…with a minor in being unprepared

I’ve really wanted to throw a quick update on here for quite some time, but I think that once you read this, it should be clear why it took me until the end of week 3 to do so. 

I started out taking ECE 321 (microelectronics), ECE 372 (embedded system design) and MTH 256 (differential equations).  The ECE classes both have labs, and the math class is 5 credits, so right there I am at 15 credits.  Also, it’s application season, and while I tried to complete the Ford Family Foundation scholarship application over the break, it just didn’t happen.  I needed to apply to grad school too, and that actually required two different applications.  Throw going from complete physical lethargy to working out or running 5 days per week and you could say my plate was full.

Then I saw the email.  The one that had actually arrived a week earlier, but I had somehow missed until the end of week 1.  It was from my advisor, and in more words he basically told me to immediately change my schedule: he said that the spring session of CS 333 was completely useless, so I should drop MTH 256 and take CS 333 this term instead.  I frantically emailed the CS instructor and she told me that she would let me into the class but that I already had labs to make up.  My schedule had to be reworked to make CS 333 (Operating System Programing) fit, but fortunately everything fit.

Fast forward to the first lab of CS 333.  Everything is done in Linux, on the command line, which I have never used.  I’m completely lost, and I’m getting all kinds of raised eyebrows asking questions like “how do I copy a file?” The room we are in (intentionally) has no Internet access, so there is no way to look any of this stuff up, and if you haven’t submitted your work within 3 hours, the computer turns itself off and you fail the lab. Do that twice and you fail the course.   Hypertension, anyone?

And that was just the first lab. I nearly walked out during the second one.  Then I thought about what that would mean (not getting into grad school, having to pay back all my financial aid) and I got back to work.  But the fact remains that regardless of how much I want to learn the material, and how helpful it will be professionally, I really shouldn’t be in that class given my lack of prerequisite knowledge about Linux.  It will be interesting to see how that all goes.  And by interesting I mean difficult and stressful. 

ECE 321 is proving to be quite a challenge too.  Good thing we get to use notes sheets on the test, because there is no way in hell I would remember that the triode region of a PMOS is given by:

It’s really more of a chemistry class for people who want to manufacture transistors and ICs and stuff, which I most certainly am not interested in, but hopefully I will make it.

That’s about all the time I have right now, but basically this is the hardest term of my life.  I know superlatives aren’t to be just tossed around, but in this case the statement is demonstrably accurate.  However, as of this week I did get all my scholarship/grad school applications completed and submitted, so there's that...

Technically Ready

Today's Indicator is 13.  That's how many hours long the next 10 Tuesdays of my life are going to be. More on this later.

Technically speaking, I am ready to go back to school.  I have the correct books and supplies, I am registered for classes, I’ve received financial aid, etc.   The classes I’ll be taking are:

- ECE 372 – Embedded Systems:  The continuation of my favorite course from last term, microprocessor design. 

- MTH 265 – Differential Equations:  Another calculus class.  I am taking it from a professor who got far better reviews than my excuse for a teacher last term.

- ECE 321 – Microelectronics:  I am most concerned about this class, considering it is the continuation of my circuit analysis class last term in which I did less than stellar.

What I am not ready for, is this insane schedule I ended up with:

Which brings me back the the indicator... Yes, on Tuesday, I have Embedded Systems, a brief break, and then in quick succession Diff EQ, Microelectronics, and then Microelectronics lab for a roughly 13 hour day including bus rides.  Joy. Barring Tuesday, though its not so bad.

My workout routine over Christmas break

But I’m not stopping there, because evidently I am a glutton for punishment.  I’m going to start working out again.  I haven’t been to the gym in… well, a really long time.  A couple months ago, my friend Nathanael told me that there are drop-in PE courses at the PSU student rec center that are free for students, for all kinds of activities like cycling, yoga, weight training, boot camp, etc.  I wanted to go sooner, but my schedule last term didn’t permit.  Anyway, seeing as I am technically already paying for this service, its time to start using it. 

Also, inspired by Beth’s new goal of running a 10k race this spring, I am going to start running again as well.  I really enjoyed the Couch to 5K (C25K) program when I tried it a couple years ago, so I’m going to do it again.  For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, it’s a neat program designed to take you from a couch potato to running 5K (~3 miles) in 30 minutes, and it is 10 weeks long so it corresponds perfectly with school.   The great thing about it is that everything is already planned out for you in advance.  When it first came out, there were podcasts that played music and told you when to start or stop running, so you could just focus and not worry about distance or time.  Now, there are smartphone apps that do all of that and also track your performance, location, and pace, and allow you to listen to whatever music you want.  Not bad for $1.60.

All together, with the classes at the rec center and the C25K program, I will be getting exercise 5-6 times per week, up from zero.  So I’m excited about that now.  Ask me again in 5 weeks.