Seemingly pointless classes

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Is there anyone out there who feels this way about some of their pre-reqs? I am currently taking Philosophy and Developmental Psych and I find these classes to be utterly boring and just completely pointless. I believe that my Philosophy professor knows that this information is pointless to us so she only requires us to do a little discussion board assignment and a chapter exam every week. No big deal. Just read and do the work. My psych professor must hate us. She is making this way harder than it needs to be. We have several papers to do before the end of the semester. We must read a chapter and a half every week and complete a chapter exam for each chapter and there are a few other projects. This is cool and all except if you don't understand something she will swear that it's in the syllabus or assignment tab or module tab. Yes everything is in three different places with several due dates. She makes it so hard and is super quick to fail you on an assignment. *sigh*. This class is boring as is. I tried to make the information interesting but when I see that I got a 50/100 on a assignment that information just makes me upset all over again. It's like conditional behavior or something like that. Every time I look at my textbook I think of my professor and I just get upset and I don't want to study. :crying2: But I must. *sigh* I must.

It really does seem like some people are really out of sync with what University life is really like maybe, because their are too old to remember. Coming from one of the top research Universities in the country, I know that there are professors far more invested in research then teaching or in thenameismac's case, profs that try to screw with you just to prove a point. All I can say is hang in there. I took plenty of classes that made me want to jam a rusty spork into my eye. Ratemyprofessors is a great place to vent without having to deal with more obnoxious people.....

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Is there anyone out there who feels this way about some of their pre-reqs? I am currently taking Philosophy and Developmental Psych and I find these classes to be utterly boring and just completely pointless.

No need for a war of words but you did say you find these classes to be completely pointless. Did you only post this to get agreement in the way you feel about this class? And I'm really not trying to be mean. I like to hear different POVs. They may get me to think of things in a new light or reinforce the thoughts I have already.

I think some of us were just trying to get you to look at this in a different light. Ok so you may find the class boring but you will need some of this info down the road and some of the classes that you think are pointless like philosophy actually do help, if you allow it, to sharpen your critical thinking and analytical skills. Crucial skills for surviving nursing school. The tests are not the same type of tests you are taking now. Of course philosophy is not the only way to hone those skills, but just trying to get you to see that there is some significance to this and its not just a boring and completely pointless class.

Also, if anything is unclear, I would go speak to the prof during their office hours or make an appointment. I know some profs are better than others, but I would really go sit down with the prof if the instructions are unclear.

Try to see the positive in the situation. All this work you are doing will help prep you for the rigors of nursing school. On Wednesday I have an exam that covers 12 chapters in addition to dosage calc problems. My care plan is also due on Wednesday ,and there's a new skill that I will learn tomorrow and checkoff on by the end of this week and next Monday is our Semester Med Math test that we must get 100% on. You may end up thanking your prof some day for getting used to doing so much in so little time.

Nothing wrong with venting, but I'm all about problem solving so after my vent, I like to come up with solutions.

I wish you all the best.

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No need for a war of words but you did say you find these classes to be completely pointless. Did you only post this to get agreement in the way you feel about this class? And I'm really not trying to be mean. I like to hear different POVs. They may get me to think of things in a new light or reinforce the thoughts I have already.

I think some of us were just trying to get you to look at this in a different light. Ok so you may find the class boring but you will need some of this info down the road and some of the classes that you think are pointless like philosophy actually do help, if you allow it, to sharpen your critical thinking and analytical skills. Crucial skills for surviving nursing school. The tests are not the same type of tests you are taking now. Of course philosophy is not the only way to hone those skills, but just trying to get you to see that there is some significance to this and its not just a boring and completely pointless class.

Also, if anything is unclear, I would go speak to the prof during their office hours or make an appointment. I know some profs are better than others, but I would really go sit down with the prof if the instructions are unclear.

Try to see the positive in the situation. All this work you are doing will help prep you for the rigors of nursing school. On Wednesday I have an exam that covers 12 chapters in addition to dosage calc problems. My care plan is also due on Wednesday ,and there's a new skill that I will learn tomorrow and checkoff on by the end of this week and next Monday is our Semester Med Math test that we must get 100% on. You may end up thanking your prof some day for getting used to doing so much in so little time.

Nothing wrong with venting, but I'm all about problem solving so after my vent, I like to come up with solutions.

I wish you all the best.

I agree. I posted it because I do like to hear (or read in this case) other viewpoints but really at this point I don't care what anyone else thinks. Some people are just rude and some of things they say are uncalled for. I totally get that this will help me in NS which is why I try to make this stuff interesting. It's hard though in Psych because this prof is just making it hard to get a decent grade. I love that my Philosophy prof doesn't require much because when i do study for that class I can read and interpret it on my own time and not worry about whether she will grade what when. I just have two things to worry about...the discussion board and exam. There is a reason I'm taking online classes. To study at my own pace and not worry about reading this chapter by Tuesday and another by Thursday. I can read all of the chapters in one night on the weekend if I choose. Anyway, point is, I appreciate the comment even of those who disagree but in a more positive way. It's just frustrating at times and I just wanted to get that out there. Hope that makes sense.

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Yes, I've had such classes (not because I don't think the material is relevent, but I've already learned it, multiple times; it is the way the system works that I have to take it again). I've also had such professors.

