20 November 2006

Rebuilding Year

In the process of trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life, I've decided to take the GRE in the hopes of one day getting into graduate school. At this point, I've got an idea of what program I'd like to enter, but that's so far ahead in the future that I just can't lay any bets on it right now.

When I began studying for the GRE, I had high hopes. I figured that it couldn't be too terribly hard; surely I haven't lost ALL of the knowledge I'll need to at least take a good crack at even just the practice exams. Of course, I was wrong.

The verbal section wasn't too bad, and I know exactly what I need to work on to get better (antonyms, root words). I thought the quantitative section wouldn't give me too much trouble, because in school I'd done pretty well in math once I learned all of the formulas. Little did I know that I would have to basically re-learn everything. That means I'm starting from the ground up. And if there's one thing my brain doesn't handle well, it's having to scrap all previous beliefs (the belief that this wasn't going to be too hard) and begin anew. I'm stubborn that way, and I don't like the idea of having to admit that right now any junior high student could probably give me a good run for my money on the quantitative section of the graduate entry exam. How sad.

I realize this will eventually become easier for me, and I'll look back at this time of the studying as a necessary means to an end. I mean, it sure wouldn't mean much if I didn't have to work for it, right?

I've always felt that things came relatively easy to me but that I was still only mediocre in everything I did in life. Most people have at least one thing that they can excel at, but I've always been average or a little above in my pursuits. I'm hoping to find something other than making copies that I can kick ass at.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lemme know if you need help with the quantitave stuff.

Roonie said...

I hate standardized testing. Blech.