Pre-Med Woes

Hello Prospective Students!

Man, that sounds too professional for my tastes. Anyway, sorry for the rush post the other day. While I put off some homework, let me give you a better detailed background of myself.

So I am a Freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, Class of 2013. I live on Newton in the Cushing Building. I'm currently enrolled in the Pre-Med program and thinking of majoring in Psychology. I'm in the VSA and CSA (Vietnamese and Chinese culture groups) and part of the Parkour Group (PARKOUR!). I also go to this weekly meeting called InterVarsity when I can. It's basically a Christian fellowship service. I'm a BIG Celtics fan and fairweather Red Sox and Patriots fan. Not a big hockey fan.

So let me get down to business: Pre-Med is time-consuming. I'm currently taking Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Chinese Intermediate, and Freshman Writing Seminar. Oh, and I should also add a Cornerstone Freshman Seminar, a Chemistry Lab, and a Chemistry Discussion session. The Chemistry discussion is basically tacked on to the Chemistry Class. They can be useful, depending on your TA. However, they don't hurt you and you can ask questions and review for test and quizzes and go over homework questions. Now you're probably thinking that seems like that is a lot of classes. But you know what? You're absolutely right!

For all of you who want to do Pre-Med at the schools you're applying to, you will have a lot of work on your hands! Trust me. I know some freshman are taking Biology, Chemistry, and Calculus in the same year. Word of advice: even out your workload. At BC, you don't need to take Calculus freshman year (just Biology and Chemistry). However, if you want to just get it out of the way while it's still fresh, take it.

Technically, for me, I'm taking three science courses. Psychology counts too! So every week, I'm basically reading around 90 pages for all three subjects combined! I'm lucky I ended up with good professors. Here's a little insider tip for how to pick the best professors at BC:

At the UGBC website, you can evaluations of professors made by students who have taken their classes. There is a tab that says "PEPs" which are great Professor Evaluation Profiles and a few study tips. I HIGHLY recommend it for those picking your classes.

A quick little thing before I go (because I'm looking at the time): Cornerstone classes, like the one I'm taking, are basically classes that you want to take because they're interesting and are your choice to take. My class doesn't have homework except some reading. Every Cornerstone class meets once a week, and the professor of the class is your academic advisor for your Freshman year, which is great if you're undecided and don't have a department advisor.

So that's my schpeel of the day. Any questions, feel free to email me at nguyenec@bc.edu.

Peace!

New Year, Done Right

Hey everyone,

My name is Joe Mahon, a sophomore in BC A&S. I am currently trying to major in Chemistry and pick up a minor in Music, but to be honest, if I have enough class spaces open, I'm hoping to get it as a second major! As for what I do here, I am part of BC's Marching Band and Symphonic Band, but know a lot about other music programs here at the school as well. I am also a part of Nights on the Heights, a student organization that organizes (sometimes quite nicely-funded, meaning prizes like an iPod Touch) activities every weekend for anyone on campus. I work for ResNet (our name is in the process of changing, though), which is an on-campus technology services organization that provides pretty much any kind of tech support you might want. And, of course, I am part of the Student Admission Program; so if you visit campus and meet me in the office in Devlin, please feel free to let me know you know of me through this blog!

Some of you may have gone back in time in this blog to see some posts from last year, and I definitely encourage everyone to do so, if you have time! I'll try not to repeat much over the course of this year, but I might, so forgive me if I do.

I know this is a pretty harsh time of year for seniors; some of my friends who are seniors now, and friends siblings, have been all panic-stricken about applications. Take a deep breath anytime you think about your application, but do not put it off! (And when it's possible, apply Early Action - it makes all the difference when you know your acceptance situation by January).

Some other random information:
- ESPN's College Gameday will be here in Chestnut Hill this Saturday: try to tune in Saturday morning to see pregame broadcasts and look out for the marching band! And then you can enjoy what should be an amazing game against Florida State!
- Something you should know about me: for whatever reason, I really love parenthesis (and use them often). Just a warning.

TTFN,
Joe

Chemistry goop and other such goings-on

Well hey there!

So, chemistry lab today was probably the most fun I have had in science lab since the fourth grade. We were studying polymers and their properties – translation, we made different kinds of goop, then played with them. I just wanted to share this awesome experience with the world.

