SeanMcb.com

I’m back in Boston and just finished my first class of the semester. It wasn’t that bad! I’m actually really looking forward to the semester, since my schedule is a lot more interesting than usual. Last semester was mostly technical classes for my major. I enjoyed it, but I think I got a little burnt out. This semester, I need to catch up on my AHS (arts, humanities, and social sciences) requirements and a few odds and ends, so my schedule is a lot more varied. Plus, I don’t have any scheduled class time on Thursdays! Here’s what my schedule looks like:

• Dynamic Interface Design (Wellesley) - An arts class centered around interface design that I’m cross-registered for over at all-female Wellesley college. This should be a really awesome course, since it’s right in my area of interest. I’m excited. Meets Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
• 6 Books That Changed the World / Sci Fi - Actually two half-semester courses that occupy the same time slot during the first and second halfs. Both are taught by the same professor, Rob Martello. Basically, they’re really fun discussion-based classes where we read good books and digest them. 6 Books comes first, and we’re reading the Communist Manifesto, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Origin of Species, The Prince, The Art of War, and a book of our choosing. Meets Tuesday and Friday mornings.
• 6 Theorems That Changed the World - The title is a direct spoof of my lit class. This is a two credit math class that lasts all semester. Basically, we will be studying six of the most important theorems in math in many different aspects. I think this is going to be sort of a AHSy math class, but it should still be good, and it will complete the credits I need for my math and science requirement. Meets Wednesday mornings.
• Semantic Web Research - Along with some other interested students and Professor Lynn Stein, I’ll be researching semantic web technologies and putting them to specific use in applications at Olin. I’ve set aside 4 credits of time this semester just for research, so it should be really cool.
• FOCS Teaching Assistant - I’ll be working as a teaching assistant for Foundations of Computer Science (also taught by Prof Lynn Stein). I’ve taken the class and TA’d it once before, but that time was more creating project infrastructure. This time the class is actually in session, so the job will be more along the lines of grading and helping out with assignments, etc.

That’s about it. I’m pretty optimistic for the semester so far. I continue to struggle with balancing the myriad cool side projects with my actual work and other obligations. It seems that to be at Olin is to constantly be on the edge of your ability to function and loving it all at once.