saying that it would be hard and arduous (which makes sense, as it meets once a week for 2.5 hours). The homework we get for the week amounts to what would've been two days work in highschool, and the quiz last week had a mere twenty-five questions.

Maybe I'm just spoiled, but I was really expecting/hoping for a bit more of a workload than this. Maybe it'll pick up later, but I somehow doubt it.

Ryong · 02-12-2010, 02:58 AM

I didn't pass Computer Theory. I didn't even TRY Calc 2.

But screw it, I'm on my break now. I was complaining before and I WILL complain later, but not now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loyal

The teacher spends most of the first class declaring a no-tolerance policy for missed assignments, saying that it would be hard and arduous (which makes sense, as it meets once a week for 2.5 hours). The homework we get for the week amounts to what would've been two days work in highschool, and the quiz last week had a mere twenty-five questions.

Maybe I'm just spoiled, but I was really expecting/hoping for a bit more of a workload than this. Maybe it'll pick up later, but I somehow doubt it.

The "TRY" Calc 2 thing? Why's it "TRY"? Because my teacher was the exact reverse of that. I went to the first five classes and then cancelled them because he said we had to "pick up the slack" as the other courses didn't get to host an international event that teaches a LOT about what we have to know for the first week of the course and thus he was showering us with homework. He gave us a list with 20 things we had just barely figured how to solve on the class he gave it to us. That was one extensive list of homework per 2 hours of class ( 4 hours total in a week ).

Professor Smarmiarty · 02-12-2010, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CABAL49

I am really dreading tomorrow. I am completely unprepared for my German presentation (pretty good at winging things though) and a test right when I wake up. Anyone here ever read Machiavelli's "The Prince"? Cause I haven't and that is part of the test.

It reads much better if you take the stand that it is a satire. A lot of the enlightenmet would agree with you.
The best argument is that Machiavelli filled it with purposefully bad advice so the Medicis would take it and fall.

02-11-2010, 10:52 PM	#14
Geminex SOM3WH3R3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4,606	I did! Basically, he starts the book off with his motivation (which is that he's fallen from grace and seeks to become an associate of whatever noble he's dedicating the book to, I'm not sure which one it is. He basically says that when craftsmen seek a patron, they present the patron with a display of their greatest skills, he's apparently best at determining the traits and actions sucessfull ruler acts, thus he presents his potential patron with a "World domination: A how-to guide". Ok, not really. But close. Big M's basically summed up the qualities and actions of a successfull, more-or-less-absolute (a prince) ruler in a number of lessons, which are first explained in both their function and implications, and then backed up with evidence. Some of them are bullshit (in my opinion. Cause I'm a total authority on ruling a medieval european country), but some of them are interesting takes on the process of becoming and remaining a prince. The lessons encompass politics, strategy, statesmanship (as in, how a Prince is supposed to behave, what moral standards apply to Princes (answer: Not many)) and also military aspects, though I feel the military aspects fail slightly. European, particularly Italian politics were quite chaotic at the time, so an interesting analysis of the book would include the question whether the majority of Machiavelli's ideas are axioms which he supported, or deduced from, evidence, or whether he's just seeing patterns in the chaos that was politics.

02-11-2010, 11:51 PM	#15
Eltargrim Fifty-Talents Haversham Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: FABULOUS Posts: 1,904	Dear circuit analysis: Fuck you. That is all. __________________ <Insert witticism here; get credit; ???; profit!>

02-11-2010, 09:34 PM	#11
Julford Hajime Monty Mole Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 744	I have a teacher who assigned over 1000 pages of reading material at 6PM (via email) for his 1:30 PM class the next day. I looked, and there was no mention at ANY point prior that we would need to have read this for that particular lecture, and nobody from the 100+ class recalled him saying such the Thursday before, either. He's done this three times since January. The school has told me "Tough shit, drop the class if you hate it so much."

02-11-2010, 10:37 PM	#12
CABAL49 Not bad. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Senatus Populusque Americanus Posts: 1,584	I am really dreading tomorrow. I am completely unprepared for my German presentation (pretty good at winging things though) and a test right when I wake up. Anyone here ever read Machiavelli's "The Prince"? Cause I haven't and that is part of the test.

02-12-2010, 12:11 AM	#16
batgirl Aim for the top! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Infield Posts: 2,583	Maybe it's just me, but I find that while I'm taking difficult classes (Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology), the material at the beginning of the year is super easy. I was warned that A&P would be really hard, but really, we're going over stuff I learned in high school. I expect it will get harder, but at the rate we're moving we'll hit that point at the end of the semester. Also, while my microbiology professor is a genuinely nice guy, he has the most monotonous voice I've ever heard. Not only that, but he starts off talking normally, and then moves to mumbling at the end of his sentences/points. A 15 person class in a room made for 100 does not give us the best acoustics.

02-12-2010, 01:13 AM	#17
Roland Professional Layabout Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: A desert on and surrounded by mountains. Posts: 722	I have not been in college for around three years now, and it makes me very very sad. But I may be going back after this summer, so I'll probably be joining in with the semester hatin' then.