Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Failure is an option aka the post wherein I thank baby Jesus for answering my prayers

So I posted about my genetics failure.
I've also stressed about it to the point of making myself ill. And cried a bit too. Very pathetic, true, but up until today I pretty much thought that the continuation of my graduate career at Tufts depended solely on whether or not I passed genetics. Today I planned to withdraw from the class. THEN I GOT THIS EMAIL FROM MY ADVISOR:

We don't think there are any
consequences to your not passing except that you ultimately should know
the material.

Praise the LORD above! For once in my academic career, I have encountered a situation that is being handled in a completely sensible manner (perhaps I am saying this because the outcome is favorable, but I believe it's more than that. Oh, and ok, this is the second time someone's being sensible - thank you Marilyn, my Asian art and architecture prof whose last name I can't remember who allowed me to take my final a month late because I had mono. I have not forgotten you. Just your last name). So yeah, it seems like things are going to work out.

I have to make one admission though - I'm probably not going to invest a ton of study time into the final. This is not to say I'm going to blow it off, but last exam, I KILLED myself to try and pass and didn't. I fully intend to print off exam examples like I have for every other exam (yeah, this guy's exams are so hard, I still failed despite the fact that he had EXAMPLES of past exams posted on Blackboard! Unbelievable! I've never failed anything with a professor that did that. Ah well), and concentrate on the questions he asks there. I will also read the extra credit reading and answer the question (to my defense I get the extra credit on the exams right - which I think shows some effort!) and I'll go over the homework questions. I am not going to stay up into the wee hours of the night, however, hunched over book with highlighter, making flashcards, studying on the train. It's not worth it. I will memorize the genetic tests such as PCR and Southern blotting (for once the advantage of working at The Cancer Hospital makes itself known, I read PCR, FISH and blot analyses every single day, as well as metaphase counts, and I know how they WORK!) but there will be no effort to the point of a near-death experience, LOL. I'm focused on ecological modeling, the class where I have a chance of getting an A with flying colors, the class that after weeks of struggling I really really love. So there. HA
HA TO THE WORLD! And score :)
And Costa Rica, here we come :)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

WHAT? COSTA RICA? WHAT???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you and Jamaal are going on a romantic holiday trip for two to Costa Rica, I will be very, very jealous. I'm not kidding. I will be so jealous, of your trip, of your luuuuuve, of your unnatural sun in the winter time, that I may even give you the evil eye.

And then I will smother you with kisses and beg to see your photos. DETAILS!!!!!!

Love, 2xE

Elizabeth said...

If you and your family are going away, I will still be jealous, but then I will shriek in envy at all that quality time you will get to spend with your supercool sister/mom/dad/grandma/grandpa/and the rest too, mostly, none of whom I get to see nearly enough.

I'm just saying. :)

Elizabeth said...

And if you're just dreaming? Thinking of being reckless? PUT THAT MONEY BACK IN THE PIG, CROSBY! FOCUS! There is the Kenya trip to think of, the Kenya trip with ME!

LOVE, Elizabeth

P.S. Oh yeah....way to go with Tufts being reasonable. I dig that. Good luck on your final, and score on not killing yourself studying. I dig that too. :)

Al said...

hhahahah ee, jam and I are thinking of taking a trip to costa rica in 2007 to celebrate his 30th bday, my 25th bday and 2 lovely years together......nothing is set right now, but the prospect of having to take genetics over the summer was putting a wrench in trip planning, so now that i have the all-clear it might ACTUALLY happen :)

Excalibur said...

There is a need for a big one before school begins (and perhaps some small ones too, LOL).

I will not give up!

I'm glad everything worked out for you Al.