Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Political #@!*%@!*&^$#@ Science
Okay, I'll admit that I'm having a harder time getting into the swing of things at school this semester. I suppose some of the novelty of being a new student has worn off. Oh, don't get me wrong, I am still thrilled to be there and I do love the adundance of new information that I am receiving daily. All of the teachers I have had and currently do have are wonderful, dynamic, approachable, informative individuals. I've been fairly good about keeping up with my reading (until Mister Flu Bug paid me a visit and now I'm a chapter behind in each class, but no worries I can take care of that) and I've completed my assignments by their due dates. The thing that has me a bit worried this semester is that there is less essay/paper writing, more essays on the exams and less multiple choice.
I have found, in my whole one semester of college experience, that I fare better when I have to write a long paper or two and take a mulitiple choice exam. I have the memory of a turnip. No. Even a turnip has a better memory than me. I have no memory: "Car keys? Don't know. Glasses? I thought I just had them. Ma'am, is this your wallet? Oh, yes, yes, it is."
Okay. So I figure that I'm just going to have to really, really, really, REALLY, just freaking try to study and memorize as much as I can come exam time. I can handle this. No. Really, I can.
So I can't find the pen that I was just holding ten minutes ago. Big deal. I most certainly can make myself memorize important key words and points from my lecture notes and from my text. I mean, I was an actress when I went to college 23 years ago. Hell. I memorized whole scripts, blocking, entrances, exits, monologues, songs, cues. Okay. I CAN do this. I mean how hard can it be?
Then. BAM! I'm once again looking through my Poli Sci syllabus and notes. Yeah. "Midterm Identification Items." Uh-huh. You will need to know 7 of these terms for the Midterm. Okay.
Let's see, as I recall there were 26 terms to memorize. (i.e. Bill of Rights, Electoral College, etc.)
Sure. No problem. Even though Political Science just happens to be one of my more difficult subjects, I think that I can handle this. On the midterm we can't just use the glossary defintion, we must define the concept . . . for example:
"The elastic clause (sometimes called the necessary and proper clause) is found in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. It makes it possible for Congress to enact all "necessary and proper" laws to carry out its responsibilities. Chief Justice Marshall in McCulloch v. Maryland 1819, gave this clause broad effect when he allowed Congress to establish a national bank. This clause laid the foundation for the broad expansion of federal powers and is in conflict with the 10th Amendment that reserves power to the states."
Ahem. Wiping my brow. (Now, I know that a lot of you folks out there are history buffs and you're saying, "Get over it, Loralee. You should know this stuff.") OF COURSE, I should know it, but dammit it's scary and it's terrifying and it's hard. I take to it like a fish out of water, like AC to DC, like Axl Rose to Tommy Hilfiger but I'll be okay. There's only 26 of them and I'm sure that . . . . wait . . . . oh no . . . . for the love of God . . . . I just turned the paper over. There are SEVENTY of them. Yes. Seventy. And I will need to know SEVEN for the midterm. S-E-V-E-N-T-Y! Seventy terms to define, not glossary defintions, oh no, that would be too easy on a poor, turnip brain like me. No. We have to EXPLAIN. And we have to be prepared to explain seventy of them, but we will only be tested on seven.
Well. I suppose once I've gotten them all committed to memory I could pontentially be the life of every party. I suppose I'll always have something to talk about, "Hey, how about that New Deal?" "You know, I have some things to say about that Commerce clause." "Those damned embedded reporters." "And what are your thoughts on isolationism?" "Damned conservatives."
"Oh please, Keynesian economics is so passe'."
Well, I'd better start cracking the books. I'll be okay. I know I will. Just have to do a lot of studying. Now, where did I put my book? Has anyone seen my glasses?
I have found, in my whole one semester of college experience, that I fare better when I have to write a long paper or two and take a mulitiple choice exam. I have the memory of a turnip. No. Even a turnip has a better memory than me. I have no memory: "Car keys? Don't know. Glasses? I thought I just had them. Ma'am, is this your wallet? Oh, yes, yes, it is."
Okay. So I figure that I'm just going to have to really, really, really, REALLY, just freaking try to study and memorize as much as I can come exam time. I can handle this. No. Really, I can.
So I can't find the pen that I was just holding ten minutes ago. Big deal. I most certainly can make myself memorize important key words and points from my lecture notes and from my text. I mean, I was an actress when I went to college 23 years ago. Hell. I memorized whole scripts, blocking, entrances, exits, monologues, songs, cues. Okay. I CAN do this. I mean how hard can it be?
Then. BAM! I'm once again looking through my Poli Sci syllabus and notes. Yeah. "Midterm Identification Items." Uh-huh. You will need to know 7 of these terms for the Midterm. Okay.
Let's see, as I recall there were 26 terms to memorize. (i.e. Bill of Rights, Electoral College, etc.)
Sure. No problem. Even though Political Science just happens to be one of my more difficult subjects, I think that I can handle this. On the midterm we can't just use the glossary defintion, we must define the concept . . . for example:
"The elastic clause (sometimes called the necessary and proper clause) is found in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. It makes it possible for Congress to enact all "necessary and proper" laws to carry out its responsibilities. Chief Justice Marshall in McCulloch v. Maryland 1819, gave this clause broad effect when he allowed Congress to establish a national bank. This clause laid the foundation for the broad expansion of federal powers and is in conflict with the 10th Amendment that reserves power to the states."
Ahem. Wiping my brow. (Now, I know that a lot of you folks out there are history buffs and you're saying, "Get over it, Loralee. You should know this stuff.") OF COURSE, I should know it, but dammit it's scary and it's terrifying and it's hard. I take to it like a fish out of water, like AC to DC, like Axl Rose to Tommy Hilfiger but I'll be okay. There's only 26 of them and I'm sure that . . . . wait . . . . oh no . . . . for the love of God . . . . I just turned the paper over. There are SEVENTY of them. Yes. Seventy. And I will need to know SEVEN for the midterm. S-E-V-E-N-T-Y! Seventy terms to define, not glossary defintions, oh no, that would be too easy on a poor, turnip brain like me. No. We have to EXPLAIN. And we have to be prepared to explain seventy of them, but we will only be tested on seven.
Well. I suppose once I've gotten them all committed to memory I could pontentially be the life of every party. I suppose I'll always have something to talk about, "Hey, how about that New Deal?" "You know, I have some things to say about that Commerce clause." "Those damned embedded reporters." "And what are your thoughts on isolationism?" "Damned conservatives."
"Oh please, Keynesian economics is so passe'."
Well, I'd better start cracking the books. I'll be okay. I know I will. Just have to do a lot of studying. Now, where did I put my book? Has anyone seen my glasses?
# posted by Loralee @ 1:30 AM 
Comments:
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Oh, hon. That sucketh. Stress can really lead to poor memory. Trust me on this one.
Memorizing those things are NOT easy. Not at all. It is because they are all weirdly similar.
I took a constitutional law class where we had to study 5 briefs a class. Our names were in a big fishbowl and he would randomly draw one and we would have to run down the brief to his satisfaction.
Eeek.
Memorizing those things are NOT easy. Not at all. It is because they are all weirdly similar.
I took a constitutional law class where we had to study 5 briefs a class. Our names were in a big fishbowl and he would randomly draw one and we would have to run down the brief to his satisfaction.
Eeek.
My memory was great in high school not so good ever since. I'm trying to pinpoint the reason--I've only smoked pot a handful of times (and not in the last year), I don't drink a lot, I refrain from consuming lead paint. It's really frustration. What a minute, where am I?
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