Terminalcoffee discussion

Ladies and gentlemen, spring break is rapidly approaching for many college students across our fine nation. High schools and grade schools usually wait until Easter for spring break, at least around here, so they've got to wait a few weeks. But young Matthew, etc. will soon have a little time off.

What would you do with a free week right now? What should college students do with their spring breaks? If you ever had a spring break, what did you do?

I always worked over my spring breaks. Yes, I know, exciting. My wife, however, has stories about she and her friends jumping in the car in Pittsburgh and driving down to Florida. I think they're probably leaving out some details. I'm ok with that. This year I'm going to Chicago, just for a day, to see the Munch show. Or maybe just to the Milwaukee Art Museum. I haven't decided yet. But I'll have to work my ass off this week to make sure I can take off time over break.

And...you?

My break begins on the 14th, and ends on the 22nd. I plan to go home and sleep.

Today marks the first day of midterms... awesome.

Good luck, sir! I hope you weren't up all night studying...get some sleep.

I'm fine. I slept from 11:30-3:00. Back to work! It's cramming time!

Break begins the weekend of the 21st. I will be staying at school, catching up on reading, and enjoying a quieter Berkeley -- partly because I found it lovely and restful last year, and partly because my biochem professor scheduled a midterm for 9am on the Monday we get back. With all due respect: WTF?

Good luck, Matt! Not that you need it. : ) I didn't realize midterms were such a fixed thing at other schools? All right before spring break, I mean. Mine have been scattered throughout the last 2-3 weeks.

Nools! I keep forgetting you're in college, too. My apologies.

My students asked to move an assignment back from the week after spring break...I didn't have a problem with that...9AM the Monday after spring break? Why? That's evil.

Haha, that's okay, RA. I don't mention it much -- and from the amount of classwork I do on an average day, you'd think I'd forgotten I was in college, myself.

I'm sure it was the first thing they settled at the course-planning meeting. "Fine, we'll grade them on a curve, but in return: exams as close to break as possible! Muahaha!"

In those words, exactly... :/;;

Hah, yeah, we have a lot this week. At least we get them out of the way, right? This History of the Unconscious/Jungian Reasoning class is killing me. Might singlehandedly ruin my desire to pursue philosophy as a minor. I'd take my DiffGeo over this in a heartbeat.

Ugh, I can't wait for break! My cousin gets to have her midterms spread out over 3 weeks (Like what Nools said). Lucky Harvardians.

You're making me jealous, Nools!

i had a spring break in Daytona in 1982 that i am still sorta recovering from

Mine was Daytona 1978 Kevin.

Myrtle Beach. Before 1978.

i remember some of mine. i do know that anytime someone says Mai Tai out loud i have an involuntary gag reflex. ah....spring break

My friends and I spent all of our spring breaks camping. We would pick someplace about six-eight hours drive south, since it would still be chilly here. My favorites were Stone Mountain, NC and Cloudland Canyon in North Carolina. I love camping, and being in a group so you don't have to do all of the cooking is nice...

i slept in my car alot during spring break but was not actually camping

My spring break isn't until April 6-11.

Better weather for camping.

Oh hell, Sarah. That's practically summer!

Well, it's junior college. What do you expect?

Well it will be warmer then anyway.

And my midterms are all wonky, too. But I'm sure they're a piece of cake compared to Princeton's, so I won't complain.

I went to the beach for spring break back in my college days, but it was in Oregon. Not exactly bikini weather...

[image error]

Great shot, Jackie.

Whoo! One midterm down!... Five to go.

Matt: you're taking 6 classes?

...???!

One of the midterms is split into two parts. HotU/JR (the bane of my existence) falls into this category. I'm currently taking 5 courses.

Wow. Midterms that are too long to fit into a single midterm session. I'm sorry, that sounds terrible!

Yeah, it sucks. My plan is to graduate in three years, though, so I should get used to doing ridiculous amounts of work. I love you, Advanced Standing.

(Not really.)

Well, sorta.

If I transfer, I could finish in two years. I'd have to work this summer, though.

Really?? You WANT to finish early?

I have the units to graduate in May, but I'm staying an extra semester, and I'm happy for it. After all, you're only undergrad once! ^^;; Also, I keep hearing it's a good time to be in school. I guess if you know what you want to do next, it's good to go straight for it.

