NOS...

[trinacriabob]

Pay attention to your studies, young man; however, I'm sure some of us would like to know how your college experience is treating you thus far. So chime in when you can, "college boy." That's UNIVERSITY to the Canadians on the board... Yeah, yeah, I know you know.

Sidebar:

I worked with a jerk who said that I would like working with a particular person at a client company because "he's college, like you" (meaning me, in this case). The guy who said it was a moron.

[NOS2006]

Well, there's a lot to say and right now I actually have time to say it.

First and foremost is that so far I like "it." What's "it?" College life! I mean, I've only been here twelve days and have only had one full week of classes (plus today), but I like it already. I've got a 16 credit-hour schedule, which some people have said is ridiculous but I find it good for me because it keeps me busy and willing to do the work instead of slack. The long summer did me well because I have a motivation to go into class and learn as much as possible, then come back to my dorm room to sit down and do my homework. I feel much more mature now in that sense than I did in my last two years of high school because I didn't want to do work then, but I know I have to now. And, not only do I know I have to, but I want to, and it makes me feel great to want to learn again, for the first time in three years.

Second are the people. My professors all speak very clear English, which seems to be rare in University settings, and all of them seem to really care about the students; it helps that my largest class, a lecture hall, only has about 30-35 people. All of my peers around the dorms seem very cool, too. I mean, of course you'll run into someone you don't like, and I have, but that's life and you've got to roll with the punches as you duck and weave your way through to get that title, in this case a good degree. I've got a great RA (Residential Advisor) and the RHA (Residential Hall Association) Leader/person in charge of all the RA's is at the end of my hall, too, and he's an awesome person who is really dedicated to the school and his studies. I'm on good standing with those two people and 98% of my "unit" (each hallway is given a unit number, in my case it's Unit 22; are all dorms like that?), and a lot of people from other units, so I guess I'm on the right track with that.

Third is that I'm finally trying to get involved in school-oriented organizations and clubs. So far in this week-and-a-half span I've got a job on-campus, I'm running for Vice President of the RHA, I plan on joining the Firebirds Club (the car club here on campus), and I look forward to finding out more about other clubs/organizations around here too. Now, to some of you that may not be much, but this is coming from someone who quit Student Council in high school because I didn't want the responsibility and didn't like to do "stupid" things like this. Now, I have people looking at me saying, "Why would you do that?" and I just tell them I feel it's good to be involved with the residence and school to hopefully make some sort of difference. If they don't agree, it's their prerogative; if they do, good for them!

Fourth, whew, it seems like there's a ton of stuff to do. This entire month the fraternities are holding events to get us to check out their houses and the people in their individual fraternities to maybe join them. I've only gone to one house so far, but I think we're going to another tonight for some chicken/buffalo wings. I'm not sure fraternity life is for me, and I'm going to just keep an eye on it at least, but I'm definitely going to take advantage of all the free events they're hosting. Most of the "frat-boys" (sorry, can't think of a better term, Croc) seem like good people around here, but there are definitely some that are stereotypical to the point that only a few people would even consider pledging for them. (Oh, and yes, I did check out the Sigma Chi's last Monday, Croc, and they seem like pretty good guys over there. We're either going there or to the Delts tonight for wings.)

And, fifth, I'm not sure what else to say other than thank you for asking! It's great to see the people that truly care. I'm trying to push myself in that direction: a person who honestly cares about who I interact with and all the things I do. This college thing is doing me good so far, and I hope it stays that way.

So, until my next post (which seem pretty damn infrequent these days), thanks again for asking and, although I may not post a lot, I'm definitely trying to visit the boards as much as possible to keep up on news and such.

Take care, y'all.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Good to hear that.

[Croc]

No, it's OK..."frat-boy" is quite applicable to a lot of people...but not my house :AH-HA_wink:

Most Fraternities tend to have a lot of business, communications and property development/real estate people in it. My house is mostly biochem... :nerd:

[DetroitNut90]

Glad to hear you're having a good time, NOS.

[schuby87]

where did you get a job?

[NOS2006]

At the front desk (Thompson Hall). I work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons.

[ocnblu]

Cool, Nos. Glad it's going well.

[sciguy_0504]

Good to hear you're enjoying school so far. It seems like you are way ahead of me in that area.

[Northstar]

Not to be discouraging, but more as a warning: The first week or so of class was a breeze for me, and basically I didn't have to do a whole lot. Well, after about the 2nd week, work started to pick up. The last 2 weeks I've had a ton of stuff to do, it's really rather rediculous.

[Olds Guy]

Glad to hear it's going well.

16 credits is not ridiculous for Kettering. I remember taking a class during work term to avoid having a 24 CH term as a Senior II. It's good that you are over the senior-itis. Mine lasted partway into college.

For me it was 18, 19, 19, 19, 19, 21, 22, (+3), 21, 20.

Besides, now that the Frances Willson Thompson has A/C I bet you can't even hear the gunshots from downtown Flint.

