David Banta's blog
Another Semester Bites the Dust
03:29 AM on May 12, 2007

Well, this Spring semester has been a rough one, heres everything that has happened in the last 16 weeks:

Mid January: School starts back. I'm enrolled in Calc 3, Diff Eq., Micro Econ, and History 102. Of course the 2 importaint classes are Calc 3 and Diff Eq. Also, i'm searching for an apartment. I also win to opening round of our slotcar season. The race is the final one ever to be held at our current house. This ends 19+ years of races at this residence.

End of January: Me and my brother find a place and decide to try living together. The price is right. We sign the paperwork and set Feb. 9th as our move in day.

Early Febuary: The move in day is here. This sets a long weekend of moving using only our small truck and trailer. I also have a slotcar race to attend which i do badly only fiishing 4th. By the end of the weekend, all my stuff is in my new apartment. Good thing is the first test in all my classes are still atleast a week away.

Mid to Late Febuary: My first Diff Eq. test is a disater. I earned a whole 33% on the test. My Calc 3 test is better, but not much only scoring a 67%. On the plus side, my room is all setup, pictures hung, etc...

Early March: I'm still struggling in my math classes, but improving. My Calc 3 testest are all around 70% plus or minus a few points. Also, this marks my first month living away from my parents, even though my dad is paying the bills for now.

Spring Break: This was another spring break where i say i'm gonna catchup in school, but just ended up playing video games. To top it off, i spend the last night before going back to school getting very drunk. Another wasted chance that might haunt me in the end.

April 1st: This might be the worst day of the semester. Its Sunday and there is nothing in the place to drink. So i decide to make a trip upto the Quick Trip. I get down the stairs only to find my car is nowhere to be found. I call the police, but they are useless. I file my reports knowing it's pointless. I endup having to have my brother drive me across town to pick up my Dad's girlfriends old beater so i have some way of getting to school the next day. It has no A/C, but it will have to do.

Mid April: Thing in my Diff Eq. class are improving. My homework gardes are much better. I also get a 70% on my 2nd test. Calc 3 is going the same as before, just barely passing.

Early May: School is coming to an end. My test are improving quite a bit. My last Calc 3 test is a shocker. I get a 97%. My last Diff Eq. test is also a 81.3%. Going into finals, I had a chance to pass all my classes. I have since found out that i did pass my Diff Eq. class. It was a huge comeback. I have also been payed by my inscuace company for my car. it's less than i would have liked, but it's better than nothing.

So ends another semester, one of the hardest for me ever. I know i have forgotten stuff too. Like selling the house i grew up in. but this is long, so time for it to end.




Posted by Tommy Christian at 02:56 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #1

Calc 3 and DiffyQ in the same semester????
And you did that on purpose?

Try not to do that again! On the plus side, my Engr degree set me up for life. Even though I am not using it per say (not an engineer), having a non-trivial college degree opened up all the doors and gave me options I never would otherwise have.

You're a smart one Dave (excepting that decision to take both at once). I'd say good luck, but I don't think you need it.

Posted by Joe DiPino at 03:05 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #2

Great job Dave under tough circumstances. Hang in there and finish. Like Tommy advises, it will payoff down the road.

Posted by Grecian Worship at 04:22 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #3

Yeah man, if your ambitions are as strong as your racing ethic you'll be just fine :)) (as usual)

Posted by Ryan Ansoon at 07:46 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #4

I'll be taking both of those classes simultaneously next semester. These are fairly discouraging words!! However I'll make it through in a similar fashion I'm sure.

But congratulations and good luck into the future!

Posted by Devin Shieh at 07:46 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #5

LOL I first read "racing ethic" as "racial ethnic."

Posted by Joe DiPino at 08:19 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #6

All right already, you young guys talking about which classes you plan to take reminds me of my age.

Posted by Johan Nilsson at 08:26 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #7

Hell, we didn't even have classrooms. We used to gather around a fire instead and one student in turn had to keep an eye for the bears. Right. I'll have yet another refill, please.

Posted by David Banta at 10:13 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #8

LOL Sir Finn. let me guess, it was also 100 below zero with 150 km winds, lol

Posted by Johan Nilsson at 10:30 PM on May 12, 2007
Comment #9

No no, it wasn't summer. :)

Posted by Dan Ortega at 12:34 AM on May 13, 2007
Comment #10

LOL, we don't have Sir Finn's problems here in beautiful downtown Long Beach! : )

I know, not a problem for the Finn, but that weather would kill me!!!

And David, what a year, getting your car stolen too!

Your doing good, keep with it and you will be rewarded for the rest of your young life. : )

I know what it feels like to sell the house you grew up in. Because both my parents had to be put in nursing homes (dimentia and ahlzymers) we had to sell the house last year.
It has been hard to realize that all those memories and the comfort of being able to go "back home" to see the folks is over. I was ten or so when we moved in (60 now, oooold!)so that's been quite a few years to get over.

Keep up the good work and hope to see you on track David!

Dan


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