blueswede

there's an "i" in the French word for team

On this Monday, November 10th, I have realized that however
nightmarish last week may have been, this week is poised to
topple it as the most singularly fucked-up week I've had in
a long time.

To start things off, I have some rather difficult math to do
by Wednesday. It's actually not bad conceptually, but some
of the calculations are real bastards. Still, one thing is
certain: the professor wasn't kidding when he said the class
would get a LOT harder.

My art project is not working out as I had hoped, but I most
likely will be able to finish in class tomorrow. Of course,
that is dependent on the professor giving us time to work in
class, which I think she will since a lot of us have things
to do still. The problem is that due to our equipment, two
people are required to heat and shape metal, one to work the
torch and one to work the metal. Guess what constitutes the
bulk of my remaining work?

But the real problem isn't math or art, it's my team project
for my AI/neuroscience course. We have to participate in VR
experiments in the vision lab, then analyze our data on our
own and draw some conclusions. Now here's the kicker: times
in the lab are not assigned in any fashion, which basically
means that four people who may as well be strangers have to
coordinate their schedules with one another and with the lab
tech in order to get the stuff done. This whole thing needs
to be done by Friday. We haven't gotten a lab time yet. Do
you see the problem here?

I don't know, I guess if I really wanted to fly solo in life
I should have chosen a path that didn't require the capacity
for teamwork. Not that I don't work well with other people,
but when I have to take the initiative to get things going,
you know something is wrong. But things are coming together
as they always do. I guess we'll see what happens, though I
think my strong academic luck will come through.

It's interesting; there's this notion of computer science as
a major for lonely, reclusive males, yet it's a very social
environment, especially within the major. I'm also noticing
more women in the upper echelons, which is surprising, since
there seem to be so few in the intro courses. Maybe just my
class had the shitty ratio. At any rate, social skills are
just as important in CS as in any other major, and arguably
more so due to the difficulty level (here, anyway).

No new social developments, though my new policy of "get the
fuck out of the room" seems to be working. I am starting to
get better acquainted with my hallmates (though still not my
immediate neighbors, go figure). It's weird; somehow all of
the nice, friendly people ended up over on the other wing.

As per the Lonely Guy's Eternal Quest (sounds like a Sierra
adventure game), still no luck, though it's not bothering me
all that much. There are a few women I would like to meet,
just on the basis of physical attraction (yeah, get over it,
I'm only human), but approaching strangers is not something
I am at all comfortable with. Oh well, I'll figure out the
right approach at some point.

But for now, all I have to figure out is how to get my work
done. After all, that is what matters, right? Right?

This is Dave, signing off.