Yesterday was a big day for me, I got to office hours of two of my professors for the first time, both of which were extremely helpful (office hours = optional periods where students can come in and ask professors any questions; often regarding class, but not always – Professor Wolfman of General Chemistry talked about the closely-kept secret U2 concert being held nearby). Since I am still up in the air about what major(s) I want to pursue, I am trying to poke around a bit more thoroughly. Though my general biology lecture is around 200 students (the only larger class I have heard of on campus is an economics lecture) and general chemistry just under 100, the professors are great in small-scale office discussions. Most, if not all, professors hold office hours every week at various times. And since I came back this semester with a new drive to get everything I can out of this education, office hours and TA (teaching assistant) discussion sections are invaluable.

Unfortunately, while I would love to stay and talk more about my classes and how to choose them (PEPs are key – student reviews of many teachers throughout the university), and to continue playing with synthesized goop, I have to run to band and dinner, after which I will be reading Rousseau, writing Harmonic progressions in preparation for a take-home midterm exam, quickly going over our chemistry chapter for our quiz tomorrow, and beginning a paper on Calvin’s place in modern philosophical thought. Those Jesuit ideals of a liberal arts education and rounded character not exactly ignored here at BC.

So, until next post!
Joe

Spring Awakening?

The spring semester is beginning, and while not exactly warm and relaxing, it has started with some pretty sweet moments.

First, and most importantly, of course: it is absolutely prime sledding season. Though the weather is WICKED cold, everyone came back from break with nice warm winter gear, which I enjoyed seeing after having waved goodbye to a friend going home to California in flip flops. Seriously, though – it’s winter. It’s supposed to be cold. Good old Mother Nature dropped a foot or so of snow, which I naturally had to shovel, being home for the holidays. Now, many have found hills around campus, especially here on Newton, to get trays and sleds out and fly down in all kinds of creative - and slightly insane - ways.


We started classes a week ago; we have until tomorrow when Add/Drop period ends to finalize our schedules, and I am still moving around in my schedule. So far so good, though – my professors are great and class times are really quite convenient.

I just went to a meeting for College Bowl, similar to Academic Bowl apparently, which I was never part of, but it deals with trivia. Last night was Zombie, Pirate and Ninja themed night. I hope to go to Laser Tag this Saturday at the O’Connell House, the center of freshmen social life on Upper, and maybe back into the city – my friends and I visited the Museum of Fine Arts for free, since we go to BC. Other extracurriculars abound, and I just applied for a job with the IT support staff.

In Organisms and Populations class, we learned that a blue whale’s testicles weigh over a ton, but a fruit fly has the largest sperm, longer in fact than its body… and this actually related to the lesson in evolutionary progress. In chemistry, we passed around blocks of dry ice that could freeze our fingers off if we held them for too long. Cold potato, anyone? In my philosophy/theology class, we discussed the various college-life habitats, the mating and courting patterns of freshmen, and social structure based on a BAC of 16.7 (or something ridiculous) and the goal of college students in general being able to replace their blood entirely with alcohol. Believe me, these classes are not boring – and far from being inapplicable to life. Except maybe the biology facts… but as a lesson, make sure to put plenty of effort into choosing courses at any school. The teacher can make or break your future in that subject.

Anyway, that’s it for now, I am not envying those that have to go through the selection and application process, though I do sympathize. Good night and good luck!

Joe M.

Earbuds and Strangers

So, here I was walking down Linden Lane about two weeks ago (above). I was headed towards the bus stop to go back to Newton campus, coming from the fourth floor of Lyons Hall, where I had been practicing piano skillz for my music theory class (and just for fun - consequently, there are 10 or 11 practice rooms in Lyons and some elsewhere around campus with pianos in them that are almost always available, if you want to play).


Anyway, I was walking back, listening to my iPod, when I happened to run into my Perspectives professor (Perspectives is a core curriculum course that combines two semesters of theology and two semesters of philosophy into one year-long course, gets rid of core requirements and is one of the most interesting - albeit most difficult - classes I am taking and that I have heard about). We talked for a little bit, which struck me as awesome, considering the size of the school and the number of things she probably had to get done (we have a pretty intimate class, 21 kids, though my largest lecture is Gen Chem and is only 51). When we were leaving, she said, "You know, you shouldn't have both of those ear buds in when you're walking around; it makes it seems like you're trying to avoid interaction" (which, as you may have guessed from my posts, I generally don't do - I am pretty outgoing). So, I tested this theory, and low and behold, in the past two weeks there has been a noticeably different connection with people around me when I wear one, none or both ear buds. Even between strangers, get a head nod or smile with at least one ear open, but when I have both in, I get the *glance/avoid gaze* type deal. So there are two lessons: most people here are friendly enough to make a connection while walking by a complete stranger, and when in public, try not to wear both earbuds and it will open you up a little.

Hooray extracurricular lessons! Thanks to my professor for the insight, and please come back to see another update within a week!

BBFN, YFN Joe! (see last post)