Due on the OpenLab Sunday, December 20
What a semester! We made it! How did we make it??? Your assignment, roughly, is to answer that question.
Instructions
Imagine you have a time machine that can go back to August 2020. Write a letter to deliver to your past self about this class. Answer questions like:
- What is the most important advice you could give your past self about succeeding in this class?
- What do know now that you wish you had known about this class before you started?
- What do you wish you had done differently?
- How did you learn to give a successful HOT topic presentation?
- What have you learned about yourself this semester? What surprised you?
- What are you most proud of?
Make your answers as detailed and as specific to this class as possible. They may be used to help future students of this class succeed!
Submit your letter as a comment on this post for participation credit.
Hi Prof. Poirier, my letter will be too long to post as a comment, so I will have to post it as a separate post. I hope that it is OK for you.
https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/poiriermat1575fall2020/2020/12/14/time-machine-assignment-response-week-16/
To my past self,
I know that 2020 is already stressful and that your previous Spring semester wasn’t so good the other half, but this isn’t the time to take a semester off. MAT 1575 is one of the classes you’ll struggle in, although you’re gonna struggle in all class but that’s all just time management so I suggest you put the job hunt on hold until after the semester. Calculus 2 is gonna be hard because you’re gonna have to rely on Openlab lessons to fill in the gaps and get reviews from what you learned in the lectures. This semester will also be different since half of your grade will come from “Hot Topic” presentations where you solve a problem that meets a certain Calculus 2 standard. These are tricky to get on the first try, so there’s no shame in getting tutor help which is free from City Tech. So try them out and give the neighborhood tutor a break. Also you have to manage time better as throughout the semester you prioritized getting a job over assignments and even rest. Rest is important and you’ve seem to forgot that as I’ve missed sleep and even broke out in eczema. Speaking of that, ditch Old Spice and start using Dove soap. Other than that, keep that work ethic that got you through high school and college lab reports.
Best of Luck,
Future you.
Dear Aaron,
I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self. Your advice is very helpful to me now because I to have considered taking a semester off due to the stress and fear of failure. You mentioned time management and I feel that is my biggest struggle entering college, but I’ve sat myself down and set my priorities straight. I now know I want to finish my education with no gaps because my life won’t start until I do. Only then will it all feel worth it. Thanks for letting me know that Hot topic presentations were tricky for you too on the first try, its good to know that you got through it, I feel I will too. I hope all is well and that you kept up that work ethic.
This semester has been a tough one for many of us. One important advice I would give is that visiting the course hub, reading every single lesson, going over the assignment afterward is key to doing good in this class. It is also important to work in group. Find someone in your class that you can work with, exchange your contact informations and help each other out.
When it comes to the hot topic presentations, I pretty much did the same thing. I would go over the course hub lessons, make sure I understand it, I take notes as if I was in class. Then I try solving webwork problems. You should be able to solve the hot topic afterward. It is also important to practice before the presentation.
Dear Imane . I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because I do believe that 2020 was stressful for many people. I can tell now that the assignments can sound overwhelming but they should be worth it at the end. I will for sure try to fit in someone with my school work routine to help each other out.
Dear Imane. I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because calculus 2 is hard class which doing problems from certain topic has help me to better understand the topics. For the HOT topics, Practicing the presentations was very helpful to me because it allowed me to review the work and to know what to say during the presentation. And I will find of a group of people with in my class so we can review the problems in MAT 1575.
Dear Imane, I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because. This class seem like it would be hard to past with everything being on me. However, you letter has broken down the steps for this class making really simple to understand. Always checking the course hub and reading through the lessons is really the most important. The lessons are not super long and are easy to understand the topic at hand. That is all thank you for your letter telling me that to do the work at pace where I can get a good understanding.
Dear Imane. I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because this pandemic has left everyone very stressed when it comes to practically anything. It is visible that there is lots to do but so long as we keep at it, we will see positive results. Will definitely try to help others when they need it.
To my past self,
I know that 2020 is already stressful and that your previous Spring semester wasn’t so good the other half, but this isn’t the time to take a semester off. MAT 1575 is one of the classes you’ll struggle in, although you’re gonna struggle in all class but that’s all just time management so I suggest you put the job hunt on hold until after the semester. Calculus 2 is gonna be hard because you’re gonna have to rely on Openlab lessons to fill in the gaps and get reviews from what you learned in the lectures. This semester will also be different since half of your grade will come from “Hot Topic” presentations where you solve a problem that meets a certain Calculus 2 standard. These are tricky to get on the first try, so there’s no shame in getting tutor help which is free from City Tech. So try them out and give the neighborhood tutor a break. Also you have to manage time better as throughout the semester you prioritized getting a job over assignments and even rest. Rest is important and you’ve seem to forgot that as I’ve missed sleep and even broke out in eczema. Speaking of that, ditch Old Spice and start using Dove soap. Other than that, keep that work ethic that got you through high school and college lab reports.