I really miss college.

Come back, Sandi! : ) It's never too late to learn stuff!

In some of my lectures, I'll see people who very obviously aren't in the 18-22-year-old age group. I chatted with a very pleasant lady in 19th-Century Lit once who explained her children were off to college, so she decided to do a bit of studying herself. Regardless of where I end up thirty years from now (childless, in America, President of the World), I hope I'll have the means and time to take a class every so often. Or teach one, maybe? I love school.

I actually did go back when I was 29 and got my English degree when I was 32. I had dropped out after three semesters when I was 19. My life is just too busy for classes right now.

Maybe I'll start taking classes when my son goes off to college.

Ha, I've been pretty miserable in college thus far, so... I don't know, maybe I'll stay. I suppose class of 2012 sounds better than class of 2011...

I'm sorry college has been hard on you, Matt. I count myself so fortunate that I don't regret the school I chose, though there have been some very depressing months, for sure. Whether or not it means transferring (come to Berkeley!), it seems like you're carrying yourself well and not shutting out your responsibilities. And it can only get better from here? Also, you come across as much more mature than most first years. Maybe the grad-school lifestyle will suit you better?

This isn't helping much, is it? -_-;

We have great English/Astronomy/Physics (and probably Astrophysics?) departments! Budget cuts are only making it harder. And I'm not entirely sure it's worth the out-of-state tuition, to be honest. Whatever you decide to do, with your abilities, you still have a very bright future splayed out welcoming-ly before you. : ) Minus the economy and stuff.

And getting older is not easy. I can't believe I'm approaching the end of my 3rd year already.

I'm not worried about the tuition. I'll just bother my parents about it. Haha, it always works.

Hundreds of people are converging on New Orleans this month to volunteer during their spring break... NOLA still needs all the help it can get (hint hint).

Don't be depressed about grad school--compared to being an undergrad, it is an incredibly liberating and stimulating experience. You just soak yourself in books and articles and heated discussions and brilliant term papers. You'll love it! Nools and Grandpa Matthew, both, I think.

I want to go to grad school. I want to be a student again. I just can't figure out what I want to study.

Ha, I've been pretty miserable in college thus far, so... I don't know, maybe I'll stay

I went through a lot of that in undergrad as well, Matthew, and your classes sound way more intense than mine. What about cutting back a bit so you can have more of a life? Of course, you'd have to decide this when you're not studying for midterms so you get more of a perspective.

A slew of our students are heading south to help with habitat with humanity. I wanted to go but I don't want to be away from my kids for that long.

I'm taking a class called "Christian Moral Theology" this summer. Yay free tuition for employees.

Yeah, Matthew, I agree that taking it slower might be better. College should be enjoyable, not just a grind. And I don't mean keggers, I mean the actual classes and learning part.
I LOVED my college years, so much so that I went to grad school. Being around people who enjoyed learning, and who were interested in the same subjects I was, was a joy. I hate to see someone go through school and not have the time to appreciate what's there.

And I don't mean keggers,

I do. At least in part.

But I agree with Jackie's general message:)

I'll be fine, I'm sure. "The Unnecessary Agonies of a Painfully Introverted Young Man!"

I need a drink.

:::pours Matt a stiff root beer:::

Haha, thanks, Jackie.

Nothing like a foamy Thomas Kemper to take the edge off, right Matthew?

Matthew, are you taking one "just because" class each semester? It something I highly recommend. My daughter majored in Geophysics/Space Physics, but she made sure to take at least one music class each quarter. I took P.E. classes like fencing to work off stress and to learn new skills. I think it really helps to take one class just for enjoyment.

As an undergrad I always took one film class every semester.

Yeah, Introduction to Film Analysis fills that "just because" space quite well. I love it.

So.... I have a midterm tomorrow that I have sorta studied for. I have no idea what material will be on the exam. My teacher sucks. Basically, he said to know everything ever written in the entire world. Because we should learn it, because we might want to write our dissertation on it some day. WTF?
So I guess I need to memorize the entire Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volumes D&E. Gah. I'm stressed.

I am sorry, Sarah. :(

It will all be over soon? Hang in there!!

Ah, that's terrible, Sarah!

I'm sure you'll be fine, though.