How is everyone doing?

[Jackabomb]

Update: We moved from Korea to Pennsylvania and now live in Carlisle. It's been rough and it's been fun. I enrolled full-time at a local community college on Dad's GI-Bill because I had to do something. I'm taking Intro Chemistry(+ a Lab), Intro Programming, Psychology, and Pre-Cal. The first two are too easy for me. Not to be arrogant, but both of them are below the level of knowledge I've already got. The Chemistry class is on the level of the class I took in tenth grade. And the programming class???

Well:
[rant]The course description said "Intended for those with no prior programming experience." And, like an idiot, I figured it would be okay. After all, I've been hobby-programming since tenth grade! I've got experience! Dear God, if I had only know that it really meant "no programming experience." It is for babies. It is seriously for computer-babies. It is a class you give a middle schooler so they won't be stupid when you go to teach them real programming in a few years. On day one, they introduced us to this graphical programming program. It's a little like Game Maker. In fact, I'd say it's on the same level as GM's icon interfaces. Let me be clear: I harbor no resentment against GM or like programs. But I stopped using GM's icons about a month after I started with it. I started the summer before seventh grade. I'm now in my first year of college. I haven't needed something this easy in six years. And I left GM behind completely in ninth grade. After explaining the windows of the interface and how to click from one section of interface to highlight another the tutorial literally said this, and I quote: "If you are uncomfortable with any of these operations, feel free to pause the video and go over it again, or consult your instructor."[/rant]

Why can't I get out of the class you ask? Good question! Because it's a prerequisite for taking C, which actually would challenge me. Apparently the 5 I got in AP Computer Science (read: AP Computer Java) without breaking a sweat doesn't count for beans.
On the upside, they treat me like Einstein or Hawking in there. Whenever our professor says something that doesn't make sense or gives us an assignment they don't get, all 5 people around me just turn and look at my screen as surreptitiously as they can.
Actually, most of my AP credits don't count here. I took 2 years of AP History classes and got 1 year's worth of credit. I took 2 years worth of AP English (APEN and AP World Lit) and got 1 semester worth of credit. And took AP physics C and got no credit at all. All total, I took 6 year-long AP courses and got nine semester-hours. 36 != 9

Agh! I have a ton of possibilities right now and I'm not being pressured too much to make a decision, so I feel pretty fortunate.

^This, all the way. So many potentially awesome lives to live! How to choose one? So many potentially non-awesome lives! Also, a lot of flat-out sucky ones! How to avoid them all?

[crozier]

Thanks for bumping this thread! Hopefully this will boost activity.
Did you get 4s and 5s on those AP tests? Cause over here at UNM (in Albuquerque), most 4s get you out of a 101, and 5s get you out of a 102 or 201. I ended up with a 4 on the AP English Language and it didn't amount to anything because I had a good English ACT score. Lucky for you, you actually got credit for your stuff. I didn't do that well on my AP World/US History classes and so it was pretty much a waste of 160 bucks. But I am to blame, not the system :p
Wow Korea, eh? South I presume? How was that?

My classes are pretty good this semester. I too am starting my first year of University. I've got College Algebra (holy crap this is the easiest thing I have ever done. We are learning how to do slope and absolute values... This is, like, 8th grade stuff. I was doing Calculus last year, ugh...), Environmental Science (which is quite interesting), English 102, Internet Memes and Digital Media (mix of sociology, graphic art, and culture), Photography, and Electronic Art. I am living on campus, which saves a lot of commuting time and is pretty fun, I guess. Electronic Art is pretty good so far- it definitely contains the most valuable information (learning how to code HTML/CSS, sound editing with Adobe SoundBooth, that kind of stuff).

[11clock]

I'm in my first year of college. I made sure to pick the best professors, and I like all of them.

My College Skills class is one of my easier classes, but it is by far my busiest class. The majority of my homework comes from this class alone. The professor teaches us things in clever and fun ways, such as using a ring-toss game to teach a lesson on risk, and she knows what she is doing.

My Public Speaking class is one of my two classes that assigns a lot of reading. The class is pretty strait forward, and there are PowerPoint notes. Unfortunately, they don't cover up everything, so reading the textbook is necessary. The speeches are fun. I received a 91% on my first speech! The professor is very nice and helpful.

My Chemistry class is my second busiest class. The class itself can be confusing at times, but it makes more sense as you move along. The teacher is very laid back.
The lab sucks. It is either very boring or very tedious. The lab instructor is a nice old lady, though.

My Calculus class is by far my easiest class. I haven't done an ounce of homework (which is not graded) and I'm getting 100% on the quizzes. I received a 96% on the first test. I took Honors Calculus during my senior high school year, so it's mainly easy because I already know the material. The professor reminds me of Steve from Blues Clues, and he looks kind of like an older me. He is very good at explaining things.

My Psychology class is my hardest class, and my other of the two classes that assigns a lot of reading. The class is fun, though. The professor is very funny and interesting.

