So, how's everyone liking their school and/or courses so far?


I'm digging mine...most part of my classes are in the same place as last few years (ie a few blocks in the middle of a freaking forest ), but there are a few classes in the student center of the city (where I used to follow courses a looong time ago): in the heart of the student bar area! Totally sweet.

Class-wise I'm still waiting for the real stuff, mostly introductions so far. The classes I had were pretty sweet tho; like the media&politics one today. Hey J, I'm gonna get a class from Stevaert! (former leader of the Belgian socialist party)

I have to take some language tests this week to see where I stand in English, French, Spanish and German. That's gonna be hilarious. There are 3 lvls in each language...I don't really care where I end up in French and German, and I don't know any Spanish. (well, I understand it to an extent but never actually learned any) But I better get in the highest lvl for English, or I'll be the laughing stock of the class.

About 15 out of 35 ppl in the course had some background in English (literary ppl like myself or translators/interpreters) but there are a lot of ppl without any particular language background, so I definitely want to try and pwn those.

If I end up in the lvl 1 English group (lowest), I'll have you know.

hehe...you and gfree can form a study group. :p

Well, my classes suck.

1. microprocessor - it's really about programming an old 1mhz processor using assembly language. Which, to be honest, isn't that bad. However, for some inexplicable reason, about half my class is comprised of people that I think would be more at home in a shop class fixing small gas engines than in an electronics class. Not to mention this class is next to useless for me. It does give an intro to programming in assembler, but programming x86 assembler is alot different than this. More registers, more bandwidth, fast processor, more commands...oh well.

2. Technical writing - omg boring. I was asked in class what method I use to check my grammar. I did my best to not say "Nothing. I actually have good grammar." So I told them I proofread it and maybe had someone else proofread it also. Boring. Not to mention I have to wake up at 7:30am on a Saturday to go to it.

so...anyway...this semester sucks ass. Only 7 more classes to go after this.

Hehe a class from Stevaert, try not to fall asleep, you might not be ready for some Limburg-teaching yet. I bet your thoughts will wander off during that class

So, is it tempting passing all these bars when going to class?

I've already decided not to attend a certain class in favor of them, so yeah, you could say that.


lol@ Satis and grammar....wtf would they ask that? Nobody ever asked me which grammar checker I used. That's hilarious.


(for the record, I'm talking about Dutch...not that my English is horrible when I make an effort)

Well, im starting to get into the routine now. The assignments are starting to make sense.

Other than that, i am now the Info Systems Level 2 Field Representative. That basically means that student come to me with their issues about the Uni and i put them forward at meetings. I can also influence any improvements i deem necessary.

Itll look good on the CV.

Mmm, I can't blame you for thinking CV-wise (that's a great move indeed) but omfg, you spend free time in a non-paid uni position?! I don't know you. Seriously. jk man

I see your point, but apparently its not too heavy on the rest of the work.

You're working for free? Communists. They're everywhere.

Just observed another Satisian, liberal, ideological middle-ground. Thats no surprise.

You hate welfare abusers, and you find working for free obsurd.

Even I've done a bit to earn more. I teach swimming cos they paid for courses that mean I can earn £15 in an hour.

working for free, to me, is horrible. It's taking advantage of people...someone, somewhere is basically using you to make them money, and giving you nothing in return. Horrible.

Personally, I'm giong to feel like I'm being screwed by whoever I work for until either....

1...I get profit sharing.
2...I work for myself
3...I'm a contractor.

Quote the captialist

Martin Amis described work as selling your time. Its an interesting way of looking at it.

lol...I agree. In fact, up until this moment I thought that was the common conception. :p How do the rest of you people think of work?

What is this 'work' you speak of?



As for 'working for free'...even though I'm not really into that, I don't see how it's all bad. Back in the days when I was still in the scouts we used to take (voluntary) turns working behind the counter of the group bar. I'd rather be sitting, drinking and having fun without working too, but it's a small sacrifice everyone makes to keep things going. In a way you get 'repaid' for those efforts tho, I guess. No staff to pay = cheaper beer = richer me.

I can also imagine that some ppl get some satisfaction out of working with unfortunate children, or helping out terminally ill ppl to live a satisfying rest of their lives.

EDIT: oh, I guess I'll make a try anyway...work is a routine, much like school is. Personally I'm awesome at spending my time with just about anything, but some ppl NEED work to focus on. Even I noticed a feeling of temporary limbo when I was deciding between work and another study, which is saying a lot.

If I land in a totally satisfying job, I might actually kinda like work, who knows? But work like the student jobs I do; manual borish labour: that sucks HARD CORE.

@ Satis

I see it like this. Work (as we so call it) is undergoing a certain 'trend' at the moment (atleast in the West). The majority of people see 'work' through Capitalist and Consumeristic motivation. In other words, we Work so that we can Play. Alternatively, there is another great section of Western society that Works to Survive.

That is the current general perception.

However, personally, my perception is somewhat different. I am under the opinion that one day, Work will no longer govern us like it has done. We will enter a new 'trend' to meet our new needs. My dilemma is that 1) I am caught in this current system. 2) I am consequently partly content with the current system. 3) I have this idealist/futurist optimism.

You can see my thread regarding the inevitability of globalisation to see details.

So overall, I accept the current system. Essentially, i work at the end of the day to buy myself lots pretty little things. I expect my employer to pay me in full and my empoyees to work their worth. On the other hand, i see the future. I understand that working-for-free will be a relative inevitability so i do not find the concept obsurd. However, money-for-nothing is something that the current system cannot afford to do, so i do not tolerate it for today. I am happy with optimism that one day it will be part of the new system.