The Fallout

So, here is the post test-test-paper-paper fallout. Well, the majority of it.

Geography test was one of those where after I took it, it felt way too easy. It was on Oceania (Australia and all of the Pacific islands) and all of east and south Asia. Whenever I was unsure of an answer I did the process of elimination thing with my answer choices. It can't be A because of this, or B because of that... most of the time the answer wound up being Indonesia. I walked out of the room thinking "Man, Indonesia was either always the correct answer, or Indonesia really screwed me."

Result: I got a 94 on this test. Before any bonus points or anything on ALL of the tests in this class I've gotten a 94. I hope he doesn't think I'm cheating.

The following week, the week of Thanksgiving I turned in a paper and I got a 93 on it. We had a book report due on the five themes of geography that are contained in the book we had to read. The book I had to read was really good, and his main critique of my paper said that I basically should have spelled out the theme I was going to write about.

I'm pretty sure this is college, and I shouldn't have to say "The next theme I am going to write about is interaction with the environment." All of my changes of themes went something like "One instance of place contained in this book is... "

Meh. Either way, I got a 93 on that paper. He also handed us each a sheet that had our grades on it and what we need on the final to to make an A, B, etc... I can get a 68 on the final and still get an A in his class. I rule.

Government test was a hideous bitch. LOTS of memorization and it was really just one big pump and dump. I filled in what I could where I knew things, and for the most part I knew it. The following week when we went back to class he told us a breakdown. The class average went DOWN by about 15 pts if I remember right and he broke it down by grades. There were 2 A's, 1 B.... and the rest were C's, D's and F's.

I got the B. Once I read my grade I almost did a backflip. That test was awful. Apparently this was the hardest test he'll give out, so the final should be easier.

I handed in my second and THANK GOD final paper on Hamlet today. Not my best work by any means, but hey, it got handed in. I'll do real well on the final, which is a poetry analysis that we have to do in class. Hopefully that pulls my grade and I can maintain a B.

That's all for now. I'll try and post at least one more time before finals are over with.

Analyze This.

Tonight's English class was really interesting. We've left Shakespeare safely behind (Paper is due after the holiday, but we're not covering it in class anymore) and we're moving on to poetry. Tonight, was all about analysis. Mr. English eased us into this with some familiar material, moving on to some more difficult things.

One of the things he had us analyze were some common nursery rhymes. One of which was Jack and Jill.

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.

Same thing since you were a kid, right? Well, I had a different take on it. Jack is in a position of power. Jill is his mistress. They run off (went up the hill) to engage in some extra-marital activities (to fetch a pail of water, water is satisfying) Jack got found out (Jack fell down) and lost his power (broke his crown) and then Jill was chastised for participating in this affair as well. (And Jill came tumbling after)

It's not wrong if you can somehow back it up, apparently.

So, then we did a couple of other nursery rhymes, and a few actual poems. Then, he decided we we were going to do a song. So, he brings up a video with the lyrics for... Hotel California.

I hate The Eagles.

I groan and he stops in his tracks and says "What, you don't like this song?"
Student- "No. I don't. I really can't stand this song."
Girl sitting next to me- "WHAT??!? How can you NOT like The Red Hot Chili Peppers!?!?"

Mr. English and I both laughed. Like, loud and a lot. I'm not sure if that's better or worse than the other girl that though that Led Zeppelin wrote "Welcome To The Jungle".

I feel five pounds lighter!

No, the title of this is NOT a poo joke, but it would have been funny, wouldn't it?

Last week was a lot of prep for this horrific week I have in front of me. Test, Test, Paper due... Last Wednesday night was a great relief for me though, thanks to Mr. English.

Roll into class and the first and only thing on my mind was that paper we turned in the week before. Once he gets to class and starts setting his things up, I had to ask. "So, how bad were those Hamlet papers?"

"Surprisingly not too bad. I'll be handing them out shortly. I was pretty easy on people for the most part, but should you have gotten an A on this essay, you deserved an A on this essay."

That wasn't too harsh, I'm still expecting a C or so on this thing. Once we get started he pulls the papers out of his bag on his desk and puts a slide on the projector with a short list of about six items, saying "If you screwed up on the paper, here's what you probably did." As he explained what each item was I realized, I had done none of the mistakes listed on here. Maybe I got a B.

I get my paper back and to my SURPRISE I got an A+ on it. Hot diggity damn! That makes me feel much better. After those all got passed out he changes the subject to the next paper we have due on Hamlet.

"I know I said this longer essay was going to be due on the 15th, but I'm going to change that. Your papers are due on the 29th, the week after Thanksgiving."

HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD! This gives me TWO EXTRA WEEKS and a whole lot more time to study for geography and government which I desperately need. Well, at least for government, I'm pretty sure I've got geography nailed down.

I've also figured out a new study tactic. I was reading through my government stuff on Saturday when I realized... Hey, I've got this nifty voice recorder app on my phone, I should record myself reading my notes and listen to it all day at work on Monday and Tuesday! Why didn't I think of this earlier. So here I am at work, blogging, and listening to my notes on congress. Suppose I should get some actual work done. I'll post  how my tests went once I get grades back.

Let's see what else I can have in one month..

So, it's been a while. Here's what's up.

It's the start of a new month and the semester is winding down. Naturally, that means I have EVERYTHING possible going on as far as school. Here's what I've got:

Today is Nov. 6.
Test in Geography- Nov. 12
Test in Government- Nov. 13
Major paper due on Hamlet in English- Nov. 14
Book report due in Geography- Nov. 19
Final concert report due in Music- Nov. 29

Yeah, that's what I've got going on. Next week with the two tests and the paper is going to be killer. I've got off tonight because it's election day and Dr. Government has decided to throw a party at his house instead of teaching class, so, I'll be studying and possibly writing that Hamlet paper.

On top of all that, I have a wedding to attend next weekend, company in town THIS weekend and well, work. I knew this was going to be like this for the next few years. I can handle it... I can handle it...

As far as dumb stuff happening in class, nothing really major has happened since I last posted, and I'm quite surprised. I guess all of the idiots have dropped. It's about that time where you can drop a class and not get penalized for it. I think it's this week, actually. Hopefully the herd thins out and the dumber ones get lost.

I'll be sure to post again when I can. I really didn't think it would get to the point where I would be this busy, but hey, this stuff happens!