Interesting, interesting. (Well, to me, anyway. Boring to anyone else, so sorry for the long post.)
Oh, yeah, well I suppose it's been a while since my last post, so the usual updates: so far, I'm doing well in all of my classes, though it's still up in the air which way I'll go in philosophy. While my other classes (math 453, soc. 100, etc.) have had exams, midterms, multiple quizzes thus far, so I know how I'm doing, phil. 418 has had just one quiz. Its midterm is on Monday, so I'll have a better idea of how I'm doing after that.
...so on to the more interesting stuff.
A month ago, the math department sent out a flyer regarding a NASA internship for science undergrads. I've decided I'm going to try to get in on the program, and have begun reaching out to former math professors to get letters of recommendation. It's doubtful I'll get in, but it's worth trying. As the usual line goes, the worst they can say is "no." (As for my pessimism, it's warranted primarily because of my part-time student status. I'm not being down on myself for being not good enough or anything. The application asks that the student be full-time for the requested semester(s). Thing is, it's an on-site internship with a stipend, for which I'd be able to afford a leave of absence from work. I can be a full-time student for that semester if I get in... so... yeah.)
Gearing up for the internship application has begun to open a few doors, lift a few blinds, remove a few blinders. At this late date in my student "career," I'm still quite ignorant about how academic stuff works. I go to school, take classes, do extra stuff like mentoring when the opportunities are offered, but I have never had a clue about how to actively seek things out. Contacting professors has begun to reveal other programs, other internships... so if NASA says no, there are other things to go for that I'd have never known about. NSA, Department of Defense. (Yeah, lots of government stuff, and if anyone quotes a line from Good Will Hunting, I'll scream.) Talking to students about my plans illuminates the little unknown processes behind the school walls. How to, say, actually apply for things. How to ask prior professors for advice. Actual uses for a math degree when I graduate.
That last one was interesting. A fellow math major (who has been a peer in multiple classes, though last week was the first time we did more than just say "hi") mentioned that she was being heavily recruited by multiple companies, and she's not even graduated. I expressed (happy) surprise at such a situation, and the others in class looked at me like I had three eyes. "Do you know how in demand we are right now?" "No..." "Companies are impressed with just a bachelor's if it's in math... haven't you applied anywhere yet?" "No, I've a while to go before I graduate." "No, no, that doesn't matter, they're taking us right now..." blah blah blah. I guess companies are so desperate for math-literate folks that they're actively recruiting undergrads. They're paying for post-grad studies, they're paying for undergrad studies. And they're throwing a lot of money into the drive.
What it was was the first realization that what I'm doing has some application. I still have so much of this head-in-the-clouds attitude that plagued me in elementary school, where I get so focused on learning that it never dawns on me that there's an end somewhere...
(I remember some project we had in sixth grade, 1986 or so, where we had to make posters to decorate the walls above our desks. I did something dorky, probably, involving computers or something. I believe I drew Snoopy on it as well. At the end of the day, I noticed a lot of the other students had "class of '92" themes on their posters. "What's that mean?" *blank look* "No, really, what does this 'class of 92' slogan mean?" *blank look* Finally, someone explained that 1992 was the projected year in which we'd graduate from high school.
School ended? I'd been in school for most of my life, so the idea that it came to an end just had never occurred to me. I was never aware that there were 12 grades. I guess I knew it ended eventually-- all these adults seemed to not go to school-- but it was an abstract concept regarding the future that I never thought of applying to myself. Even after learning there was this concrete future date, it didn't seem real... one of the reasons I dropped out after junior high, honestly. It felt like I'd be there forever if I didn't find a way to escape. Too, I thought it was a bit of hubris on the part of the other students to assume six years in advance that they'd be capable of making it.)
So, yeah. Same thing here. I've been slogging through classes for 5 years now, racking up credits, strategically pursuing a degree... but I never felt like I was getting anywhere. I'm 100 credit hours into the math degree (three more math classes and some mopping up in other requirements, and I'm done), but my brain had yet to switch into "what's next?" mode. That finally began on Thursday. It was like a caffeine high, a buzzing in my brain, to realize that I'm actually going to make it. I can do something with what I'm learning, and I won't be a Wal-Mart employee all my life. (Well, unless Wal-Mart corporate recruits me for my math skills...)
Process begun. Looking for internships, meeting with an advisor to begin switching into career mode. A bit of ear-scritching when faculty hedge their promises ("well, you might be able to intern next year somewhere") until they load up my transcripts... and then simply say "Jesus Christ, I don't think you're going to have a problem getting somewhere good." Scritch scritch.
...
