Limbo Time and the Current State of Higher Education

I usually update my blog either during homework breaks or during those small pockets of time where I just don’t feel like doing anything at all. This is what I call limbo time. During limbo time, I don’t feel like reading, studying, surfing the web, playing games, or working on anything. I just don’t want to do anything. Obviously limbo time leaves me very bored. Also right now I have a slight headache probably caused by sleep deprivation over the last 2 weeks. I’ve developed some form of insomnia where I just feel the need to mess around until 4 AM.

Anywho, I’d like to now vent about classes and education:

CS 230 is for robots.
I’m going to be dropping my database programming class, CS 230, because its becoming a total waste of my time. Classes that do not motivate me are wastes of time, even if I could easily get a good grade. It’s still a waste of my time and I refuse to do it. This class is so boring and the professor simply reads stuff off lecture slides designed to accompany a textbook that’s not even the assigned one for the class! On top of that, the TA teaches half the lectures. Maybe it’s just me but I think these web-related classes need to be taught with everyone sitting in front of a computer applying the lecture material in real time. I’m a big proponent of learning by doing. Not having some strange person drone on for an hour and letting you go home to figure it out through a textbook. So I decided if they’re going to teach it the way they are, I might as well learn the material on my own.

AEM 330 seems like an experiment gone awry.
Another course I’m taking is AEM 330 - Managerial Economics and Decision Making. Oh my god, don’t get me started on this course. It feels like the professor doesn’t even know what he’s doing. The lecture slides are completely sub-par and a lot of it is lifted verbatim from the textbook. His lectures don’t even help you with the homework problems! He goes over general concepts then expects us to know very specific applications in the homework problems. I haven’t been to this class in the last week and a half. We’re allowed to drop 2 homeworks and I’ve already taken those 2 drops. I just don’t feel motivated - if the professor is going to half-ass the course, what exactly does he expect of his students? This class pisses me off. Just thinking about waking up early and having to sit through his lecture irks me. I’d drop this class if I could.

So what the heck is going on?
At an Ivy League institution you would think they’ve fine-tuned certain teaching methods over the years. I feel like this is so bullshit. I feel like I have so much more brain power not being used. I don’t feel inspired or motivated. The thought of creating a successful business is the only thing really driving me intellectually. But one still needs education for the basic building blocks right? To learn how to think critically?

Kudos for an excellent class and professor.
I’d just like to point out AEM 325 taught by Professor Deborah Streeter at Cornell. This is the class I won an award for - we worked in groups to create business plans. I wish all classes were like this one! It’s seriously a wonderful class in the way it helps you work in groups, manage time and tasks, do research, and learn by doing. The class staff guides you along the way - they steer you in the right direction but you still have to do the driving.

I’m going to bed. Good night.