Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Chew!!! Chew!!!

Somebody once told me to remember how to eat an elephant.

I'm so thankful that when I'm overwhelmed that I have that tip. This is one of those weeks. It's been hard to keep blinders on and do one thing at a time because so much is going on and it's gotten so easy to fall behind. When I look ahead, I see more things coming that will make me more overwhelmed than I already am. I just want a breather.

I'm determined to run another Mercedes. I'm working mornings and afternoons in radio. I have classes in between. Somewhere I have to study and sleep... and there is that eating thing, it's kind of important. This is one of the harder weeks I've had since my life went from a easy pace of 35 miles per hour to 135. I have back to back tests this week. Not just tests, major exams. Microbiology, CS (which is painfully easy, thank God!), and my nemesis, Anthropology.

Anthropology is the thorn in my side! It's ridiculous! Thanks to @thegeekwife who verified that it is overly complicated for an entry level course! Knowing that I'm not the only one wanted to scream at this crazy professor makes me feel more sane. This woman draws hearts on her question marks and dots her "i's" with hearts! HEARTS!!


Who does that??????? She's a college professor!! In this evil class that should be much more enjoyable and interesting, she loves to lecture and use every piece of technology in the room. She invents a lecture segment or project for each knew gadget she finds. She's never heard the term "keep it simple". Obviously. And she's prissy. I understand this is a week argument as to why she shouldn't be teaching Anthropology, but it's just annoying. It's like I'm taking a class from Elle Woods! Not to mention, this is her first year at UA. Before, she was at Indiana. For a year. As an assistant. Just an assistant. Before that? (Insert heart at bottom of question mark) She was a teacher for Kaplan, the online college... that offers easy degrees. Apparently, her only claim to fame is the time she spent in Malaysia studying nutrition.

I expect two things from her experience:
  • To be able to keep an introduction to cultural Anthropology simple and to an introduction by staying away from the arguments and debates of all the theories involved in Anthropology. In an introduction, 100 level class, there is no need to be able to apply, debate, and infer a truth to any debate to Anthropology. However, if I was a graduate Anthropology student, yep, I'd see the need.
  • To be able to answer questions posed in lectures and by students with out any ambiguity and to not put debatable questions on any exams.
Why do I have to spend so much time punishing myself with this course when, for me, it doesn't matter? This should be treated as a 100-level class. Ask me what theory means what, not which theory is more provable right after you tell me theories can only be disproved. Don't tell me the humans species are not dimorphic right after you tell me they are, then ask me an exam question wanting me to define humans as either dimorphic or not.

I digress. I just need to take my argument to the dean.

I was just going to write about how much is on my plate. Obviously, Anthropology is my elephant and the other items are just a la cart...

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