So I stopped going to lectures, is this dangerous or do other people do this?

[mr_coffee]

Hello everyone!

Well after coming back from my 8 month co-op with IBM I kind of lost interest in classes because I found out how pointless they really are and how it doesn't reflect what's going on in the real world, a bunch of theory and blah blah, get a grade, and your done.

Anywho so I stopped going to a lot of my lectures. The lectures I'm still going to though are artificial intelligence, data structures and algorithms, and Spanish 2 because they force you to go or else you fail. Even though I did skip some of the classes and it was only my first week of classes!

But I'm skipping Stats and Java <--- I already know Java

Really I would skip all my lectures if I could but the other ones take attendance. I just feel like I don't get ANYTHING out of the lectures anymore. If I spent 50 minutes reading the book I would get more than going to a lecture.

Does anyone else also do this or do you go to the lectures? I feel guilty when I don't go, like right now I'm debating to go to my Stats lecture, he assigned the problems that are due on Friday and posted them on the web. If I do these problems in 50 minutes instead of going to the lecture, I think I would get more out of it than attending his lecture and then doing the homework but there is a part of me that says, just go. Then the other part of me says, is it worth dragging yourself to class? Because I literally do drag myself to class on fore arm crutches. I basically hop like I broke my leg even though i broke my neck. 1 leg works fine the other doesn't work at all. I also never can find any handicap parking so I end up just putting my hazards on and getting a 15 dollar ticket 50% of the time. At least they don't tow my car.

For 3 years straight I haven't missed 1 class but after coming back to school after my co-op and my accident I seem to despise school more than usual. Maybe I'm just getting sick of school. I've been going to school since 2003 to get a 4 year degree. Currently my GPA is a 3.64 but its slowly going down. My GPA use to be a 3.80. Only 3 semesters left! wee.

 

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

Well, what are you going to do instead of going to lectures. It had better be something very productive otherwise you are wasting good time and money that are better spent on your degree.

As to your difficulty in getting to lectures, while it's an issue, you have to remember that there are many people with even more problems who still manage to attend the majority of their classes.

 

[mr_coffee]

Well, what are you going to do instead of going to lectures. It had better be something very productive otherwise you are wasting good time and money that are better spent on your degree.

As to your difficulty in getting to lectures, while it's an issue, you have to remember that there are many people with even more problems who still manage to attend the majority of their classes.

That is true, I could use my wheelchair to make it easier but I hate using it ever because people treat you like a freak. I feel bad when I see someone in a power chair because no one really understands all the **** they are going through and plus people treat them like hell so it makes it even worse.

Its amazing when I'm walking on my crutches people will look at me, smile, open doors, very friendly and helpful but when I'm in a wheelchair they are like OH NOES! HES COMING! ha oh well.

Well what I'm going to do today instead of going to my stat lecture is do the homework he just posted (30% of the grade is homework) the rest are exams. So if I find the homework doable, then I'll just do that. Then if I have questions I'll go to his office hours on Thursday and ask questions.

 

[bravernix]

That is true, I could use my wheelchair to make it easier but I hate using it ever because people treat you like a freak. I feel bad when I see someone in a power chair because no one really understands all the **** they are going through and plus people treat them like hell so it makes it even worse.

You should get one of these here http://www.tankchair.com/. I'll bet people wouldn't give you any crap then!

Anyways as far as lectures I think OMF is right, it depends what you are doing instead.

 

[Kurdt]

Its not too bad. I missed a load of lectures because of an undiagnosed (at the time) medical condition. I do however feel I lacked a lot of insight into the work even though I could do it.

 

[mr_coffee]

You should get one of these here http://www.tankchair.com/. I'll bet people wouldn't give you any crap then!

Anyways as far as lectures I think OMF is right, it depends what you are doing instead.

LOL! I help a lot of newly injured spinal cord injuries and I know of a kid who got one of those. I think it would cause more attention than I would want! When I use one I use a manual anyways. Got to keep in shape! ha.

I guess one bonus of walking with crutches all day is it gives you massive triceps! ha

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/920/dsc02120800x600rz1.jpg




This is the only second week of classes, I'll see how the homework goes and I'll go from there.

Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[RonL]

mr coffee
I'm not trained in this area, but did go through a depressed state in my late 40's, a few visits to a counselor, and a couple of weeks of perscription meds, really helped put me back on track.
Your OP sounds like you have had some major trauma in your life, as good as this fourm is, it would be good to see someone in person, a positive result might be closer than you would think.
Hope i haven't been too forward here.

Ron

 

[mr_coffee]

mr coffee
I'm not trained in this area, but did go through a depressed state in my late 40's, a few visits to a counselor, and a couple of weeks of perscription meds, really helped put me back on track.
Your OP sounds like you have had some major trauma in your life, as good as this fourm is, it would be good to see someone in person, a positive result might be closer than you would think.
Hope i haven't been too forward here.

Ron

Thanks for the advice RonL.

No hah, trust me, this is the upside of my injury. Before I was hurt I had everything going for me, beautiful girlfriend together for 4 years, great job, doing awesome in all my classes, state champion body builder, etc.

Then when I broke my neck all was gone, girlfriend left me, grades went to hell, body went to hell went from 145lbs to 109lbs in 3 weeks, couldn't even feed myself.

I was suicidal once I left the hopstial and realized I wasn't getting any better (at the time I wasn't able to move anything from my chest down and barley could use my fingers.)
My mom even said she would let me kill myself if I still wanted to die after 3 years.

Well its been past 3 years and I'm not suicidal anymore and my body is slowly recovering and I'm not on any pills anti depressants either so life is much better than it use to be. I still get depressed but nothing near what it use to be.

Hope all is well with you Ron.

 

[RonL]

mr coffee
Thanks, my life is great, and I'm as positive as i have ever been, I'm looking at this forum as a tool to help me learn, and make sense of all that i have learned and experienced in life, and how to put togather all the loose ends that are in my mind and all around me.LOL

 

[mr_coffee]

thats good to hear Ron.

I found going back to school helped me a ton with my depression. When the mind isn't busy is when you have time to think about all the bad things.

But if its busy and you feel like you have a purpose in life its much better.

 

[RonL]

You should get one of these here http://www.tankchair.com/. I'll bet people wouldn't give you any crap then!

Anyways as far as lectures I think OMF is right, it depends what you are doing instead.

That's awsome, having owned a Bobcat skid steer loader since 1972, I'm addicted to small, get around toy's, I made a lot of my living with the Bobcat so i think it's understandable how this chair can mean so much to someone confined to a chair. Hope they have good success.

 

[bravernix]

That's awsome, having owned a Bobcat skid steer loader since 1972, I'm addicted to small, get around toy's, I made a lot of my living with the Bobcat so i think it's understandable how this chair can mean so much to someone confined to a chair. Hope they have good success.

It's an interesting story, which you can read on the site. It seems that the guy's family was involved in a car accident and his wife broke her back. Apparently they all really loved the outdoors, so he wanted to make something that would allow his wife to enjoy things as she did before. Now he is building them for others that want them. Pretty cool!

 

[Grieverheart]

I have 8 subjects this semester,going to all classes is impossible.Some proffs are mirror teaching the books and some are awful at teaching.Many times,just reading the books by yourself is a much better option in my opinion.You just have to keep up with any "hints" etc. some proffs give for the exams,by asking around people that have followed all the classes.

 

[tronter]

I learn more from books than from lecture. Wow mr_coffee, you are jacked!

 

[mr_coffee]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I think I'm going to keep my routine of skipping some lectures and going to the other ones, I just got back from my data structures lecture and it was semi useful because he gave us a hand out oh boy!

 

[Poop-Loops]

Find out what the lectures are about. In my E&M class, the prof goes into stuff that isn't in the book, so it would be stupid to miss a lecture.

In my QM class, it's straight from the book, just more elaborate. I try not to miss that class (and haven't), but it wouldn't be that big of a deal if I did.

I remember last year in my mathematical physics classes, I never got anything out of the lectures. The book was pretty much the only thing I learned from.

 

[maks4]

Either way still go. I mean it's the grade that you get in the class that goes towards your GPA, that makes you a more desirable employee(?)