Uni

[Frank&Earnest]

I am content with what I have knowing that I am in the top 15% wealthiest people in the World and living in the BEST country in the World.

MH

Top 15% in the world? Sorry to hear that you are so far under the Australian poverty line. However, a reasonably high average income is one of the reasons this is (arguably) the best country in the world. Dropped dramatically in the past 30 years, though.

Matt, cheer up. I don't know how it works over there, but often there are ways around buying books, for some subjects it's easier than others. Juditious use of a photocopier (one chapter per book does not breach copyright-swap with friends ) might work.

[Terry B]

Sounds like the mid-degree study blues. You are in the middle of the degree, the honeymoon period is definitely over and you realise that you seem to be in the middle of a looooooonnnnnnggg tunnel and can't see either end any more. You will. You will get through this semester and the next and believe me, when you walk across that stage with your name called out for all to hear that you have graduated, when you shake hands with the Chancellor and receive your degree, you will be so happy and relieved and proud that you kept going to finish it.

Yes, it's a hard slog, for all the reasons you've stated, but it doesn't last forever. And ps, that light at the end of the tunnel, it's not a train, it's the bright lights of the Graduation Ceremony!!

Cheers
Wendy

I remember the feeling when you have your name read out and you get handed that very important bit of paper that you worked very hard for. I also remember thinking at the time that I will never put myself through another exam and study.
Some years later I have done a masters and other higher professional qualifications. So much for no more study. The books don't get cheaper but the motivation improves. I found that I was studying because I wanted to rather than because I had to. It then becomes much easier. Keep at it.

[Metal Head]

Top 15% in the world?

Sorry F&E, I stand corrected. I am less than 8% so I am even more fortunate that I thought previously.

[Frank&Earnest]

Thanks for your reference MH... I will print it, enlarge it and pin it up prominently in my children's rooms...

[Matt88s]

Hi Matt,

It appears that Wendy has hit the nail on the head by the fact you are feeling a bit down in the dumps wondering if it going to be worth all the expense someday. At least you are in a fortunate position of being able to afford the books. When I left school and started my apprenticeship, a fellow school colleague (the brightest student in our year) left to go to another school to do his "A" levels and then went on to Uni. He his now a senior chemist at Glaxco in England on mega bucks. I caught up with him 18 years ago, just 5 weeks after I had emigrated here. I reminded him the last time I saw him (just after I had left school), about how he was concerned that he may not ever get on an even keel (financially wise) with most of us dumb buggers. He as of course overtaken most of us and will continue to pull further away as the years go by. However, money hasn't been a motivating force to me in deciding which jobs I've have had. I am content with what I have knowing that I am in the top 15% wealthiest people in the World and living in the BEST country in the World.

MH

I suppose, thats probably it. I've been going at it full throttle for the last two years, full load in the semester, then a class or two in the summers as well, that might have something to do with it too. I don't know though, I might just feel worse if I took a summer off.

I can afford the books but just barely. I'm lucky in that we have some of the cheapest tuition rates in the nation here in my state. I'm also lucky that I haven't transferred to a graduate uni yet either, I hear horrible tales of $3-4-500 used book prices from such places. One my my mates went to such a place for one semester and racked up something like $25-30,000. It was fun while it lasted he said.

We can often buy used books as well, but about every other semester they upgrade to the "new" edition, which usually consists of a new picture, a rearrangement inside, and an extra picture or tidbit on some recently scientific finding. Basically just enough to justify calling it a new edition so they can convince all the uni's that they really need to keep on the cutting edge and provide their students with current textbooks. I remember my Zoo book, it was a new edition, they'd found some new thing out, just had to update the book, and by the time school started the "new scientific discovery" that had prompted the new edition had been found to be in error so our new $170 was more incorrect than the old used $80-90 copy would have been.

Such silliness. Its all about the $$$. Can you blame them though? It's their business.

I think I am just getting a bit bummed out. I'm more of a learn it apply it type of person, and with some of these classes we know what we learn we will never apply and when you finish the semester and you realize shortly you won't remember a thing from it because you won't use any of it again, well, it gets frustrating.

Like Organic Chem. For my field, for 90% of people taking it, they won't ever use it. Still have to jump through the hoop though. Seems like a waste of time, money, effort, brain cells, etc, etc.

To be honest though, I really didn't have to take Organic. However since this Uni does not have a undergrad for my specific degree/field (DPT), they just pigeonholed into the next closest one, which is Pre-Med. The reason being is with a degree all my credits will transfer smoothly, they won't without a degree. So even though I'm just taking pre-requisites, before transferring to a OU/OSU to get my bachelors (30 hours two semesters yay ) before transferring to OU which has the DPT program (3-1/2 years, no yay ), I really needed to finish out the pre-med degree. No biggy, Organic I is really the only class I have to take in addition to my DPT pre-requisites. But darn I'm sick of chem and stick figures and molecules and things that I can't see and that may or may not really work they way they say they do and meh meh meh.

So once the smoke has cleared and the dust settled I'll have spent 6-7 years at uni. One of my mates is trying to get me to go into surgery with him. Sometimes I wonder why not, at that point whats a few more years? I'd like surgery, I'm good with a carving knife. That whole area is a mess right now though, with all the lawsuits and all the malpractice insurance you have to have , crazy hours, and blah blah blah, too much trouble IMO.

Nope, give my me my DPT, let me work 9-5, maybe not make as much money, but you can make a comfortable living at it and thats all I need.

I wish I could be a carpenter sometimes though.

[Gingermick]

But organic chemistry is sooo cool. All those long chain hydrocarbons mmmmmmmmmm, hydrocarbons