What's your favorite font size?

[geodave]

Going to a real college where you could actually fail (and I did -- in Raquetball of all things!) teaches you things that you need later in life. While my three years of Calculus never did come in handy at work, knowing how to deal with the huge bureaucracy that was my university did. (At the time, it was the largest in the world.)

That being said, lack of a college degree probably shouldn't preclude you from having a job like mine, but it DOES. It's used as a filtering mechanism by employers. It's not fair, and probably not wise, but it's TRUE.

[BitBuster]

It's certainly not fair or wise (particularly as it gives an even further advantage to people from even relatively affluent backgrounds). I'm not sure if failing is quite as instructive as dealing with irrational, bullheaded professors who, despite their supposed intelligence, are some of the most ignorant people you'll ever meet. Of course, you can learn much the same lesson by working in any service industry (McDonalds, cough), and not have to pay $40,000 for the lesson.

[geodave]

If I had it to do over again, I would not have taken out any loans -- I'd take longer to finish instead. Also, I tried to get a second degree (and failed), which kept me in at least a year too long.

In another odd consequence, if I had done things differently I likely would not have met my first wife, which means I wouldn't have had to go through the hell of that breaking up, but also wouldn't have my first daughter. You can't change the past, but it's interesting to consider what if.

[BitBuster]

All the regrets I have are related to things I didn't do, rather than to things I did. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

What's your degree in, Dave?

[geodave]

Math. In fact I have that most rare of degrees, a Bachelor of Mathematics (as opposed to a BA or BS).

I regret both sins of commission and omission, but I try not to dwell on them. That just wastes time. Learn your lesson and move on. I still catch myself feeling bad about a mistake made at 13 -- silly -- I should just forget. I learned my lesson.

[BitBuster]

Ah. What was the second degree you started?

In my case, I haven't learned my lessons. Perhaps that's the problem.

[jblewis]

While my three years of Calculus never did come in handy at work, knowing how to deal with the huge bureaucracy that was my university did.

I should seriously pass this piece of wisdom on to my friends.

Also, my favorite font size is 10.

(And this has to be the first forum of which I've been a part in which a thread about this topic even exists.)

[geodave]

Math Ed. Thought I wanted to be a math teacher. Until I met the rich 7th graders. They totally were the death of my teaching-non-adults career. I'm better off, as it turns out.

[Flareon350]

(And this has to be the first forum of which I've been a part in which a thread about this topic even exists.)

Same for me, as well as many of the topics here. Also all of them were majorly started by the same person lol. (not that it's a problem)

[PB_guy]

I loved teaching 7th graders. If you can motivate them, they are really creative thinkers. They are beginning to question everything!

Ian