[Loganvz123]

And I left GM behind completely in ninth grade

I felt the same way about Game maker until I purchased the Game Maker Studio: Master Edition. One program runs on all systems including mobile, and instead of the Classic Game Maker interperator it uses a full compiler so it's fairly fast also.
I'd highly reccommend you look at Game Maker Studio if you haven't seen it yet.

Back on topic.

My life is pretty mundane compared to all of yours.
Normal professors whom I have no opinion about.
Normal school which I have no opinion about.
Here we don't have colleges which do everything and such.
We do schooling from the day we turn five 'till the end of the school year when we're 18. Then we go to university, no college inbetween, this means we don't get an extra layer of 'general education' and go straight from basic to specialized.
Doing A levels and whatnot (We do Cambridge System instead of the US SATs) and applying for scholarships and stuff, not particularly interesting.

[Titan]

Ha wow, seems like you're all busy with lots of classes!

I actually took a leave of absence from mine for a year. I decided I was gonna get my EMT certification and decide if I wanted to keep going towards med school or instead have my end goal to be a licensed paramedic. Plus it was at the point where I could barely afford to go to my local college, kept getting screwed on financial aid so there's that too.

I got my old job back doing personal care for a kid with disabilities. Woooooooooooooo. /sarcasm
But at least its money which I always seem to be in desperate need of.

Other than that I've just been going to the gym and doing a lot of hiking, thinking about finally doing Mt. Washington with some friends next weekend but we'll see.

Good to see everyone is enjoying classes and what not.

[Jackabomb]

My life is pretty mundane compared to all of yours.
Normal professors whom I have no opinion about.
Normal school which I have no opinion about.
Here we don't have colleges which do everything and such.
We do schooling from the day we turn five 'till the end of the school year when we're 18. Then we go to university, no college inbetween, this means we don't get an extra layer of 'general education' and go straight from basic to specialized.
Doing A levels and whatnot (We do Cambridge System instead of the US SATs) and applying for scholarships and stuff, not particularly interesting.

What's the difference between college and university? I thought they were the same thing.
Mundane compared to me?! Hah! I'm an unemployed live-with-my-parents 18 year-old (+11 days) kid going to college so I can maintain my dependent status for three more years. That's a military thing. When you turn 18, you have to turn in your ID. In so doing you lose your base access privileges, your health insurance, and if your parents live on post you have to leave. You also don't get to come with them if they go overseas again. If I'm a full-time student though, which I am, I don't have to do that until I'm 21. I have no idea what I want to do. I'm only going to this community college because I had to do something, and it wasn't a completely awful thing.
I might go back to GM if I get an urge to start making games and I can't figure out how, but I basically fell in love with Java and text-programming in tenth grade. I was learning then, but during the second semester they started up with UIL CS and Robotics, both of which I was involved in. That's where they compete against other high schools and go to competitions. I was pretty good, and I loved being on my team. Programming in a group like that with challenges to solve was probably the most fun I've ever had in programming. To me, GM represents conquered territory. I doubt I'd ever take a step back.

@11Clock and Crozier:
Pre-Cal has to be my favorite class. It's a repeat since I took pre-cal last year in high school. But I am learning new things most every class which is something none of the other three (four, if you count ChemLab) can boast. I love my professor, he's a younger guy, but his enthusiasm is amazing. He's one of those eccentric teachers who uses the same phrases over and over again, twitches his head (yes he does this), writes across the board like lightning, and makes you like the class because he treats every class period like he's being given a chance to build a castle.
Chemistry and ChemLab haven't taught me anything new, and from skimming the book I doubt they will. Still I like ChemLab because I get to wear goggles, play with chemicals (even if I do have to follow silly rules like "don't mix two chemicals just to see what will happen"), and I can hum "I'm doing science" from Still Alive whenever I want. Because I am.
I got 4's and 5's on most. 3's on two or three. And a 2 on the mechanics section of the physics exam. But this school only looks for a three or better, so still. I'm a bit disappointed I'll need to do all that essay-writing over again. I feel like all the writing progress I made in AP Lit goes to waste if I don't take a higher-level course.

@Crozier:
Yes, South Korea. I'm an army brat, so that's actually the third time I've lived there. We were stationed at Yongsan in Seoul. Every time we've been there was for two years. 2*3=6 years. Which is actually more aggregate time than I've spent anywhere else. The runner up is Fort Leavenworth, KS with 4 years, also spread out in tours of two years each. If I have a home, I suppose that's it.
Korea was a lot of fun, although I didn't think so when I first arrived. I lived on base, so my exposure to the culture wasn't as much as those who live fully immersed in it. Nevertheless, there are a lot of differences. Enumerating them would be exhaustive and this post is getting long enough as it is. If you're curious about it, send me a PM, I'd be glad to tell you about it. I had a lot of very close friends there, more and closer than I've ever had before so leaving has been hard.

