The Irony
Monday, August 21, 2006
The irony of it all is that if I want to do whatever courses I want, I have to convince and be on good terms with that prof from Princeton, coz his name keeps on coming out when I talk to other math professors.
And so I talked to my faculty advisor this morning, who is also a math professor. Again, the story repeats itself. He is not interesed in my achievements. He is only interested in meeting requirements. While I can understand his intentions on making sure I graduate, he was rather non-chalant about the whole issue, and he insists I take only 1 math course. And he wants me to just take 14 credits, which I think is utterly ridiculous. GRRRRRR!!!!! Well.. After my attempts to persuade him otherwise, he yielded and said that he would not object if I took another math course, but he just had to add right after that that it was not a requirement to see him again, and that it was probably the last time I would be seeing him.
This is not at all a good start for my math career.
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10:27 AM
Damn Pissed
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Ok, I have been procrastinating a lot, and I havent updated my blog in ages. I will ok, but for now.. I'm damn damn pissed, and I just wanna vent my frustrations.
Ok, in short, I just hate young snobbish math professors who just graduated from Princeton, and who think that all undergraduates are dumb!!
I explained my background to 2 professors, and they were impressed by my achievements, and they asked me to approach this particular young professor. So this irritating professor thinks that it is not at all a good idea to take higher level courses. In fact, he highly recommends that he take only one math course in the first semester. And of course that math course is one that he is teaching, coz he said it will be very difficult, and there wouldn't be enough time for other higher level courses. In fact, he strongly suggests that only the best math people should take 2 math courses, and that he asks me to take just one. WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM?? I want to take 3 courses, out of which the 2 higher level courses are topics I'm familiar with.. Number Theory and Combinatorics. Hello!! I've written papers and came out with original results related to these fields, and I KNOW that I am more than qualified to take these 2 courses!! So he couldn't care less that I have written papers and came up with original results. He disregards my participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad. And he couldn't be bothered whether I trained the Singapore IMO team or not. All he cares is that freshmen are dumb and they should not take more than 1 math course. And he is so sure that I do not know a lot of stuff.
So what if you just got your PhD in 2004, in fields that I might be going into next time? I swear that if I do get into those fields, I'll publish more papers than you and out-perform you!!
I don't like your arrogance, and I don't like you. If you think of trying to crush a young man's hopes and aspirations of aiming high, well.. think again. For I will persevere. I will emerge triumphant. I will beat you.. Eventually.
Enjoy while you can. I'm only a few years younger than you, and I will catch up!
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10:19 PM
Lame Excuses
Thursday, August 03, 2006
In less than 20 hours, it will be my batch reunion, something that I really want to be a success. Yet, throughout today, I get smses every once in a while of really LAME excuses for not going for the reunion.
Sigh.. Is it really worth trying to save money at the expense of meeting up with all our friends and acquaintances you have made during your four years in secondary school? Of course, if you are not free, it's perfectly understandable. But if money is your only concern, then sorry. I don't understand.
"$12 is too expensive", "Why not we meet somewhere else cheaper?", "If I go there late, can I not pay?", "If I bring my own water, and don't drink their free-flow drink, can I not pay?", "Can we pretend we not from the batch, then go in and pay normal rate?"
Friends you have made cannot be measured by a monetary value. This is a 5 yr anniversary. This is a chance to meet up with your batchmates again, before all of us go our separate ways, to various universities all over the world. Seize the opportunity, I say, and relive the magical four years all over again. Even thought it's for a short period of time, it's worth it. Trust me.
I really hope to see you all there.
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1:22 PM
