Last week I kind of had a melt down, actually. My classes are just getting so hard and I'm having a hard time spreading the hard ones out over the last three semesters I have until I graduate because of when the department offers the classes I need. We're a small math department on a mostly residential campus and I'm an adult commuter student. My advisor was trying to pressure me in to taking not only the 8 credits of math I don't have a choice about (if I want to graduate in 2012), but also another 2 credit elective course. Ummm... No. I think I mostly have that situation worked out after a LOT of meetings with deans and department heads. I may have to go to another college to take an elective in order to graduate on time, but I'll be a much saner person for it. :)
I realize this blog is called "The Student Knitter" but I rarely talk about the student part. I've been a strong student all my life and have always enjoyed school, so I guess no one thought to tell me that school was going to get really hard, even for me, and that I would begin questioning my ability to finish it altogether. I also still have no idea what I think I want to do with my BA in Mathematics and another BA in Communication and Technology (business, basically). Everyone I tell that to goes "huh. What a weird combination." lol If anyone has a job themselves, or knows someone who has a job that has these kinds of qualifications, I would love love love if you would leave me a comment or send me an email!
Skip to Here if you want to read about Knitting! hehe
So, are you ready to see some knitting updates? hehe As you can see by my side bar status thingy, I did decide to frog the pea coat I was working on. I was just really mad at it. lol I haven't decided what I'm going to do to replace it yet and since it's my last gift to finish before I need to send everything to Canada on December 1st I decided to start something for me!
I cast on the Holden Shawlette, which was published for free in September 2010 and already has 124 projects! Mine doesn't look like much yet, just the stockinette body. I'm doing it in this yarn: my Malabrigo Sock in my absolute favorite colour EVER.
So yeah. I'm chugging away on that and pondering Niece #3's Christmas gifts! This year is going to be very lean so I'm sure I'll have to knit something, but what? Or maybe I'll quilt for her? Dunno yet, but it needs to be done in the next three weeks ! lol
I also did a bit of sewing last night. It was kind of an whirlwind of little threads and machine whorls:
It's a pillow! Kind of lumpy and poorly photographed, but made out of the fabrics leftovers from my quilt and a recycled sweater. The lumps will work themself out with wear, right? This was my first time working with a knit fabric (what a pain!) and also my first applique project, and the first pillow I've ever made. LOL I like it, I think. It looks amateurish, but I learned a lot (like buy pillow forms, not just stuffing!) I also tried to do a bit of a cording around the outside and you can see how that worked out for me too. hehehe It disappears in to the corners instead of going around them. I'm not sure if it'll stay at my house or go off with the Quilt as an xmas gift. We'll see. hehe :)
Was the pillow worth reading through all the blather at the top? How are you guys going on your Christmas gifting lists? :)
Well, your major sounds a bit more useful than say....Early Modern Studies and Classics. Definitely more useful than a masters in Anthropology with concentrations in gender studies. (All of which my Offspring is going for.)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the pillow!
Remember those honnycakes? They turned out brilliant, so now I just have to plan out how many to make, how to decorate them, wrap them etc. oh, and make a lot of to-from cards...
ReplyDeleteRemember those honnycakes? They turned out brilliant, so now I just have to plan out how many to make, how to decorate them, wrap them etc. oh, and make a lot of to-from cards...
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your Holden!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same when I got to gradschool last year - until then I was fine with everything, sure I had to put in long hours studying, but I never doubted my ability to succeed, as long as I put enough time in it. At gradschool, that was completely different - all of a sudden I felt like even if I put all the time in the world into these things, I still might not *get* it. It was the first time ever that I actually struggled with school. But then I thought to myself - you know what, if it's not hard then you're not really learning anything. And... I did well in the end! (To my surprize!)
ReplyDeleteI am at a totally different phase of life, but so much of what you wrote about resonated with me! Both my children are working on their undergrads and they have the same problem with having to load up on hard classes some semesters. My daughter has 5 classes this semester and is completely stressed out!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, she's majoring in Jewish Studies, so I think your majors sound very practical!
With two in college, I also have a small gift budget, so I too am struggling to get everything knitted. I hope in a few years, both of us are under less pressure.
Here's some friendly advice: Check out this blog: http://100rsns.blogspot.com/ (I have no connection with it, just stumbled across it.)
ReplyDeleteIf you are good at math and know how to communicate in a business way, I should think that would be terribly useful in about a zillion different careers!
Love the pillow!
Grad school is just a different animal altogether. The lack of structure (compared to undergrad) was REALLY difficult for me at first, but you'll get in the swing of things and soon you'll be an old pro.
ReplyDeleteMath + business sounds pretty awesome to me...my husband did math + computer science and it's been incredibly useful. I think employers will eat it up.
I learned the same lesson about pillow forms recently. Good to know! I just popped over from csi :)
ReplyDeleteHang in there schoolwise! I know it's tough. Sounds like you will be qualified for a lot of jobs, but have you considered teaching? You are a good communicator and our schools need good math teachers.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your Holden.