How do you do it, because for me, I could do it but if I don't understand it and trying to read from the book and whatnot, "I'm like wtf am I doing?" Man, school is so depressing, when you think you're out of HS you're free but in fact, you're trapped in another institution that we call college. A higher learning. A higher education. I took my midterms for telecomm. today and I guess I bombed it so bad that the prof. had to give me an F. I don't know how he will curve that, I hope he does and explains shit on Tuesday because everyone who has had him before always says he curves. I don't know, I tend to doubt things.

Labs/hw: 1/3 of final grade.
Midterm: 1/3 of final grade.
Finals: 1/3 of final grade.

So right now I'm 2/3 done. FUCK. Someone give me advice, ask someone in the class to explain some/other concepts? This professor's lectures suck, out of 25 people, only 4 people really get it. Gah, this makes me edgy and depressed and it's the weekend.

Jibba

United States22883 Posts

March 21 2008 03:19 GMT

I'm pretty diligent about reading and studying these days, but if it's particularly difficult higher level theoretical stuff I read the "right" way. That is, you read introduction/conclusion paragraphs to all sections and all the graphs. I'm not sure how that would work in telecommunications, but in political science it gives me a pretty thorough gist of the chapter, since social theorists like to state what they're about to do and what they've just done about 19,000 times.

Raithed

China7078 Posts

March 21 2008 03:24 GMT

On March 21 2008 12:19 Jibba wrote:
I'm pretty diligent about reading and studying these days, but if it's particularly difficult higher level theoretical stuff I read the "right" way. That is, you read introduction/conclusion paragraphs to all sections and all the graphs. I'm not sure how that would work in telecommunications, but in political science it gives me a pretty thorough gist of the chapter, since social theorists like to state what they're about to do and what they've just done about 19,000 times.

I get what you mean and yes, the intro/conclusions help. Last night I stayed on the phone with 2 classmates from the same class solving dB crap, like I posted here. The thing is, he would give us notes on the board and would put a random number up there, and when we ask wtf that number is, he breezes through it once and tells you to ask someone else in the class. I'm diligent about studying too but not something when I don't understand it. The book doesn't have the stuff we are doing in class.

Jibba

United States22883 Posts

March 21 2008 03:28 GMT

Ah. I find that reading that way allows me to go back and read the main body with greater understanding, and I've been advised that's it's a crucial skill to succeed in grad school, but I can't really offer much help to your problems.

Raithed

China7078 Posts

March 21 2008 03:30 GMT

Thanks for listening to my rant anyway. I'll see what he does with the grades on Tuesday because I'm 80% certain I'm not the only people that received an F...

ahrara_

Afghanistan1715 Posts

March 21 2008 03:40 GMT

If you really couldn't give a shit about what you're studying, you're probably not studying the right thing. I felt the same way when I did physics for a while. I just didn't have interest. I'm totally digging my political theory classes.

Raithed

China7078 Posts

March 21 2008 03:42 GMT

Rofl, I don't want to change now, I'm so fucking deep into it. It's the professors really because I've had one EE professor that, wow, he was amazing at teaching it. The concept and everything was amazingly clear. I made be weak at math but he made it so frigging easy.

micronesia

United States24747 Posts

March 21 2008 03:44 GMT

On March 21 2008 12:40 ahrara_ wrote:
If you really couldn't give a shit about what you're studying, you're probably not studying the right thing. I felt the same way when I did physics for a while. I just didn't have interest. I'm totally digging my political theory classes.

Wtf is wrong you with? You felt that way about PHYSICS!? Lol to be serious I felt that way with some topics in physics also.

ahrara_

Afghanistan1715 Posts

March 21 2008 04:22 GMT

Fuck the classical wave equation.

Raithed

China7078 Posts

March 21 2008 04:34 GMT

#10

Fuck all waves, fuck dB, fuck frequency.

imBLIND

United States2626 Posts

March 21 2008 04:43 GMT

#11

Try doing this: usually works for me whenever i feel like theres a huge hole in my gut.
1. Join a good play/obs game
2. Take book out/Whatever u are studying
3. Play a musical instrument (any musical instrument; if you dont know how to play one, i suggest learning a few chords on a guitar or something).
4. Listen to some music of the instrument you are playing.
5. Switch to some other music
6. Go on google news and read the latest story
7. Go to sleep for one hour
8. Wake up and study

Its supposed to brainwash you into doing nothing but studying =p

FragKrag

United States11554 Posts

March 21 2008 04:45 GMT

#12

Your method destroys itself because it involves 1 game of SC which will form an infinite loop of SC games.

Raithed

China7078 Posts

March 21 2008 04:50 GMT

#13

On March 21 2008 13:43 imBLIND wrote:
Try doing this: usually works for me whenever i feel like theres a huge hole in my gut.
1. Join a good play/obs game
2. Take book out/Whatever u are studying
3. Play a musical instrument (any musical instrument; if you dont know how to play one, i suggest learning a few chords on a guitar or something).
4. Listen to some music of the instrument you are playing.
5. Switch to some other music
6. Go on google news and read the latest story
7. Go to sleep for one hour
8. Wake up and study

Its supposed to brainwash you into doing nothing but studying =p

Doesn't help, I only do those stuff(mainly play 4-5 games of SC) when I'm fed up with studying.

imBLIND

United States2626 Posts

March 21 2008 04:59 GMT

#14

hey do u guys have any better ways to get rid of addiction?
I'd like to see ur way of torture.

GrayArea

United States872 Posts

March 21 2008 05:49 GMT

#15

You have to be motivated to succeed. If you truly want to succeed, you will sit down and study your ass off because your life depends on it. The more you study and better grades you get, it will help you in your future career. If you don't have the motivation, then its hard.

Slithe

United States985 Posts

March 21 2008 06:00 GMT

#16

It helps if you find the stuff you're learning genuinely interesting. It's easier to study if you like the material. It also helps to do some research on the professors of classes before choosing, since that can make a BIG difference.

MaRiNe23

United States747 Posts

March 26 2008 00:59 GMT

#17

omg Rathied i have this EXACT same problem whre u talk about u wanting and trying to do the work but if u don't understand what ur reading it truely is impossible to do the work. I find myself just staring and daydreaming for minutes on while i stare at it, not understanding, wasting so much time. So if anyone has some advices for this kinda thing it would be great.

And to the poster above me, how do i become "genuinely interested" in the topic im studying. I don't even understand what's going on, how do i force myself to like it? Are you supposed to MAKE urself like it?

fight_or_flight

United States3988 Posts

March 26 2008 02:08 GMT

#18

Go to office hours.

useLess

United States4781 Posts

March 26 2008 04:19 GMT

#19

If you have outlines or printouts, look over those first as pre-reading. Then when you get down to reading and studying, look at the major points usually bulletpointed, bolded, etc. One thing that helps me a lot is learning about the concept. If you know why and how something works, youll understand it even if its explained in another way or whatever.