Best of Luck,
Future you.
Dear Aaron,
I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self. The advice you given about time management is super helpful now because that will overall benefit me to be organized. I can agree that this will be one of the hardest classes that I am taking this semester and is very different from other courses when it comes to grading. If I ever face any upcoming issues, I will definitely take your advice and try to see a tutor. Hopefully, I will be able to keep that work ethic that got me through college so far.
Thanks for the advice,
Vickram Goukarran
This semester has been quite a ride, as we went through a pandemic and managed to do or best. I’ve always been the stay-on-top type of student, cant let myself fall behind on work or I’ll end up panicking big time, but this semester it was like, ” oh I have time, not like I have to be in class by this time physically .” I caught myself being not me I guess:)
If I could go back in time and fix something it would be the thought of confidence that went too over heels. I want my past self to know that no matter what way your attending classes, you have to be fully there, mentally and physically. This online learning has got you being lazier than ever. Its not that you rest too much or you waste your time, you are too rough on yourself even though you’re doing your very best. You got this always, you just need to know that!
This class hasn’t been much of headache I would say, as the Professor went beyond limits to teach so wonderfully and communication was awesome. I think the main key is communication, you have to let students know that you are there for them. Its one of the main reasons students feel comfortable.
We learn, we grow, we just need to understand the circumstances and convince ourselves that we got this!
To my past self,
This semester has been a roller coaster of emotion and struggles. This semester is not going to be like you’re used too so the advice that I’m going to give you is very important. It is very important for you not to give up and drop the class because of how hard it is or the issues of not having any technology at home to do the work. Do your best and if you struggle ask the professor for help and visit the course hub for more explanation and clarification on the topics. There is also tutoring that you can attend if you’re stuck solving certain problems assigned.
I was not expecting some topics to be this hard to understand before coming into this class. I know now that series has a lot of different test and each problem requires a specific test to solve the problem. Finding volume of revolution also requires a lot of work and doing different graphs before solving the problem. If I knew about all those things before I would have spend some part of my summer watching some YouTube videos about it so I can be more prepare for the class.
At the beginning of the class when I hear that we we were going to give a hot topic presentation, I was confused and nervous at the same time. I was confused because to me it was a math class and not a English class so I didn’t see why we needed to give a presentation and it didn’t make sense to me. As the time goes by I understood why we were doing it, it’s because it help me understand the topic even more and also how to do it on my own. Doing the hot topics in advance and preparing two days before giving the presentation is the best way to succeed on them. Practicing giving the hot topics to a family members or a friend is also very helpful.
I have learn that I can survive math class even in the middle of a pandemic. I have surprise myself on how fast I have completed my hot topics because I was nervous about it at the beginning of the semester. I have also learn that I can’t be scared and give up when I’m face with a difficult situation because that’s just how life is. Life is going to through so many obstacles my way but it is up to me to rise above those struggles and more forward with my life and look toward the future instead of the past.
Best of luck,
Future You.
Dear Ines,
I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because I can relate to a lot of what you went through last semester. Last semester, I had to drop all of my classes because the challenge of learning at home was too difficult. While I am fortunate enough to have access to the internet and the technology I need for this course, what I do lack is a quiet work environment. While some people can focus in any environment, that is unfortunately not the case for me.
However, I agree with the fact that I need to push through and attain all the help I can get, or especially in my case, go out of my way to do my work at the most realistic times when my house is the most quiet. If I have trouble with something I can go to tutoring and speak with my professor about any advice she may have.
You made a strong point when you said you wish you would have studied the topics before you entered this class considering how challenging they were. While I know that I can not go back in time and learn these topics, I can still take my time and study the future topics on the syllabus so I can have a deeper understanding once the class reaches those topics.
When I initially heard about the hot topics, I was anxious as well, however after having done the first one seeing that there is room for improvement, it makes it much easier to prepare for them. Your advice for yourself has helped me as well, so for that I would like to thank you!
I would tell my past self to not leave my hot topic work for the last minute. that I have to put in a lot of effort into because they are half of my total grade. I would also tell my past self to attend tutoring more often if I needed the help.
Dear Rafael, I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because I now understand the importance of getting the hot topics completed. I know that I will have to work hard to have it done and understand the steps I did in order the H. I won’t leave it for last minute and will stay up to date.
Hey you!
It’s going to be a weird semester! So, don’t be too hard on yourself. Get better at asking for help and start going to tutoring even before you think you need it. The drop in tutoring is helpful, but its better if someone from your class is also there, then you get more attention and can help each other. Or take advantage of and lead your class study group. Find a study buddy! Make studying a habit!
