Decision time

I did say that I wouldn’t make any decisions until 3:30. Well, it’s 4:32 right now, and I already have a pretty good idea of how this semester will be.

I finally figured out what the computer course is about: “Introduction to Computer Science”. Basically programming and stuff. We’re going to start off with Turing, then move into XHTML—but only so we can display the output from our final units, creating dynamically driven websites using databases and PHP.

So in other words, I already know most of this stuff (except Turing). I don’t think I’ll learn a lot coding-wise, although I hope I’ll emerge with an improved understanding of OOP and maybe regex. But Mr. Dubyk (the teacher) told me he’d help get rid of our bad habits, of which I have accumulated quite a lot. The major focus of the course, however, is on planning one’s programs using flow charts and such before one even starts coding them. I really think that this will help me, since I am terrible when it comes to planning. I really should plan, but I just can’t stand doing it. Being forced to do it will help, though, since it’ll make my life easier in the long run. So all I have to make sure is that I don’t step on any toes.

Mr. Dubyk’s a pretty cool guy though. I start the day with him too, in Math, which I think will be fine. He talked to us about how 20% of our mark consists of the communication portion, which involves knowing what the symbols are and how to translate them into comprehensible English. He really appreciates that part of the course, and English in general, so I think he’s just what I need: someone who likes me as a person, and who knows that I can go ahead and learn at my own fast pace myself, but who is available to help me with the organisational and applicational skills that I often neglect in my quest for knowledge.

Chemistry is, well, chemistry. I think I’ll learn a lot but it won’t really be that hard. And French will be fine; a lot of my friends are in it. Mme. Melanson teaches it now instead of Mlle. Kukko, at least for the first half. I really wanted Kukko as my teacher, because she’s fun and helpful, but I feel so sorry for her because she’s been overloaded by her semester one courses. So I hope she feels better soon.

That’s about it. I’m going to just relax now after my first day. Hardest academic course will be French, because vocabulary is difficult. Chemistry will have the most intense workload, math will be fun, and computers will be interesting. Let’s see how my predictions match up in 90 days or so.