Learning+Continuously

=Learning continuously--there's ALWAYS something new to learn.= "Only a fool knows everything. A wise man knows how little he knows." -Anonymous

I will admit to a certain arrogant attitude I had before coming into this gen chem class--I didn't think I was going to learn nor experience much. I've always thought the science program at SAS was lacking--while other schools make their freshmen take Biology and their sophomores Chemistry, our school forces them take a "lab science" class which, although coveres all three branches of science, does not provide a very in-depth understanding to any of the topics covered (bio, chem, or physics), putting us at a distinct disadvantage when the juniors and seniors of other schools can immediately begin taking ap sciences, whereas we still need one more year of "general ". In addition, I'd already taken a part-chem class before in middle school, and the course material was quite difficult (in that chem/physics class, we used a total of 3 textbooks and borrowed them from the high school).

But, I've learned that there really are new things to learn. For example, I've never seen nor heard of "net ionic" equations first. Nor have I actually worked with real actual chemicals, or seen cool explosions that awe the class in their splendour, or anything extremely exciting. "Net ionic" equations, though quite simple after mastery of the basic concept, was quite foreign to me. If it had ever been mentioned in my previous experiences in chemistry, I must have forgotten it, for when Mrs. Knowles introduced the topic in class, I'd never heard of it. Spectator ions? Not that, either. That particular experience forced me to open my eyes to the reality that I'm not an "all-knowing geek" and that I was pompous enough to believe that I knew it.

I suppose I do present a bit of a contradiction in personality--in my other entries, you will find that I can be quite "unconfident" and doubt my own abilities. I find that I can be at times, rather haughty in my confidence that I have good ideas and I know facts very well, but at other times, I doubt the abilities that I don't receive particular "praise" for. This habit, "Learning Continuously" will serve a strong function in my life--it has reminded me that even though I might be a tad bit more well-prepared for class than others, that does NOT mean I know everything (that's going to be taught in that class.)