There are several psets I could be attempting at the moment. Instead, I will be publicly ruminating on a decision I do not have to make for another two weeks. "If you're going to ruminate, do it online," that's what I always say.
Now, faithful and unfaithful readers (I saw the way you were looking at that other blog!), I seek your input on a decision that could affect the course of my entire life! But no pressure. Even though it will most certainly affect whether or not I will return from Budapest with more than 2 hours of sleep behind me. Or ever see the outside of my apartment.
Now that I've written a sufficiently long and sarcastic introduction, to the real question of the post: which four classes should I take? We are in the throes of shopping period, and I have visited a few classes, the basics of which follow. Help me choose!
Differential Geometry, or Hey baby, nice curves!
Pros: Nobody ever died of a broken cardioid. Also, it could actually be useful in real life! Then again, I'm a pure mathematician, so maybe that's a con.
Cons: Besides usefulness? Integration. NOT LIKE THAT, give me some credit here. Though I would definitely stand in a schoolhouse door if it meant blocking unscrupulous calculus teachers from forcing integration on poor, innocent, decent algebraists.
Conjecture and Proof, or That's not my problem! Oh, I guess it is.
Pros: There are none.
Cons: I'm saving this part for a post where I get paid by the word.
Topology, or Wouldn't this be cool in 13 dimensions?
Pros: "I put my homework in a Klein bottle" is a valid excuse. Also, the (male) prof has a ponytail.
Cons: Wellesley actually teems with topologists (let me tell you, there's nothing like watching topologists teem). I could probably save myself (okay, my parents) considerable sums of money by standing in the math hallway and shouting a topology question, whereupon I'd be given a series of lectures and discussions by Chang, Volic, and Munson without ever paying for the class.
Commutative Algebra, or Waiting in a field for the ideal man with a ring
Pros: Cementing my position as the algebra half of the Tanen Clark-Rebecca Graber math machine, getting to play with groups again.
Cons: Remember all the crazy confusing stuff we learned in the last two weeks or so of abstract algebra and intro analysis? If you do, please lend me your brain, because that was basically the first day of commutative.
Topics in Geometry, or Don't be a square, man!
Pros: More groups!
Cons: I can't draw straight lines.
Quantum Cryptography and Information, or Poor Eve has no chance with Bob now
Pros: Sending top-secret ballroom gossip!
Cons: Ask the prof about the cons of the subject, since he seems to find it pretty boring.
Mathematical Problem Solving, or Brainteasers with attitude
Pros: The professor is a pretty mean ocarina player.
Cons: The entire grade is 2 tests and a final. If you've ever seen me 24 hours before a test or a final, you know why this is not good.
Your responses will be thoroughly considered and cataloged, and may or may not be ignored in favor of classes that allow serious afternoon napping.
Friday, February 12, 2010
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Your blog puts my blog to shame. Keep posting. I'll keep reading.
ReplyDeleteI'm not taking anything similar except for MPS, so I can't help you much choosing classes. Flip a coin, maybe, or a seven-sided die?