During Interim, St. Olaf students pursue a single course, often of an interdisciplinary nature. If you could design your own Interim course today, what would it be? (If someone didn't know, by interim course they mean an combination of some courses that you will have to study in one month of time) (250-500 words)
I have reached 431 words so no problem with the word limit thing. I just want the essay to be nice. Please help editing it critiquing as harshly as possible. I should also say that I have almost ZERO percent knowledge in Neuroscience and Psychology as in my school they are not provided. So I wrote whatever I got from the internet. So there's supposed to BE some problem there!
I am interested in Physics and for now that's what I am going to major in and other than that I have a strong attraction for Astronomy. That being said where I don't want to major but I have the curiosity to learn are computers, human brains, engineering, programming and the last but not the least robots. I want Interim course to be a combination of Neuroscience, Psychology and Computer Science.
As I am interested in Engineering I know that I will need different programming skills and software knowledge. So, a Computer Science course will provide me knowledge in C, C++, C#, Java, Python and other necessary languages. My avid interest in Robotics can only be fulfilled with a vast knowledge in these programming languages. Even in Astronomy I will need the skill of programming so a course in Computer Science will indeed help me in the long run. Besides every reason, from my childhood watching my uncles make many games, software and many cool stuffs has made programming to be one of the very early finish lines for me to win.
With Neuroscience I obviously want to know how the brain works. As the myth "We use only 10% of our brain" has been proven wrong, I want to know how and which parts of our brain work for different type of work we do. We move our eyes, and that is a very simple thing without any difficulty but what I want to know is the picture behind the screen, which neurons are behind this movement and what are the processes happening in this movement. And of course there's another reason behind my interest in Neuroscience, I want to know what the fun Neuroscientists get and I want to have that fun too.
With the knowledge learned from Psychology, I will be able to have a closer look at the psychological elements that affect one's dedication to his work such as perception, cognition, attention, unconscious mind, and eventually find out a method to strengthen the will. This will help me in staying straight to the path I am following to reach my dream.
I have way many interests and I get excited about lots of stuff as everyday I learn something new. So, to know about all this things I will really be in need of strong motivation and inspiration. A course like this might not entirely help my future career in the astronomy field, but it will provide me with the ability to motivate myself. I look forward to this course's realization during my years in St. Olaf.
this can be removed Besides every reason, from my childhood watching my uncles make many games, software and many cool stuffs has made programming to be one of the very early finish lines for me to win.
So, to know about all this things (I think you mean these)
I like how you connect the different studies but it could be done a little more cleanly
By saying "I have a strong attraction for Astronomy", do you mean you have strong interest in the subject? If you do, I don't think they way you put it is appropriate.
Your points are very clear, but the writing can still be polished and much improved.
That being said what I don't want to major in but still have the curiosity to learn are computers, human brains, engineering, programming
I want MY Interim course to be a combination of Neuroscience, Psychology and Computer Science.
I want to know how much fun Neuroscientists have and I want to have that fun too.
I think its a nice essay. but you treat all these disciplines of study differently, I think establishing a connection between them would make the essay better. Anyways good luck :)
