Tree Punching

The nice thing about the first week of school is that there are so many petty tasks—like putting four hundred pages of course handouts into the most gigantickest binder I’ve ever owned—that make you feel like you’re doing something important when really you’re just singing along to Norwegian pop songs. If my entire academic career consisted of three-hole punching articles with impressive sounding titles and having good intentions about reading them all later, I’d be a happy girl. At least until the paper cuts.

I can’t think of any way to make this interesting, but I know my parents will care and others of you might be very bored, so here’s the schedule.

• Topics in Classical Physics - the title is disingenuous; this is actually an intermediate course in analytical mechanics and by far the scariest thing on my plate this term. However, from all I hear the professor is not cold-hearted but merely an incompetent teacher, which in the physics department is doing very well indeed. 10:30-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Complex Analysis - the first part of a three-part series, and I’ve completed the second two parts (go me!). This should be a snap, if a snap can be infuriatingly long and grungy. It should be one of those snaps people do where they whip their whole hand through the air, only they keep banging a wall or scraping their knuckles on sandpaper in the process. 11-12 MWF and discussion section at some time to be determined.
• The Economic History of the United States - this is the one with the thick stack of handouts. I’m generally in favor of courses that offer a stack of handouts instead of a textbook, as the reading tends to be cheaper and more interesting that way, but at $59 in Xerox fees I’m a little dubious. 8:30-10 Mondays and Wednesdays, attendance required in a hall with comfy chairs. I’m looking for a good snore-stopper and drool-catcher.
• Introduction to Science Teaching - warm and fuzzy! Warm and fuzzy! The prof sent out an email inviting us to “begin our journey” at the organizational meeting (to be held on Wednesday). Fu-zzy! I’m hoping for happy teachy vibes, and if I don’t get them, I’ll be taking it out on my poor stuffed penguin.
• Intro to Science Writing - editors who apparently failed seventh grade science correct your Scientific American-style paper. Extra graduation requirements solve all our problems! God motherfucking dammit.
• Geophysical Data Analysis - to complete the unholy Analysis set. Wavelets R s00pa-l33t. 1 pm Tuesdays, 2 pm Thursdays, 9 am Fridays, in a classroom to be determined. If we get one with comfy chairs I’m doomed.

Er, yeah, that’s it.