So, I went dancing at Ike and Jonesey's last night, first time in a month or so. It was a little awkward, as I&J had been the subject of bemused discussion in my sociology class just that morning. During a discussion of an article on collegiate rape culture, I mentioned that the "high risk/low risk" fraternities sounded a lot like some dance clubs... I was thinking Broad Ripple, but my teacher chuckled and said "Oh, I could write a book on Ike & Jonesey's. Just sitting there and watching the people in that place is fascinating. I've never seen such a blatant 'hook-up' place in my life!" (And hook-up in this context doesn't mean "meet a nice person of the appropriate gender for conversation and a date..."). Other students began groaning/chuckling/chiming in on their experiences with the place. I was a little surprised... I guess like my single-mindedness with school (what? it ends?), I'm really dense with dance clubs. It's a dance club, so the reason to go is to dance, right?
Guess not. I understand a little now why Heather always seemed a little put off that I kept wanting to go dancing, and would go without her. I really just like dancing, and appreciate the music at I&J moreso than, oh, anywhere else... but if it has such notoriety, I guess it's easy to be suspicious.
So, with that in mind, Tony and I went. I kept wondering if I was going to run into fellow students, or even my professor. The floor was somewhat empty upon arrival, so we got out and danced for a bit. Eventually, a couple of women worked their way over, and things were awkward until I was introduced to one of their husbands. Oh! They're there to dance, too! So, in the corner of a "hook up" place, six of us enjoyed hopping around like Charlie Brown and friends.
Near the end of the night, I caught the eye of a cute woman who'd caught my eye earlier. We danced-- close, which is always an oddity for me-- and she took off to go do something. "I'm going to come back and look for you!" Right. I went to get a Coke, figured that was it, headed back to the dance floor, and... well, surprise, she was out there looking for me. She happily took my hand and danced with me again... aww. I was a bit shaky by that point, nervous and stammering as the night came to a close, so I'm sure I sounded like a moron as I asked if I'd get to see her again. She said yes. She gave me a business card, told me to contact her... so as I type this, there's another window open where I'm hemming and hawing, editing and reediting a short e-mail in an effort to (re)impress her. Neat. Scary, but neat. Her business card reveals she's a professional, educated... she works for the IN House of Representatives; hopefully we're on the same wavelength politically. (Not sure this bleeding-heart could date a conservative. I still shiver when I recall my cousin trying to set me up with her friend who had a framed photo of Reagan up on her living room wall...)
<time lapse> okay... just sent it off. Wish me luck, anyone reading this.
Oh, yeah, well I suppose it's been a while since my last post, so the usual updates: so far, I'm doing well in all of my classes, though it's still up in the air which way I'll go in philosophy. While my other classes (math 453, soc. 100, etc.) have had exams, midterms, multiple quizzes thus far, so I know how I'm doing, phil. 418 has had just one quiz. Its midterm is on Monday, so I'll have a better idea of how I'm doing after that.
...so on to the more interesting stuff.
A month ago, the math department sent out a flyer regarding a NASA internship for science undergrads. I've decided I'm going to try to get in on the program, and have begun reaching out to former math professors to get letters of recommendation. It's doubtful I'll get in, but it's worth trying. As the usual line goes, the worst they can say is "no." (As for my pessimism, it's warranted primarily because of my part-time student status. I'm not being down on myself for being not good enough or anything. The application asks that the student be full-time for the requested semester(s). Thing is, it's an on-site internship with a stipend, for which I'd be able to afford a leave of absence from work. I can be a full-time student for that semester if I get in... so... yeah.)
Gearing up for the internship application has begun to open a few doors, lift a few blinds, remove a few blinders. At this late date in my student "career," I'm still quite ignorant about how academic stuff works. I go to school, take classes, do extra stuff like mentoring when the opportunities are offered, but I have never had a clue about how to actively seek things out. Contacting professors has begun to reveal other programs, other internships... so if NASA says no, there are other things to go for that I'd have never known about. NSA, Department of Defense. (Yeah, lots of government stuff, and if anyone quotes a line from Good Will Hunting, I'll scream.) Talking to students about my plans illuminates the little unknown processes behind the school walls. How to, say, actually apply for things. How to ask prior professors for advice. Actual uses for a math degree when I graduate.
That last one was interesting. A fellow math major (who has been a peer in multiple classes, though last week was the first time we did more than just say "hi") mentioned that she was being heavily recruited by multiple companies, and she's not even graduated. I expressed (happy) surprise at such a situation, and the others in class looked at me like I had three eyes. "Do you know how in demand we are right now?" "No..." "Companies are impressed with just a bachelor's if it's in math... haven't you applied anywhere yet?" "No, I've a while to go before I graduate." "No, no, that doesn't matter, they're taking us right now..." blah blah blah. I guess companies are so desperate for math-literate folks that they're actively recruiting undergrads. They're paying for post-grad studies, they're paying for undergrad studies. And they're throwing a lot of money into the drive.
