This morning in sosc, we were discussing what Tocqueville meant when he said that, since everyone is equal, Americans believe that the truth is in the opinion of the majority, and it was not going so well, which became apparent when two girls nearly killed each other over something like whether "you should listen to five guys or one." So I unhelpfully tried to make a distinction between certain kinds of opinions that we accept on the authority of individuals without requiring any kind of public consensus--like a diagnosis from a doctor--and other kinds of decisions that we feel all men are equipped to deliberate on equally well--like whether, as a society, we should allow people without formal medical training to practice medicine. As usual, I didn't make any sense and everyone ignored me.
Nonetheless, I actually am sick, and I have no time or interest to go Student Care about it, so I'll just consult the masses about my problem. This morning, I woke up all sweaty. Actually, I didn't sleep very well last night, in part because I was sweating and freezing at the same time. Then I got out of bed and nearly froze to death. After biking to campus, I was sweaty. Once I got off my bike, I was freezing. In class, I was both sweating and freezing at the same time, which was exceedingly embarassing. Plus, one side of my nose is peeling. When I cough, my head feels slightly like it is being split in half. Now I am freezing, but only after having sweated for some time. I am also really hungry. And my muscles hurt when I stop moving around, so I'm all fidgety. This is also socially awkward. What is wrong with me?
Also, per the recommendation of Drew, I have been reading these columns in the Chronicle about grad school. As a result, I am now fairly well convinced that there are many things I would rather do with my post-college life that would be more fulfilling and make me happier than grad school. Like, for example, chewing sand. Begging on a street corner. Making a nest of human hair. Things of this nature.
So it looks like Niles West High School social studies department, here I come!
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
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12 comments:
Diagnosis: Pregnancy.
Great! Can it be cured by drinking a bottle of Naked juice?
Oops, that was me.
i don't know rita, naked juice is probably how you got yourself into this situation in the first place.
I was going to guess early-onset menopause.
And grad school is fun, just so long as you go in knowing it won't get you anything in the long run.
Actually that's not true, a friend of mine just got hired on at Appalachian State and he's very happy. I think somehow you'd be less so.
doesn't the niles west social studies department require you to have more than just a college degree?
Becky: Good point.
Pops: Early onset menopause would be AWESOME. Unless I wanted to do something crazy like make babies in the future. But really, who needs those?
Why DID you go to grad school anyway? And, I have a job waiting for me at DeVry anyway according to my mother, so I think I can pass on Appalachian State.
Julia: Actually, no. You just need to graduate from somewhere and get teaching certification and exemplify (or fake) a concern for children. They'll even pay for your MA in education from the local teacher factory.
Rita, go take some fever-reducer and go to sleep, retard. Maybe take some nyquil, too.
You are dumb.
I went to grad school because I was a 22 year old moron all full of sparkley-eyed wonder at the magic of academia. My mom always said "find something you love to do and do it", which was easy for her to say because she loved being a nurse, which pays pretty well.
Stupid parents and their stupid impractical ideals. They ruin everything.
(and sadly, I'd go back to finish my PhD in a minute if I thought I could get a letter of rec from any professors... and a reliable babysitter)
Beckus: Mehhhhh. I don't like drugs.
Pops: According to all my grad school advice books/guides/columns/suggestions, that is precisely the reason one should NOT go to grad school. In fact, according to them, you should be a suicidal alcoholic by now. I want my money back.
Also, reliable babysitters abound in grad school. They're called undergrads.
Erm, no, I used to be an undergrad. They don't get left alone with my kids. They only come in two varieties (undergrads I mean, not my kids): drunk and unreliable or conscientious chronic studiers driven near-insane by the stress of their obligations. Which is more likely to leave the front door open and let my kids wander into traffic? I'd say it's about even.
How about drunk studiers? I sometimes run into those at the library, where I am busy driving myself into near-insanity.
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