As for Firebirds, the Winter AutoCross was always a blast! Don't know if they even still do that?

Anyway, have fun. It goes faster than you think. And I suggest some wings from Rube's at some point.

[daves87rs]

Good to hear NOS.

Just make sure you get some rest too.

[NOS2006]

Oh, I forgot one thing: I've never had a chem class before and neither has some of the students in my chem class here at KU, but our professor expects us to already know the periodic table and we've got a quiz on Wednesday on naming chemical compounds and names.

ex. He'll give us "HgO" and expect us to know that it is "mercury(II) oxide" written just like that. Also, he'll give us the opposite and expect us to write the chemical formula for each compound. Oh, and "HgO" is about the simplest one I see on this list of example problems in the book.

[Northstar]

We were expected to already have known that stuff too.. I had 2 years of Chem in HS so it's only now starting to be more than a review of HS Chem. Maybe you should drop down a level? Here we have 100 which is Gen Chem, and then 102 (what I'm in), which is if you've had Chem before. Do you have a "Chem 100" there?

[NOS2006]

I'd try that, but I'm in the most basic Chemistry class that KU has to offer. This is the course description from the online course list:

Prerequisite: None Corequisite: CHEM-136 Minimum Class Standing: FRI An introduction to fundamental concepts and applications of chemistry, including the Periodic Table and chemical nomenclature, reactions and reaction stoichiometry, atomic structure, chemical bonding and chemical equilibrium. Applied topics include batteries, fuel cells and corrosion, and a description of the chemistry and uses of metals and nonmetals. Includes three hours of lecture per week. Terms Offered: Summer, Fall

[DetroitNut90]

Stoichiometry...God I hated that...

[NOS2006]

Dude, I just realized... This is what we're working on right now and it's only been three days/hours of class:

...reactions and reaction stoichiometry, atomic structure, chemical bonding and chemical equilibrium

We totally skipped the Periodic Table. That's bull$h!!

[Northstar]

Wow, that's weird that they don't have something below it. Is there a community college you could take gen Chem at? You really need it before just jumping into this stuff.

[NOS2006]

There's a community college about 10-15 minutes from my house, but IDK about anything out in this direction...

[knightfan26917]

So, until my next post (which seem pretty damn infrequent these days)

Same here ... but for very DIFFERENT reasons ... heh.

Good to know that all is well for ya NOS. Good luck in your first year of college!

Cort:33swm."Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/

Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html

"You really think you're in control?" ... Gnarls Barkley ... 'Crazy'

[Northstar]

Well certainly you would want to do it this semester, as you wouldn't want to wait until later to do it.

Do you have to do 1 or 2 semesters of Chem? U of I requires 2 semesters for ME students.

I'm definetly going to take at least 1 class at the community college here next semesters. Some sort of Gen-Ed, as I was in US History to 1877 but dropped it because it was going to require way more work than I wanted to do for something that has nothing to do with engineering, and switched to a different class that's easier but still a PITA. I may even take two Gen-Eds next semester, as currently next semester I only have Calc 2, Chem, and Physics. Currently I have Chem, Calc 1, ME 170 (CAD), and the other Gen-Ed, along with Physics 100, which is basically an optional course that gets you well prepared for Physics 218 which is what I'm taking next semester.

What else are you taking besides Chem, NOS?

[schuby87]

As for Firebirds, the Winter AutoCross was always a blast! Don't know if they even still do that?

Yeah, they have them rather often, probably three times a semester or more.

Dude, I just realized... This is what we're working on right now and it's only been three days/hours of class:

...reactions and reaction stoichiometry, atomic structure, chemical bonding and chemical equilibrium

We totally skipped the Periodic Table. That's bull$h!!

Dont worry about it, Doc Mac is a hard teacher but if you stick with the class it gets easier. I had him last year, so I probably still have all this lecture notes, quizes and tests, I can bring them by it your interested. Also, do you want Maple or NX3 on your comp? Let me know.

[CSpec]

NOS that's pretty elementary... didn't you take chem in high school? Such material is certainly in your textbook and online if you really need it. This exact situation is also why workshops/recitations exist, so I would highly suggest you go to one of those or a TA or Prof's office hours.

GenChem is a major waste of time for what you learn, especially the labs. And Northie is right about work. It picks up fast and hits hard; classes tend to have midterms and/or papers due at around the same time, so every few weeks expect to be under the gun. Luckily I'm an Econ major and don't do much.

[regfootball]

Well, there's a lot to say and right now I actually have time to say it.

First and foremost is that so far I like "it." What's "it?" College life! I mean, I've only been here twelve days and have only had one full week of classes (plus today), but I like it already. I've got a 16 credit-hour schedule, which some people have said is ridiculous but I find it good for me because it keeps me busy and willing to do the work instead of slack. The long summer did me well because I have a motivation to go into class and learn as much as possible, then come back to my dorm room to sit down and do my homework. I feel much more mature now in that sense than I did in my last two years of high school because I didn't want to do work then, but I know I have to now. And, not only do I know I have to, but I want to, and it makes me feel great to want to learn again, for the first time in three years.

