Nine weeks to go - Random Blog

Just a random pic i took by the river.

I can't believe i only have nine weeks left in America. I feel like i've been here FOREVER but it's actually only been eight weeks so i'm not even half way through my stay. How weird. We just had fall break, which was only two days off. It has really made me excited for Thanksgiving. I managed (after MUCH difficulty) to book my ticket to New York where i am going to meet Ella. Not looking forward to that 22 hour coach journey but it was less than half the price of a plane. But i am beyond excited to go! Side note: Can i just say i resent giving Greyhound Buses my money because they are the worst company in existence! But anyway...

I thought i would just write about what classes are like because i haven't really talked about them on here. I have really found the classes here difficult, mainly because of the teaching style and the fact that there are a billion exams. I have always been bad at exams and the fact that i have midterms every other week does not bode well for my transcripts when i return home. I have gone from A's and B's at Sussex to D's here (which i was told was to be expected, but it still sucks). 

As most of you know i HATE my statistics class with a passion, there are only 4 of us in the class which says it all really. To get into the advanced statistics class (the one i am in now) you were supposed to have taken "Introduction to Statistics" which i haven't; so while everyone else is whizzing through the course i sit there wondering what the heck is going on. I also think i hate being the dumbest in class, i'm just not used to being the thicko which sounds really big headed now i think about it haha. But here is an example of the questions we get on our lab assignments. It's not just me right? That is difficult..?

1.      a. Given the following information, perform a one-way ANOVA.

= 4.2                       = 3.6                       = 5.0

n_X = 16                 n_Y =  16                   n_Z = 16

MS_X = 2.2         MS_Y = 2.0        MS_Z = 2.4

b.       State the null and alternative hypotheses.

c.      Is there a significant treatment effect at the .05 level of significance^*? Justify your answer (make sure to state the critical F statistic and the calculated F statistic).

d.       Is there a significant treatment effect at the .01 level of significance^*? Justify your answer (make sure to state the critical F statistic and the calculated F statistic).

I hired myself a tutor because i knew i couldn't get through the class without someone actually going through things step by step and i feel much better having her help. 

The other classes aren't so bad. I think the main reason i am not doing so well is because of the exams. I never thought i would say this but i MISS coursework and essays. I asked one of my friends in class if she has written an essay at Purdue (she is in her third year) and she said no which i think is crazy. It's like being back at school.  

Also can i just point out that we sit in those desk/chair combo things. How American is that? haha.

From google.

BUT I love living in America, and i'm so glad i came to study here. If i were to do it all over again the only thing i would change is the location. As much as i love Purdue i would probably choose to go to a university in a city just because you can feel a bit trapped if you don't have a car in Indiana. Going to Chicago really made me realise how much of a city gal i am haha.

xx