Humor

It seems as if I'm finally going to talk about what I've learned in this class thus far in the semester (which is basically over). It would seem that way, but it isn't. In this class we often discuss what causes humor: what we  and others find humorous and why. We discuss the social stigmas carried with some forms of humor, but we often don't discuss the effects humor has on us in personal fashion. 

Of late, I've been stressing myself out over tests after tests after projects after quizzes after tests. Headaches and a sense of mental fuzziness have become commonplace. I've been trying to find means of escaping academic pressure and the expectations held by myself and others for my performance. Simple study breaks and talking to friends doesn't seem to remedy the matter as much as it used to because our discussions often center about the stress that we are afflicted with. Physical activities like ultimate frisbee, pickup football, and table tennis help, but are difficult to design time for. Food is a time-tested remedy, but one can only eat so many gummy bears. However, I've found that listening to some of my favorite comedians on Pandora or watching their specials on Netflix almost always relaxes me and helps me to rationally approach my problems without freaking out. 

The laughter is certainly a release of the stress, but it isn't just engaging in lightheartedness. Often comedy shows the folly in taking things so seriously It also makes me aware of other things in the world, obviously comedic things, but my point is that listening and watching comedy reminds me that there is more to life than just school, there's more going on in this world than my upcoming Calculus II exam or Engineering design project. 

I had a dream...

Martin Luther King Jr. is arguably one of the greatest (and most quotable) people of all time. And being like this great man I too had a dream...
I dreamed that I was finally meeting with my conversation partner Maritza for a second time.
We would converse about how long it had been since we had last seen each other and comment how that had been too long. She would apologize for not responding to my e-mails and texts and I would assure her that it was no fault of her own, we're both busy people. We would discuss computers and all that we've learned about them this semester. We would talk for minutes about the logic of coding and the beauty and simplicity interweaved in its complexity. I would regale my anecdote about discussing arduino circuits with a fellow engineering student in front of some business majors and the bewildered looks on their faces as we both proceeded unnecessarily into the discussion just to confound and amaze them more. We would laugh and the conversation would drift to humor: a subject in which I am extremely well learned now. She would tell a funny anecdote and we would debate why it was humorous and on and on the exchange would go and it would be a joyous time and we would be sad to part.
But, alas. 'Twas only a dream...

+C

Thankfully, amidst the torturous hell that is the final few weeks of my first semester of college, I was graced with a moment of uncontrollable laughter and pure amusement. It occurred in one of the least likely places, though: my Calculus II class. However, like most stories this one does not begin where it concludes, it begins in my sister's car about a year ago.

My sister is a statistician and one of the most intelligent people I know, so I always relish the chance to pick her brain. Winter break was quickly coming to an end and in AP Calculus AB we were about to begin integration, a subject I knew very little about. I asked my sister about it and she, being facetious and sarcastic as we were both raised to be simply answered, "Just don't forget +C." For those who don't know, C is the integration constant that needs to be solved for to account for differences in antidifferentiation technique because different techniques can vary in answer but only by a constant. At the time I had no idea what she was talking about, a fact she addressed saying, "It doesn't make sense now, but remember: don't forget +C. You're going to one day and you're going to remember this conversation and it won't be my fault because I told you!" 

When I learned what an integration constant was, my sister's prediction came true and I laughed to myself and from then on I never forgot +C again. It became such a joke in my head that to forget +C seemed almost impossible.

About two months ago in Calculus II we received a quiz we had taken the week before back over some new integration techniques. My friend Andy Godwin, who understands and encourages my sarcastic nature (and I his) forgot +C. I laughed and called him out for his "Rookie mistake." Our professor, who also participates in a bit of repartée overheard and joined in my chiding. Andy took it in stride and it turned out to be a bit of a recurring joke between the three of us: "At least you didn't forget +C!" 

Yesterday, when we received another quiz regarding infinite power series, Andy forgot +C when integrating a series to find its radius of convergence. I laughed because I had nearly done it as well, but before I stood up to turn in my quiz I saw my friend and was reminded of the ever-hilarious blunder from weeks earlier, so I quickly  scribbled my integration constant on my answer and headed out. When we received the quizzes back and I saw Andy's paper no jokes were needed. We simply burst out laughing and surprisingly enough our professor, knowing what had happened, joined in! The surprise of a professor laughing at a student only added to my uncontrollable stomach spasms. 

This occurrence was a much needed relief from the mounting stress of a semester that seems will never end. It certainly is a good thing my sister reminded me to "Never forget +C."

Why I Can't Stop Thinking About Golf

Entering my senior year of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. As many of my comrades in the John V. Roach Honors College here at TCU will attest, picking a major is difficult when you are successful in all areas of study. No one had really advised me on what majors or colleges to look at, and neither of my parents' occupations appealed to me. I was taking AP Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry  that year, so my choice should have been apparent, but alas I initially chose a tentative double major in Physics and Chemistry when I began my college search. This was not without hesitation, because over the years I had also developed an affinity towards law, and many of my earlier standardized tests suggested that my strengths would fit well in public service. However, I knew that I had a deeper affinity and understanding of mathematics and of natural sciences, so I chose that realm. However, as my senior year began and I had completed visits to two colleges as a Physics major, I was asked what I was going to do with that degree. That resulted in a response which those closest to me will know does not come often: silence.
This epiphany freaked me out. So, my sister, nine years my elder, sat me down and we discussed how she achieved success and happiness and then turned to how I would. Eventually, after a few hours I came to the conclusion that I wanted to do something with aerodynamics. My father and I had been flying remote control airplanes for as long as I can remember, and trips to the Strategic Air Command museum were some of my favorite childhood memories. I also had (and still have) a deep passion for the game of golf, and I knew that aerodynamics played a crucial role in the design of golf clubs, a career I thought at that point would be "pretty cool."
This decision, led to a major choice of Aerospace Engineering, because I thought it would provide a better analysis and background in aerodynamics, and let's be honest; Aerospace Engineering sounds way cooler than Mechanical Engineering. Fortunately (sort of), none of the schools to which I applied as an Aerospace Engineering major could match the financial generosity of TCU, which only offers Mechanical Engineering.
So now we come to today, the 24th of October (can I just say holy crap, it's all ready October?!) on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX 76129. This journey of stress and indecision has opened my eyes to what I want to learn. It allowed me to take my broad interests and formulate a concise goal for my life. I major in Mechanical Engineering and my future career WILL be designing and testing golf clubs. With that goal in mind I have learned to sort of tailor my learning towards that goal. I pick out information that will be applicable, I've learned to personalize my learning and that has been extremely beneficial thus far. I am more interested in the subjects I study, and it makes me think about how I will apply the knowledge I am required to obtain. For example, one might not think that a course about humor will be practical for an engineer, but knowing how to utilize humor can improve workplace and personal relations and is a valuable asset to have in all walks of life.