Misery
For over a year I had been looking forward to taking Global [plate] Tectonics as one of my classes this winter quarter. Even in autumn in India I was thinking ahead: "I'm sad to have to go back to the States for winter quarter, but at the same time I'm sooooo excited to take Global Tectonics!" Well, the beginning of the quarter started out ok. Although my prof was in Taiwan for the first two weeks, we read all about the history of tectonics and how the different theories of sea floor spreading, mid-ocean ridges, etc etc etc merged into the big picture of Global Tectonics. That was a lot of reading, but very cool and enjoyable. I was basically content and still pretty happy with the class. But that was then and this is now. Now, I pretty much hate it. It's definitely nowhere near the horridness of gen chem first year, or calc, or hum, but it's definitely been the worst geosci class that I've taken. And it's mostly the labs that account for my anger. They really really suck. Are really really long. Are really really tedious. And [for me] are impossible to get the first time through. I spent hours with my TA every week, and so do many of the other members of my class. I have to say that he is one of the most patient people I have encountered in a while--and I am super thankful for him this quarter. But my TA is about the only one of two positive aspects of this class. The second positive aspect is my classmates, such as Erin (who has the exact same feelings as I do).