What it was was the first realization that what I'm doing has some application. I still have so much of this head-in-the-clouds attitude that plagued me in elementary school, where I get so focused on learning that it never dawns on me that there's an end somewhere...
(I remember some project we had in sixth grade, 1986 or so, where we had to make posters to decorate the walls above our desks. I did something dorky, probably, involving computers or something. I believe I drew Snoopy on it as well. At the end of the day, I noticed a lot of the other students had "class of '92" themes on their posters. "What's that mean?" *blank look* "No, really, what does this 'class of 92' slogan mean?" *blank look* Finally, someone explained that 1992 was the projected year in which we'd graduate from high school.
School ended? I'd been in school for most of my life, so the idea that it came to an end just had never occurred to me. I was never aware that there were 12 grades. I guess I knew it ended eventually-- all these adults seemed to not go to school-- but it was an abstract concept regarding the future that I never thought of applying to myself. Even after learning there was this concrete future date, it didn't seem real... one of the reasons I dropped out after junior high, honestly. It felt like I'd be there forever if I didn't find a way to escape. Too, I thought it was a bit of hubris on the part of the other students to assume six years in advance that they'd be capable of making it.)
So, yeah. Same thing here. I've been slogging through classes for 5 years now, racking up credits, strategically pursuing a degree... but I never felt like I was getting anywhere. I'm 100 credit hours into the math degree (three more math classes and some mopping up in other requirements, and I'm done), but my brain had yet to switch into "what's next?" mode. That finally began on Thursday. It was like a caffeine high, a buzzing in my brain, to realize that I'm actually going to make it. I can do something with what I'm learning, and I won't be a Wal-Mart employee all my life. (Well, unless Wal-Mart corporate recruits me for my math skills...)
Process begun. Looking for internships, meeting with an advisor to begin switching into career mode. A bit of ear-scritching when faculty hedge their promises ("well, you might be able to intern next year somewhere") until they load up my transcripts... and then simply say "Jesus Christ, I don't think you're going to have a problem getting somewhere good." Scritch scritch.
...
So, I went dancing at Ike and Jonesey's last night, first time in a month or so. It was a little awkward, as I&J had been the subject of bemused discussion in my sociology class just that morning. During a discussion of an article on collegiate rape culture, I mentioned that the "high risk/low risk" fraternities sounded a lot like some dance clubs... I was thinking Broad Ripple, but my teacher chuckled and said "Oh, I could write a book on Ike & Jonesey's. Just sitting there and watching the people in that place is fascinating. I've never seen such a blatant 'hook-up' place in my life!" (And hook-up in this context doesn't mean "meet a nice person of the appropriate gender for conversation and a date..."). Other students began groaning/chuckling/chiming in on their experiences with the place. I was a little surprised... I guess like my single-mindedness with school (what? it ends?), I'm really dense with dance clubs. It's a dance club, so the reason to go is to dance, right?
Guess not. I understand a little now why Heather always seemed a little put off that I kept wanting to go dancing, and would go without her. I really just like dancing, and appreciate the music at I&J moreso than, oh, anywhere else... but if it has such notoriety, I guess it's easy to be suspicious.
So, with that in mind, Tony and I went. I kept wondering if I was going to run into fellow students, or even my professor. The floor was somewhat empty upon arrival, so we got out and danced for a bit. Eventually, a couple of women worked their way over, and things were awkward until I was introduced to one of their husbands. Oh! They're there to dance, too! So, in the corner of a "hook up" place, six of us enjoyed hopping around like Charlie Brown and friends.
Near the end of the night, I caught the eye of a cute woman who'd caught my eye earlier. We danced-- close, which is always an oddity for me-- and she took off to go do something. "I'm going to come back and look for you!" Right. I went to get a Coke, figured that was it, headed back to the dance floor, and... well, surprise, she was out there looking for me. She happily took my hand and danced with me again... aww. I was a bit shaky by that point, nervous and stammering as the night came to a close, so I'm sure I sounded like a moron as I asked if I'd get to see her again. She said yes. She gave me a business card, told me to contact her... so as I type this, there's another window open where I'm hemming and hawing, editing and reediting a short e-mail in an effort to (re)impress her. Neat. Scary, but neat. Her business card reveals she's a professional, educated... she works for the IN House of Representatives; hopefully we're on the same wavelength politically. (Not sure this bleeding-heart could date a conservative. I still shiver when I recall my cousin trying to set me up with her friend who had a framed photo of Reagan up on her living room wall...)
<time lapse> okay... just sent it off. Wish me luck, anyone reading this.