Day 058: The second test results and lab info

We got our tests back today and I did fine. An A for those of you that are wondering so, again, fine. I missed this question that was obvious but my brain was malfunctioning and switched the concepts/ideas (bonds forming = exothermic, bonds breaking = endothermic) and got the problem wrong. However, that was the only problem I got wrong so there's not much to complain about.

I really am terribly sorry I don't blog as much. I've realized that lecture and its accompanied homework/practice problems are not what's keeping me busy. It's lab. Let me fill you in on the 411...

Lab is worth one credit. Class/lecture is worth three credits. However, I swear to you, I am spending more than 50% of my time every single day working on lab. The lab reports are waayyyy more involved than they should be and they take forever and a half because reports are the only grades you can get and it's just ridiculous!

Par example, we have a (formal) proposal due in Monday for lab. A proposal! We don't even know what we're doing half the time (because lab rarely correlates with lecture and we're doing stuff because they tell us to -- nothing conceptual and nothing really gets taught) so you somehow expect us to create a proposal? And of course they're freaking scientists so they don't tell you length or any of that crap. Here's how you source, look here, go! ...UGH.

Basically, lab is consuming my life and it sucks.

On another note, I really like my professors/instructors this session. I like how methodical my lecture professor is and he's really helpful and succinct and organized and methodical and basically all things one wants in a professor.

The wand is just for effect. It's all in the chemistry.

He's so cute, he makes these dorky chem jokes and then he laughs at them and my friends make fun of his laugh because its a little bit like a bark and a little bit like Butthead's laugh (or is it Beavis? I never watched the show, thank goodness) from "Beavis and Butthead". An awful show and an awful reference but its the truest one there is. My only true critique would be that he has a very monotone voice so its easy to not pay attention and realize you missed a chunk of something. My lab instructor is so much more organized and actually teaches in pre-lab so we're not going in blind (like we did most days in Summer Session I). She's really friendly and she knows my friends and I 'cause we work and study hard and ask her for help on lab reports so she knows what's up.

I know this is long but I thought I should get everything in while I have time and it's still fresh on the mind. I'm serious guys, all I eat, live and breathe is chemistry right now.