Today I finish my first week of the fall semester of my sophomore year of college. It is rainy today, and I forgot to bring my rain poncho, so I got all wet. Noisy people are in the computer lab as I write this, so it is rather difficult to concentrate. 

The classes I am taking are as follows:

  1. Elementary Algebra
  2. Introduction to International Law
  3. Physical Chemistry
  4. University Physics I
  5. Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering I

In Elementary Algebra, I am learning about how to solve algebraic equations. Eventually I'll learn methods to solve equations involving several variables. Today my teacher introduced me to vectors. I have gotten an introduction to vectors in the beginning of every math and science class I have taken at this college. I sure hope I understand vectors now.

In International Law this week, I learned the fundamentals of International Law. On Monday, I learned that International Law is a confederal system, as opposed to a federal system, like our national law. In a confederal system of government, the individual nation-states are sovereign as opposed to the international government. This makes the enforcement of International Law very difficult. 

On Wednesday, I learned the three branches of International Law. Unlike in our nation's system, there aren't very clearly defined branches to International Law. The nation-states can create treaties among themselves (Legislative), institute economic sanctions or go to war with nations who break International Law (Executive), and decide whether a treaty has been broken (Judicial). Some International Organizations that also form these functions include the United Nations General Assembly (Legislative), the International Police (INTERPOL), and the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice (Judicial). 

In Physical Chemistry, all we seem to be doing is reviewing basic calculus. Right now it's sort of boring. I just want to learn how to blow things up already! 

University Physics uses two banes on my existence: the iClicker (a device for the answering of multiple-choice questions in class, sort of like a trivia game I played eating at a restaurant), and Mastering Physics (Internet homework). I hate the iClicker. I hate the extra money it costs me, and I hate the time it takes away from the lecture: every lecture, our instructor asks three or four questions on the iClicker. each of these questions takes a minute each. For 45 lectures total, that amounts to three whole hours of my time answering cheesy bar-room-game-type questions. I also dislike how much our grade is based on our answering of these iClicker questions. At ten percent, it just seems like two much. In my straw poll of my peers, I can tell that most of them don't like the iClicker very much either. 

If I were ever to teach a class, I would avoid those two things at all cost.

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