All of your teachers will have their own ways of teaching online- not all effective. You have to be on top of how you learn. Calc II will be different than your other classes. It sets a pace of self learning for you through videos and online lessons. Go along with the suggested schedule. The weekly check-ins and HOT topics help to reenforce. Especially the HOT topic! Prepare for them well and find a style that suits you. Watch how others do theres as well. It’s cool to see other people explain math in different ways. Sharing your screen with the work already prepared, with each step clearly laid out, is the most efficient. However, watching someone do the math in real time is more entertaining, even though it gives you more opportunities for mistakes, so practice! HOT topics will be the best way to really understand each subject. If you can explain it to someone else, then you truly get it!
You will be most proud of just keeping up! It sounds small, but its a big feat! Everyday it seems like there is more bad news and there is not much you can do about it. I’m not saying ignore the news and outside world, but learn to turn it off and on. Making lists and sticking to a schedule will be more helpful than you realize.
That might be the the strangest surprise about yourself, you thrive when you organize! Making a todo list the night before and checking it off throughout the next day is so satisfying. Setting alarms for stretch and walk breaks is key to staying sane. I recommend at least 15 min every two hours. You don’t need to stare at a screen all day though! Print some of your homework problems out and do it on paper and then go back and fill in webwork. Be kind to yourself. Make the best of your time. Including finding time for yourself- which can also mean doing nothing at all! My favorite thing to put into my not so strict schedule is a blank space. Stare at a wall, watch a show, play a game, just zone out- your brain deserves a break too.
The biggest lesson you will learn this year is the importance of patience and kindness. Have patience, there is a halo of invisible stress that is effecting everyone whether or not they realize it. So, be kind to yourself and others!
You’ve got this!
Dear Katie, I am from the future and i found your to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because i am just starting my journey into my last calculus class and i think i am off to a great start. I have to work on taking breaks in between my studying sessions because i tend to stay in one place for too long staring at the screen and the paper. I start stressing too much and i believe that is not good for anyone. My first presentation went great and hopefully more to come.
Thank you for taking time off your day to write such detailed letter on how to help a past version of you which is full of confusion.
To my August 2020 self,
You’re getting started on Calculus 2 and you think it’s gonna be difficult and you may think you’re gonna screw up and fail. I have good news for you. You’ll struggle at first. You’re gonna think you won’t be able to do it. I just finished Fall 2020 and all I’m gonna say is, you’ll make it through. My advice: Study, practice, make time to review, and always contact with your friends and go over problems together. I wished that I knew I was going to do trigonometric substitution and other subjects before taking this so I would be more prepared and ready. That’s one thing I wish I would do differently which is getting a head start prior to the start of Fall 2020. HOT Topic presentation, you’ll struggle at first but as weeks goes by, you’ll get a lot of H’s and you’ll do great. Practice, learn, and study so that way, you’ll know what to do in your HOT Topics and you’ll do great. I learned that even I can do good in hard math like Calculus if I resist giving up. I’m surprised that I kept studying, reviewing, and practicing for hours, which is something I normally don’t do. I was determined not to fail and graduate on time. And it paid off well, considering I ended this class in this semester in such a high note and confidence. I’m proud of myself for not giving up on a lot of hard questions and topic and ended up understanding them. I’m proud that this allowed me to get through this class with a smile on my face. You’ll get through this and when you feel like you can’t do it, you will do it because now you know that your future self made it to the end. Stay confident, stay motivated, and have an indomitable will to pass because you will!
Dear Aram,
I am from the future and I found your letter to your past self! Your advice is really helpful for me now because I’m currently struggling on a few topics. I will continue to study, practice, make time to review, and always contact my friends more often. Thanks for your advice!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Mai
To my August 28th self, Math seems like your greatest failure. You think that you fear integration because you can not visualize its applications. You need to relax. Later you learn that when you break lessons into sections , instead of trying to learn all in one day, you succeed. There harder topics than definite integrals but there are tricks you add to your tool box. You learn how to apply multiple integration techniques like divergence test and trigonometric substitution. In my time it is currently December 20th at 11:13, and you are struggling with volumes by slicing because you can not visualize where cross section lies. But know this. Each giant problem is composed of several simple solutions. Calculus is set up this way.
Thus, you learn how to give a successful Hot Topic presentation by separating the problem into small steps.
Learn the theory of why you use the techniques you will learn. I wish I took this rout rather than being eager to receive a letter grade of completion.
You learn that you procrastinate. Therefore, you must learn topics before they are do.
You will be proud because we no longer fear integration. You are not afraid to be wrong.
So don’t just study but think to the applications to the math you learn. It helps you grasp the concepts.