Then, math camp started.
I have not had a calculus class since high school. Math and I have an interesting relationship. We get along pretty well when it comes to reviewing material that I did not understand the last time it was taught to me. So, what generally happens is that I take a pre-cal class and have no idea what is going on. The next year when I take calculus, all of the pre-cal suddenly makes sense. Not ideal, but at least I eventually get it. This is why I decided to take math camp. I needed to review calculus and be introduced to linear algebra (matrices...yay), probability, and statistical inference at a much higher level than I had ever seen. Math camp was the quickest way to do this. But it meant that I sat in a classroom for three hours a day having math thrown at me, then spent hours painstakingly going over problem sets with members of my cohort. It was exhausting. Week one was fine. Week two was crazy. The second week is when we got into material that I had never seen before. Hopefully, trying to understand it this time will make it that much easier to comprehend if I ever take more quantitative methods courses.
Orientation week is finally over, and classes start on Monday. Since I only have class on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this quarter, this weekend and Monday will be devoted to last minute cleaning, cooking for the week, and completing readings for the first day of class. I am so ready to take on grad school. It's going to be tough. I am going to question my abilities. Professors and colleagues will shoot me down when I am wrong. That will happen often. The reading load will be incredibly heavy. Expectations are high. But I am so ready. Life as a PhD student begins now. Bring on the storm.
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