If you just wanted to vent, I hear you. If that is all you want, don't read the rest of this.

If you wanted practical solutions also, take the information from the three sources of info and sort them out on one sheet of your own. When they don't mesh, assume the more rigorous requirement is the correct one and the earlier deadline is the correct one. If the requirements actually contradict, then very matter-of-factly email the prof specifically, "x sourse says a, y source says not a, which should I do?" It might also be interesting to use what you learn in psych class to counter-condition yourself to the sight of your book.

Another technique is to see feelings as very unreliable, so let them follow your decisions instead of drive your decisions. In this case, maybe decide you will learn the material for itself, irrespective of the prof. And/or make it a challenge to be so well prepared, that it doesn't matter how hard the teacher makes it. The feelings generally kick for a while and then subside.

If you want philosophical solutions, realize you get much more benefit from hard classes. When things are easy, you go through the motions but don't gain much ground; when things are hard, you can learn a whole lot more. A psych class will probably directly benefit you as a nurse but even if it was a subject that will not, it will still be worth doing because you can learn more about how to learn.

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hm, I go to two school currently. At one, online classes are distinctly not self paced. They make a big deal about that... the whole regular assignment due dates, specific test dates and regular disussion participation. You get a bit more flexibility but really, not much. It is a difference of what time of the day you do the class part more than anything else. The part you would normally do on your own, like read the text book and write papers gets about the same flexibility as a face-to-face class.

At the other school, all online classes are completely self paced (other than you have to space the tests a minimum amount (not more than one per day, if I remember correctly).

Your school looks a lot more like the first version, maybe the "getting your expectations in line with reality" concept (which is a long time code phrase in my family, I don't intend it to be a slam), is the real problem.

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Specializes in Neuroscience.
Unnecessary. Hence the reason why I gave you the nice version and you must be guilty because I said no names. Thanks.

lol, guilty? It's the internet. Anyone with a reading comprehension could have figured out who you were talking about. "Attention to detail."

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Sadly, I think you misread thenameismac's point here...still. Oh well, carry on I suppose.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/DOU/Ortho/Onc/Rehab/ER/.

Meh. It's all 'fluff'

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

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we promote the idea of lively debate. this means you are free to disagree with anyone on any type of subject matter as long as your criticism is constructive and polite.

the op has come here to vent. you do not have to agree with her, but please discuss the topic rather than aiming personal attacks at each other.

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Edit: Did not mean to reply.

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No need for a war of words but you did say you find these classes to be completely pointless. Did you only post this to get agreement in the way you feel about this class? And I'm really not trying to be mean. I like to hear different POVs. They may get me to think of things in a new light or reinforce the thoughts I have already.

I think some of us were just trying to get you to look at this in a different light. Ok so you may find the class boring but you will need some of this info down the road and some of the classes that you think are pointless like philosophy actually do help, if you allow it, to sharpen your critical thinking and analytical skills. Crucial skills for surviving nursing school. The tests are not the same type of tests you are taking now. Of course philosophy is not the only way to hone those skills, but just trying to get you to see that there is some significance to this and its not just a boring and completely pointless class.

Also, if anything is unclear, I would go speak to the prof during their office hours or make an appointment. I know some profs are better than others, but I would really go sit down with the prof if the instructions are unclear.

Try to see the positive in the situation. All this work you are doing will help prep you for the rigors of nursing school. On Wednesday I have an exam that covers 12 chapters in addition to dosage calc problems. My care plan is also due on Wednesday ,and there's a new skill that I will learn tomorrow and checkoff on by the end of this week and next Monday is our Semester Med Math test that we must get 100% on. You may end up thanking your prof some day for getting used to doing so much in so little time.

Nothing wrong with venting, but I'm all about problem solving so after my vent, I like to come up with solutions.

I wish you all the best.

Now that I have taken a few exams for the class over the weekend I feel slightly better about myself (that's what A's do to you...lol). I can think more clearly and I have to come realize that this is what I must do. Choose the first deadline. Most of my classmates have emailed the professor and she constantly says the same thing. Check the syllabus. Check the assignment. I posted it already. Blah blah blah. So we pretty much have to look out for ourselves. It's all good. Thanks for the comment.

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thenameismac, Its sad to say I believe we have the same teacher right now. I will not name HER on here but trust and believe I am going through the same thing with her on-line class and she is by far one of the worst I have came up against at this school. I will be so happy to get out of this school when I am done. I had a math female teacher that must have been her twin last semester. I have went to the president as well as others to report this behavior nothing is ever done. I only continue to go since it is reasonably priced and the closest to my place of work. People will assume whatever since they do not go to this school nor live in Baltimore. Please check out ratemyprofessor.com and you will see it is others that experienced this as well. Good luck to you. I wonder if we are in the same on-line class.. I am glad to hear that you are improving in her class. She just failed me on my first developmental paper that she took 4 weeks to grade, with a million inconsistencies as far as format. Syllabus stated APA style, developmental paper stated something else. I emailed her 4 times she never responded. So to cover my tail I emailed her both APA as well as developmental style format and she failed me and stated that I did not follow directions. lol I am glad I passed everything else. I HATE THIS CLASS. I received an "A" in Psy 101 and loved it so NO it isnt "US" she is making it complicated with her inconsistencies, rude responses as well as disorganized class.

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