Comments on: What If My Dream Major Turns Into a Nightmare? http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/ Demystifying Sustainable Success Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:23:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Study Hacks » Blog Archive » On the Value of Hard Focus http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-9085 Study Hacks » Blog Archive » On the Value of Hard Focus Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:51:28 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-9085 [...] Our student from above, probably lacks hard focus muscles. She has no training in keeping her concentration locked even after resistance builds. And because of this, she’s collapsing well short of the finish line in the mental marathons she needs to run as an upper-level student. [...] […] Our student from above, probably lacks hard focus muscles. She has no training in keeping her concentration locked even after resistance builds. And because of this, she’s collapsing well short of the finish line in the mental marathons she needs to run as an upper-level student. […]

]]> By: Daisy http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8897 Daisy Tue, 26 May 2009 04:04:28 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8897 I really needed to read this now. I've been starting to panic because my final year is coming and the required courseload (meaning I can't deviate from it or lessen it) is monstrous. the end is near, I guess... :) I really needed to read this now.

I’ve been starting to panic because my final year is coming and the required courseload (meaning I can’t deviate from it or lessen it) is monstrous.

the end is near, I guess… :)

]]> By: Alvin http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8682 Alvin Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:37:08 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8682 Tyler, what about learning phrases or sentences instead? Have you read either antimoon.com or http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/? Tyler, what about learning phrases or sentences instead? Have you read either antimoon.com or http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/?

]]> By: jamin http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8673 jamin Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:12:39 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8673 "There is no right major for you. There are only right motivations." “There is no right major for you. There are only right motivations.”

]]> By: Tyler http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8661 Tyler Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:00:49 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8661 @Jay Thanks for the recommendation. Actually, you might be surprised to learn that I've been using it this semester. It's great!! It's a shareware version of Supermemo (which Cal has featured on his blog before). I fully agree with you, it does I've sure had your Matrix-style learning experience. You can even add sound and pictures for a more complete learning experience if you learn visually. I confess one thing I probably should have considered trying is learning lists of vocabulary rather than just trying to memorize translations. P.S. If all I had to do was learn Greek Adverbs, I'd be set. There's not too many of them. In many languages, it's the verbs that present the hardest challenge. @Jay

Thanks for the recommendation. Actually, you might be surprised to learn that I’ve been using it this semester. It’s great!! It’s a shareware version of Supermemo (which Cal has featured on his blog before). I fully agree with you, it does I’ve sure had your Matrix-style learning experience. You can even add sound and pictures for a more complete learning experience if you learn visually.

I confess one thing I probably should have considered trying is learning lists of vocabulary rather than just trying to memorize translations.

P.S. If all I had to do was learn Greek Adverbs, I’d be set. There’s not too many of them. In many languages, it’s the verbs that present the hardest challenge.

]]> By: Why College is Supposed to be Hard | Mind-Manual http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8660 Why College is Supposed to be Hard | Mind-Manual Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:34:42 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8660 [...] Newport over at Study Hacks just wrote a good entry on what to do if your dream major turns out to be a nightmare. One of his helpful observations [...] […] Newport over at Study Hacks just wrote a good entry on what to do if your dream major turns out to be a nightmare. One of his helpful observations […]

]]> By: Top 10 Posts for Debt-free Scholars: April Winners | Debt-free Scholar http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8659 Top 10 Posts for Debt-free Scholars: April Winners | Debt-free Scholar Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:31:35 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8659 [...] “What If My Dream Major Turns Into a Nightmare?” - Have you completed half your degree, only to find the subject no longer interests you?  If so, this article is for you!  Here you will learn about a real-life person who experienced this difficulty, and what to do if it happens to you. [...] […] “What If My Dream Major Turns Into a Nightmare?” - Have you completed half your degree, only to find the subject no longer interests you?  If so, this article is for you!  Here you will learn about a real-life person who experienced this difficulty, and what to do if it happens to you. […]

]]> By: Jay http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8658 Jay Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:38:47 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8658 @Alvin: I agree, Anki is tight too, it's got everything but the kitchen sink. But I find it runs a little slow on my poor old laptop. Mnemosyne is just a fast, sleek, little minimalist program, that's why I dig it. Version 2 is going to be great, with lots of improvements like animated gif support, devanagari support, etc. If you can't tell I'm a huge fan of SRS. It's totally transformed the way I learn in some classes. I make up a lot of really good flashcards and I don't even feel like I'm studying, just uploading knowledge straight into my brain, Matrix-style. @Alvin: I agree, Anki is tight too, it’s got everything but the kitchen sink. But I find it runs a little slow on my poor old laptop. Mnemosyne is just a fast, sleek, little minimalist program, that’s why I dig it. Version 2 is going to be great, with lots of improvements like animated gif support, devanagari support, etc. If you can’t tell I’m a huge fan of SRS. It’s totally transformed the way I learn in some classes. I make up a lot of really good flashcards and I don’t even feel like I’m studying, just uploading knowledge straight into my brain, Matrix-style.

]]> By: Linh http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8653 Linh Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:11:20 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8653 The observation about hard courses is very, very true. I might also add that your interest may lie in only one area of your major, but you're required to take classes in other areas too, which you may have a hard time finding interest in. This in fact is happening to me. I'm a psyc major. I'm very interested in positive psychology and wouldn't mind spending days reading about it. But due to an advisor crunch, I'm going to have to write my thesis about psychology of gender, which I find minimally interesting and is politically charged to boot. Not happy, but I guess I'll have to stick to it and try to stir up some interest. The observation about hard courses is very, very true. I might also add that your interest may lie in only one area of your major, but you’re required to take classes in other areas too, which you may have a hard time finding interest in. This in fact is happening to me. I’m a psyc major. I’m very interested in positive psychology and wouldn’t mind spending days reading about it. But due to an advisor crunch, I’m going to have to write my thesis about psychology of gender, which I find minimally interesting and is politically charged to boot. Not happy, but I guess I’ll have to stick to it and try to stir up some interest.

]]> By: UniversityDude http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8651 UniversityDude Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:24:24 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/04/22/what-if-my-dream-major-turns-into-a-nightmare/#comment-8651 Great post this was very applicable to me as a freshman. I wanted to get into communications but found out the challenges of taking some of the rhetoric and intro classes. Great post this was very applicable to me as a freshman. I wanted to get into communications but found out the challenges of taking some of the rhetoric and intro classes.

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