13.10.07

"Follow the yellow brick road..."

There are parts of school that I really enjoy--none of which involve going to class and "learning."

The other day, I was at a tutoring meeting (my sorry excuse for a job). The dean of the engineering college paid us a visit and asked the tutors if there was anything that the college could do to improve the quality of education at UW. While other tutors brought up topics such as teaching methods and the lack of TA's in the college, I had a much more pointed view concerning an engineering education at a Big 10 University--namely, the focus on grad school.

I'm now...what, a Junior undergrad at this school?...and what do I know about engineering? When someone asks me that question, I really don't know how to respond; probably because I honestly do not know what mechanical engineers acutally do! Sure, professors have taught us that we will use 'this and that' heat transfer formula to design a pressure release system...but what does that mean to me? The University expects it's undergrads to know what engineering is without ever giving them hands on experience. Like, I don't know...maybe it'd be cool to have a class on how to USE a CAD system, not just understand CAD theory. On that note, it'd be great to actually MAKE SOMETHING....anything at all, really, using the 'theory' we learned in class.

Oh wait. There's grad school for that, right?

But what about the 75% of engineering students who don't go to grad school?

Other than pondering such pompus questions about life and such, I've been up to no good the past month. No good at all.

Did a shit ton of school work.
Did some weekend rides.
Had my roomate John kick my ass on every ride.
Took 3 weeks without any rides during the week.
Did a "Fall Fling" race for ABD last weekend...went hard, then watched Carter take the 'W'.
Busted out the cross bike this week.
Rode to Cam Rock today for the WCA race....got lost, had to TT it for 2 hours.
Dave Stabb made me cry.
Crashed 2x on the first lap, sorry to those poor souls behind me.
My quad muscles cramped like a mo-fo during the race.
Cruised in for 5th.
Fresh laid waste to all...and took the coveted beer preem.
Repeat the last statement again for tomorrow's Badger Prarie Cross Race.

I'm out.

-b-

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, what do you call and engineering student wh graduates last in his class?


Unfortunately, an engineer.

Anonymous said...

I'd rather ride a bike than engineer the bike anyway. Who cares if I'm last in class!

Anonymous said...

Is the cider ride this weekend?

Anonymous said...

Ya, Saturday. Sunday if it rains. 8:30am.