I was working the Algebra homework with Melissa last Tuesday night when I waxed perfectionistic and said something I already regret. She was feeling tired and wanted to quit and go home. This is a perfectly understandable reaction to working seemingly intractable Algebra problems at 11pm. And I popped up with something along the lines of "I don't mind staying up late because I am such an anti-social studyholic that I do homework for the pure joy of it and I don't even care about the grade." Which isn't true. I know it isn't true because I go to Real Analysis three days a week and spend the entire 50 minutes day-dreaming. And then I pout about doing the homework. But then do it anyway for the sole purpose of getting a passing grade. So I am clearly not into the "pure joy of math" thing. The part about not minding the late hours was true though. So what did I really mean?
"I don't mind staying up late because I actually like this topic and I am fickle and self-centered enough to think I should only have to study things that look interesting."
"I don't mind staying up late because I have gotten good grades so far and the professor thinks I understand what he is talking about and if I don't do well on this homework the professor will realize I don't get it."
"I don't mind staying up late because it gives me an excuse to sleep in tomorrow morning instead of getting up and exercising or otherwise making myself useful."
"I don't mind staying up late because sometime last year the rational voice in my head that used to tell me that 2 am is much too late for math homework suffocated and died."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
My vote is for the last one.
So which is it?
Post a Comment