[EDIT]Titan, you ninja:
EMT? Nice! They've got a nursing program and an EMT program at HACC. They're the only competitive programs here, so I think of them as the "best and the brightest." What factors play into your decision RE: med school vs. paramedic?
I've never worked a day in my life. I doubt I'll go for a job yet, but sooner or later I'll have to. I've been considering the military. since its world is already familiar to me. But I don't know yet.

[Loganvz123]

What's all this about id's, military, health insurance and being exiled?
I live in a peaceful isolated country in the middle of the pacific ocean, so we don't
have mandatory military service(we have next to no military as we have no enemies or whatnot)
and all healthcare is free. What do you mean about living on a base?
Here instead of college we do more years of schooling than the US so college is
kind of obselete. Our universities are more specialized insitutions where you go to
courses and lectures, then build up creditsand write a thesis.
A bachelor's degree is typically 3 years, a masters degree 6 and a doctorate 7 depending on
how well you perform

[Scotty]

How's tuition getting paid?  I know in the military once an active duty member gets 10 years on the books, they can transfer their Montgomery GI Bill over to a dependent.  Unless you have siblings your parents prefer over you, assuming they have no interest at this point in pursuing a college education if they haven't already, are they putting you through college with their GI Bill?

[crozier]

@Jackabomb- I believe anyone not from North America calls high school college. University means the same thing, no matter where you are, but college can either mean North American (and some other places) University, or it could be the rest of the world's high school. Don't quote me on that, though.

[Titan]

[EDIT]Titan, you ninja:
EMT? Nice! They've got a nursing program and an EMT program at HACC. They're the only competitive programs here, so I think of them as the "best and the brightest." What factors play into your decision RE: med school vs. paramedic?
I've never worked a day in my life. I doubt I'll go for a job yet, but sooner or later I'll have to. I've been considering the military. since its world is already familiar to me. But I don't know yet.[/color]

Well the main issue is I dislike school with a passion that most people don't understand. I feel like another 6ish years of school is way more than I can handle.  I'm also poor, and don't want to get out of school 200k in debt. However even paramedic is like another 2-3 years.(Need my AEMT before I can do para)
In the medical field though, I know that I'd make a shit ton more money.( Like seriously 3-6 times as much starting depending on where I ended up) But I feel like I have plenty of time to figure it out.

[Jackabomb]

How's tuition getting paid?  I know in the military once an active duty member gets 10 years on the books, they can transfer their Montgomery GI Bill over to a dependent.  Unless you have siblings your parents prefer over you, assuming they have no interest at this point in pursuing a college education if they haven't already, are they putting you through college with their GI Bill?

The post-9/11 bill is different from the Montgomery bill in ways I won't claim to understand. That said...In short, yes. In long, Dad's a career officer who already had a Masters in Psychology when he joined the Army. I'm the oldest (of nine) so at the moment, nobody has an interest in pursuing a college education. Dad split his GI Bill in half between me and my next-younger brother, Cody.

[Scotty]

Yeah, I always get the post 9/11 vs the traditional mixed up in what they're called.  If he split the post between you and a sibling, that'll be enough to put the both of you through two years.  I don't know the specifics about transferring it to a dependent, as I neither did ten years, nor have I met any of my children.

Also...

I'm the oldest (of nine)

Mother of God!!! I know it's free to pop out babies in the military, and a lot of people take advantage of the fact versus the medical costs of giving birth in a hospital, but your parents are take the perks and dialing it to 11!

[Jackabomb]

I don't know the specifics about transferring it to a dependent, as I neither did ten years, nor have I met any of my children.

Also...

I'm the oldest (of nine)

Mother of God!!! I know it's free to pop out babies in the military, and a lot of people take advantage of the fact versus the medical costs of giving birth in a hospital, but your parents are take the perks and dialing it to 11!

Yeah. I get that reaction a lot in real life too. Dad's fifty-six and the youngest, Faith, is one as of August.
You have kids? Part of me finds that mildly terrifying....  ;)
But back on topic, how have you been scotty?

[Titan]

I don't know the specifics about transferring it to a dependent, as I neither did ten years, nor have I met any of my children.

Also...

I'm the oldest (of nine)

Mother of God!!! I know it's free to pop out babies in the military, and a lot of people take advantage of the fact versus the medical costs of giving birth in a hospital, but your parents are take the perks and dialing it to 11!

Yeah. I get that reaction a lot in real life too. Dad's fifty-six and the youngest, Faith, is one as of August.
You have kids? Part of me finds that mildly terrifying....  ;)
But back on topic, how have you been scotty?

Scotty has dozens, if not hundreds of children located in various cities throughout the world.

[Loganvz123]

Well the main issue is I dislike school with a passion that most people don't understand. I feel like another 6ish years of school is way more than I can handle.  I'm also poor, and don't want to get out of school 200k in debt. However even paramedic is like another 2-3 years.(Need my AEMT before I can do para)
In the medical field though, I know that I'd make a shit ton more money.( Like seriously 3-6 times as much starting depending on where I ended up) But I feel like I have plenty of time to figure it out.

200k? Gosh, university is $4,000 USD a year here.