The Notebook (of Physics)

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I sat through half of yet another pointless lecture and went upstairs to LeConte Hall's 3rd floor, to the Physics and Astronomy Library, and wrote this in my notebook:

"Today, March 18, begins a new era in Physics 7B. For, having reached the end of my metaphorical rope, unable to give the lecture any more slack, I abandon my futile attempts to extract meaning from the rambling sludge that currently qualifies lecture. From this point on, notes shall consist of those taken by me, from the Giancoli textbook, which for all its failings, doubtless accomplishes the task of teaching me physics more completely than the pathetic attempt that is now foisted upon me. It is only in the darkest depths of despair that I should resort to such a flagrant flouting of authority, and out of necessity I proceed to do just this. In doing so I establish and exercise my right as a student to learn."

Thanks, Katy Pedelty, for telling me to blog this. It was a good idea.

-Riju Dasgupta, March 30, 2010

Missed Midterm

On Friday, March 12, 2010, I missed my midterm for South Asian C142 / Religious Studies C166, "India's Great Epics", about the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It was supposed to have been from 11 to 12.

I woke up at 12:12 and ran in the rain to my professor's office, who was busy and told me to come back in 20 minutes. I sat outside. I told him, simply, that I missed the midterm because my alarm did not go off. Miraculously, he believed me...

"I'm going to believe you," he said, "and let you take the exam right now. Do you want to do that?"

In his benevolence, he not only believed me but let me take it right there and then. Which I did. It remains to be seen whether I do well on it or not.

I am eternally grateful for the favor he has done for me. It was a harrowing experience and I hope it does not happen again.