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October 16, 2006
test taking
I took what was probably my first test since college the other day. (I'm taking this Project Management class). What's more, I used a mechanical *pencil*. Shades of the SAT, anyone? I can't remember the last time I used a pencil for anything. Odder still, I can't remember when I switched over to using pens exclusively. I'm assuming that it happened when I started working, but I can't remember. I mean, elementary school, high school, it was all about the pencil. Being able to erase something you wrote was a very useful skill, which pens just didn't have (and don't get me started on the brief life of erasable pens, because those *sucked*). I even remember taking someone's advice and purchasing drafting erasers, because those were *awesome*. You didn't smudge and you didn't rip the paper.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. . .the test. Aside from using a pencil, it was strange to even be taking a test. Not to mention studying for one. I made flash cards. . .flash cards!. My current lifestyle is so *not* conducive to studying. Cramming, sure, but regular study is hard. So here I am, cramming aboard BART, during work, flipping through flash cards in an effort to memorize the rote knowledge that I need to pass this test. The irony is that I've been doing project management as a job thing for a few years now, but I never learned it formally. So now I'm finding out what the official definitions are for things that I explain and diagram out on a regular basis. Its almost harder than learning it for the first time, because I have to force myself to forget what I currently know and relearn it the instructor's way. Its such a pain in the ass (hereafter to be shortened to my phrase of the moment: PITA)
So come class time, stroll into class to be greeted by eerie silence. I had forgotten what that's like. Pick up the test from the front. Walk to the available seats in the back of the room. 3 hours to complete the test. Shouldn't be a problem. About 15 short answer type questions and the doozy, a Work Breakdown Structure. Basically, what a WBS is (the non-instructor approved answer) is the task list which is the underlying structure of a project plan, only without dates. This one was worth approximately 40% of the midterm. Teacher recommends doing that first so you don't run out of time. Screw that, I've doing the short answer questions first so I regurgitate what I memorized short-term and clear my head to work on the WBS afterwards. Is it wrong to contemplate how easy it is to cheat? I'm sitting in the back row. Teacher only lifts up his head occasionally. I could break out the flash cards. Or I could take advantage of modern technology and turn on my Treo. What if I had the flash cards typed into the Notes section of the phone? Is this what high school kids are doing these days? (At least, that's what I read). Now I'm wondering how kids will try and cheat once Naomi gets to that age.
Talk about being distracted, I guess I'm not used to taking 3 hours for a test. Last time I did that was the SATs. Although this time I put in my personal twist, only because I think I've gotten even more anal-retentive in my old age. Because the Work Breakdown Structure is worth so much of the grade, I actually write up a *draft* version of it to make sure I have all my ducks lined up in a row. Then I rewrite it for teacher consumption. By the time I'm done, my hand is completely cramped, there is no time left (I took nearly all 3 hours) and there is a huge dent in my finger from where the pencil was. I haven't written this much since writing letters to girls in high school. Ouch.
update: got the test back. didn't do too badly. i guess i still have some of the old mojo.
Posted by spoof747 at October 16, 2006 08:42 PM