No, this isn't about that Fox show... This is actually about OAC being scrapped, specialization of programs, etc. As usual, I get my odd ideas out of the blue and today, while going through OGS applications, I realized that damn, I've been living under a rock for the past 2 years. For example, I did not realize that OGS looks back 20 courses (approximately 2 years) and basically the same with NSERC for marks. I mean, during my 2B term, which is the beginning of the 20 courses that will be used, I was not aware my performance during that term would affect my chances of grad school! Unfortunately, 2B was also our hardest term also, but what the heck, shit happens. It's just so odd looking back now to see how that one term (and prolly others later on too, but mostly that one term as my avg dropped almost 10% that term) essentially crushed my chance of getting money.
But that isn't what I wanted to talk about. Thinking about how my actions so early in life is impacting me now, my coworkers and I got to talking about OAC, CEGEP, etc. and how we need those extra years. I still know tons of people today who aren't too sure what they want to do after undergrad, so most are thinking about running back to grad school because... well, they're not too sure what else they'd do. Heck, that's partly why I want to run back into school! But we've gotta stop running eventually don't we? Anyway, we decided that having more time before university to try out different courses/subjects is better since a lot of us in our program detest it now and might not have made the same choice again if given the opportunity to. I am grateful for my chance to take courses such as US history, biotech, comtech, etc. even if I hardly remember anything anymore. At least I know about them now and they're still what I'm interested in. If I hadn't taken those, then I think I would be in more dispair as I absolutely hate most of the courses taught to us. I just don't care about EM waves and stochastic processes! So yeah, we think there are some ppl out there who's gonna graduate and just be totally lost as to what they should do next or pursue simply because they haven't found what they like. I'm quite curious as to what the readers think...
Also, this leads to specialization... Over these past few years, our school has started new programs (not just options) like mechatronics, software eng, and eventually nano, etc. While fields are expanding with each new discovery, we are forced to choose between specializing in an area or try to take it all in (a la systems) but this here I find to be an iffy area. One of the things I found annoying with my program is that it covered some stuff that I HOPE I won't have to deal with in the future, and likewise for other students (ie those that don't like programming...) because quite simply, I don't have enough spaces to take courses that I am interested in (ie biomed/nano/bioeng, etc.). But then if I didn't get to try them, how else would I know that I hate those stuff? I dunno, but I guess we can't make everyone happy, but that nanotech program sounds like fun! So yeah, for this one, I've really no clue on what to make of it. Maybe it's just too hard to accomodate every student (ie specialization for some, generic for others...) But maybe that's what work terms are for.... to try out new things...
Ah well, my mind's going blank now, but I've just gotta say that I hope this work term will be more rewarding than previous ones, if not financially, then at least in terms of experience and knowledge. Who knows, maybe I'll find my true calling - if not, there's always more school :D
