Thursday 13 October 2011

I suck at Scheduling

Due to my inability to find a job I figured I might as well enter a fourth year of University and graduate with a degree. I think I know what I'm doing, I mean I've signed up for classes for 3 years already, how hard can a 4th be? But just to be safe, I go to talk to a co-coordinator.

She takes one look at my Fall term, and her eyes just widen.

"Uh Damian, we got a problem here".

Crap.

Turns out I've already hit my cap for the number of Junior/100 level courses I can take. In other words, the course in Java and Economics that I was taking wasn't doing anything towards my degree. I was paying for deadweight courses.

Luckily, I managed to work some things out and I've dropped both courses. I'm hoping that I have enough credits for graduation and if not, the Winter term will fix that. This leaves me with a ton of psychology courses. Research psychology is research, there's not much to say about it. I enjoy it.

The other courses, I am having issues with.


For starters, my Abnormal psychology class while interesting has a DVD lecture available for purchase. The prof strongly suggested that we buy and use it. A quick listen reveals that it's basically 4 DVDs that cost $100 for the exact same lectures we hear in class.

I'm serious, the things are word for word, I'm guessing he hasn't changed his lectures in a while because I hear that this guy has been doing this for a number of years. We also think he has several DVDs that he rotates through because the DVDs from just last year are somehow obsolete.

As if I wasn't poor enough already.

And then Developmental Psych is uh... different. Lectures consist of her standing in from of a classroom asking the class for their opinions of various concepts or groups of people gathered together to "discuss" a random concept. Half the class doesn't show up anymore and I sit around, vaguely paying attention.

Or catch up on some much needed rest.

Round #2 of midterms are soon so hopefully I do well on those. Maybe I should start studying now...

60 comments:

  1. Your abnormal psychology teacher doesn't realize that its pathetic of him to try and pass of his crap dvds as important to his students? And that it will make them lose respect in him and question his intellegence and abilities?
    I am so glad I said screw it to school and am self taught!

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  2. ... hey, at least it's interesting blogging material!

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  3. I've got a meeting with a person like this tomorrow and I hope it doesn't turn out bad as well. Good luck with those midterms buddy, you'll do excellent I bet.

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  4. Sorry for the lack of work. I got the same problem man.

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  5. Wow. It sucks about those DVDs and having dead weight classes. Good luck on your midterms though!

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  6. Studying is overrated. It sucks you were paying for deadweight courses though, at least they're gone now! I also hope the job market fares a little better at the end of your fourth year.

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  7. Well, good luck with your classes. They don't seem so bad, to be honest.

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  8. It.. could be.. worse? Sorry, man.

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  9. nice scam those profs got going

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  10. Yeah, the coordinators can be helpful. I remember freaking out about my schedule the 1st year. Solely based on schedule, they recommended a class which I ended up loving and continued to take the advanced version for 3 more years.

    Btw, my bad if you've mentioned it in the past (I remember the I dunno what to do post) but what are you actually studying again?

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  11. Yeah they suck you dry every way they can.

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  12. Gee picking the right classes sounds so complicated! And that DVD teacher...he just wants to make some money!

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  13. I found Abnormal Psych to be really cool; didn't like Research too much, but luckily the theory was worth more than the actual calculations part of the exam.

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  14. Good luck with your midterms. You always give me a giggle with your cooking comments...I'm sure another try at carbonara would be much better :)

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  15. Smart move! Wait out this economy!

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  16. Wow, hopefully my fourth year doesn't go like that

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  17. Sorry to hear about the college/job troulbe

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  18. $100 for plastic discs is insane....!

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  19. Wow, hopefully it gets better from here.

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  20. What a ridiculous professor!

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  21. now i remember why i don't miss school...

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  22. I got the same problem. :S

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  23. You should record that guys lectures and sell them for half a price.. you would make a fortune.

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  24. I suck almost at everything but playing videogames.

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  25. So what you're telling me is, for $100, you lecturer is giving you free reign to not take any notes, do any homework or research, and not even show up to his lectures because all of his material is on those DVD's?

    With the time you could save on that, get a couple of hours part-time work going and you could make up that amount of money!

    Or sleep.... sleep is also good

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  26. It's okay, I suck at scheduling too.

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  27. Glad I missed out on that whole DVD of the lecture craze. Not into it at all!
    TexaGermaFinlaNadian

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  28. my fourth year sucks! but thank God I'm done with theories just now..

    gotta deal with the real world after 6mos :)

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  29. Good thing you found out about those subjects you don't need and dropped them before it's too late. It would have been a huge waste of money.

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  30. DVDs!!!, what does he do then...what a git, good luck though my friend.

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  31. So how do midterms work?. We only get terms here, Christmas, Spring and Summer. And don't worry, I haven't dressed up for Halloween for a good while, you're not alone! xxx

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  32. That's pretty shitty. Hope everything goes well and you can end this crap soon.

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  33. I'm curious on what you are studying. Pyschology, Java and Economics seem pretty far away one from each other.
    And regarding the DVD's. It's a common practice i guess. I've had a few professors that pretty much forced us to buy bookw written by them, despite being the exact same thing they taught in class.

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  34. Wow, that sucks :( Hopefully things will pick up soon. Good luck with midterms!

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  35. Not sure how that points are calculated in Canada, but here in Europe we have standardized education so college takes 20 to 25 hours for week, and other like 15 hours are scheduled for you to study alone.

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  36. oh, my, professors dealing DVD's? Horrid!

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  37. Those DVDS AREN'T EVEN BLURAYS!

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  38. It does such to be in such a pickle. ANd then have to take boring classes.

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  39. Sad story bro. Supporting your blog.

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  40. I need to start studying too... exams will start soon :S damn it!

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  41. No job? Go protest at wall street; stick it to the pigs.

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  42. Oh no, no more Java? :( Guess my blog will be less interesting to you :P

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  43. Sounds like me when I was in school. I'd still be there if I had unlimited funds available.


    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  44. Instead of buying the really expensive (50-60 euros each) books I needed for class, I just went to the library and printed all the slides we used in class. It's just as effective :).

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  45. Good luck man! Hope those courses end up being fun and interesting

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  46. dont worry, most people such at that haha

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  47. 100$ lol....shame you cannot find it in emule.

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  48. I'd so you have it pretty good compared to... I don't know... those dudes paradeing on Wall St.

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  49. I wish I was that advanced on my career.

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  50. I remember those days. I had an English teacher, who would come to class with a stack of books, and, a cassette tape. No tests, no due dates, no presentations. Since I majored in English, I had him about, oh, seven times. I wanted my money back!

    I hope all is well, good luck on your midterms!

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  51. I wish you the best of luck and hope it all works out for you

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  52. luckily you talked with co-ordinator

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  53. get your rest and goodluck on your midterms!

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