Second are the people. My professors all speak very clear English, which seems to be rare in University settings, and all of them seem to really care about the students; it helps that my largest class, a lecture hall, only has about 30-35 people. All of my peers around the dorms seem very cool, too. I mean, of course you'll run into someone you don't like, and I have, but that's life and you've got to roll with the punches as you duck and weave your way through to get that title, in this case a good degree. I've got a great RA (Residential Advisor) and the RHA (Residential Hall Association) Leader/person in charge of all the RA's is at the end of my hall, too, and he's an awesome person who is really dedicated to the school and his studies. I'm on good standing with those two people and 98% of my "unit" (each hallway is given a unit number, in my case it's Unit 22; are all dorms like that?), and a lot of people from other units, so I guess I'm on the right track with that.

Third is that I'm finally trying to get involved in school-oriented organizations and clubs. So far in this week-and-a-half span I've got a job on-campus, I'm running for Vice President of the RHA, I plan on joining the Firebirds Club (the car club here on campus), and I look forward to finding out more about other clubs/organizations around here too. Now, to some of you that may not be much, but this is coming from someone who quit Student Council in high school because I didn't want the responsibility and didn't like to do "stupid" things like this. Now, I have people looking at me saying, "Why would you do that?" and I just tell them I feel it's good to be involved with the residence and school to hopefully make some sort of difference. If they don't agree, it's their prerogative; if they do, good for them!

Fourth, whew, it seems like there's a ton of stuff to do. This entire month the fraternities are holding events to get us to check out their houses and the people in their individual fraternities to maybe join them. I've only gone to one house so far, but I think we're going to another tonight for some chicken/buffalo wings. I'm not sure fraternity life is for me, and I'm going to just keep an eye on it at least, but I'm definitely going to take advantage of all the free events they're hosting. Most of the "frat-boys" (sorry, can't think of a better term, Croc) seem like good people around here, but there are definitely some that are stereotypical to the point that only a few people would even consider pledging for them. (Oh, and yes, I did check out the Sigma Chi's last Monday, Croc, and they seem like pretty good guys over there. We're either going there or to the Delts tonight for wings.)

And, fifth, I'm not sure what else to say other than thank you for asking! It's great to see the people that truly care. I'm trying to push myself in that direction: a person who honestly cares about who I interact with and all the things I do. This college thing is doing me good so far, and I hope it stays that way.

So, until my next post (which seem pretty damn infrequent these days), thanks again for asking and, although I may not post a lot, I'm definitely trying to visit the boards as much as possible to keep up on news and such.

Take care, y'all.

203020[/snapback]

yeah, but how's the love life?

[Satty]

Oh, I forgot one thing: I've never had a chem class before and neither has some of the students in my chem class here at KU, but our professor expects us to already know the periodic table and we've got a quiz on Wednesday on naming chemical compounds and names.

203156[/snapback]

Cocksuckers wouldn't let me in because I hadn't taken chem. f@#kers. Anywhooo.....Glad to see things aren't going too badly. Just remember, things will start piling on, focus on your schoolwork before all the opther crap.

[Northstar]

GenChem is a major waste of time for what you learn, especially the labs. And Northie is right about work. It picks up fast and hits hard; classes tend to have midterms and/or papers due at around the same time, so every few weeks expect to be under the gun. Luckily I'm an Econ major and don't do much.

203277[/snapback]

Yeah, that's pretty much the way it is. My Gen-Ed class doesn't have midterms because the only assignments is writing 3 essays (which is why I took it, so it wouldn't be too hard) and my CAD class doesn't have anything but weekly homework and a final design project, so really I only have Calc and Chem midterms. The first Calc midterm was a day before the first Chem midterm, but the second Chem midterm is a week before the second Calc midterm, so it's not so bad this time around.

Luckily I only have Chem lab every other week, so I only spend 6 days in the actual lab. My CAD lab is every week, but it's just doing the homework anyways. Next semester I will have Chem lab (hopefully every other week again) and Physics lab (hopefully every other week).

Luckily I got a 31 on the English part of the ACT so I didn't have to take RHET 105. Otherwise, I'd be taking that this semester and CAD next semester, which would mean I'd have 18 hours and 3 labs (!)

[ZL-1]

Ahhh, college... I'm working towards my Masters, but those (distant) undergrad years sure were fun!

Enjoy college life NOS!

[trinacriabob]

U of I requires 2 semesters for ME students.

203233[/snapback]

U of I - as in "Cham-bana?" -

My "second" alma mater - a lot of work and not much of a fun time, right down to an ulcer!

I usually remember things to great detail, but that is a place I want to forget and couldn't even tell you most of the street names anymore since I've purged that experience from my brain.

[Northstar]

Haha, yes, as in "Cham-bana."

What did you dislike so much about it?

Oh, and street names? Green, Chalmers, Daniel, John, Gregory, Armory, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and Wright should help you remember