October 05, 2006
Salad Days
I've never been much of note-taker, in lectures or anywhere else for that matter. I don't find racing to write stuff down particularly conducive to comprehension, and the resulting scrawls are cryptic at best, whereas I have a reasonable memory for things I actually understand, so that takes precedence. Lost details can almost always be retrieved later in any case -- it's a rare teacher who has something genuinely occult to tell. That said, I did feel compelled to scribble down a few things yesterday, starting with a couple of example differential equations that students of the background maths course I'm taking (Mathematical Methods 3) are supposed to be comfortable with. (I am not, but would rather be outside my comfort zone than dozing through Mathematical Methods 1.) Here, then, for no good reason, is my first page of actual notes in many years:
While I more or less knew how to do (ii), I had to look up the method for (i). (I make the solutions z = y (y + C) and y = (1 - x/2) cos x, btw. Isn't this blog fun? And I haven't even touched on the bioscience side of things yet.)
Be all that as it may, and despite the fact that things are only just beginning to get down to the actual studying after a lot of dreary administrivia, I've been having a great time so far. Even the really tedious bits have a certain short-term delight to them, simply by virtue of being adjunct to stuff I want to do.
It all feels so unlike work it's hard to express. I find myself randomly smiling just walking down the street or around campus. Doubtless everything will have turned sour in a few months -- or I will -- but for now, life is good.
Posted by matt at October 5, 2006 12:23 AM
Comments
Random smiles are the sure sign of a common dementia that slowly consumes the mind of any Ph.D. student. It's connected to the maniacal delight that a strongly curious mind feels at the thought of being liberated to free thinking in the long term, rather than chained to a job and a desk and set rules.
Just pay attention when the giggles start; you have to be subtle about it or people nearby start to get nervous. Imbeciles.
Of course, apart from the occasional 'equals' sign, I didn't understand a word of your notes; it wasn't the writing.
Posted by: Alastair at October 5, 2006 07:01 AM
Pretty numbers! (I know. I'm deranged.)
Posted by: Sin at October 5, 2006 06:30 PM
I'll take my homework over yours
Posted by: Ryan at October 5, 2006 10:52 PM
This is so sexy I can hardly stand it.
Posted by: Faustus, M.D. at October 6, 2006 01:06 PM
I know *just* what you mean. It's such a nice feeling that you just have to write it down. You're putting effort into something which seems almost completely unsullied by the usual seediness which goes into making money by hawking your services to some unspeakable company. It's hard not to get all misty-eyed about it. So why resist?
I felt just the same all the way through my interpreting MA - it was one of the happiest years of my life. Long may your happiness continue.
Posted by: eurodan at October 6, 2006 05:16 PM
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