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A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra)?
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This process (called the diffused mode of the brain) is discussed in depth in a book I read a few years ago called A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra).
Would highly recommend if anyone is interested in how your brain learns things - especially abstract concepts like mathematics and programming.
Hey man we all get discouraged when learning something new.
You should check out this https://www.amazon.ca/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
The author was terrified of math throughout high school and joined the army after graduating. When she was ~25 she realized the work she was doing was not going to provide her a great future, and she went back to school for an engineering degree. During this time she learned how to overcome her issues, and she's now doing a PHD.
I really liked the book, I got it on Audible but wouldn't be surprised if the library had it :) She covers strategies to deal with solving new problems and also procrastination.
I'm early thirties, and left a controlling ex a couple years ago myself (still married because they keep "accidentally" dropping the ball on their end, but that's another story). I had a discouraging experience going back to school while we were still living together, and it made me nervous about trying again. But this time has been totally different. I'm graduating from CC this spring with a 4.0!
We adult students have a lot of things going for us. There's the benefit of life experience and a fully developed brain. We tend to be more organized and driven, too. You may even find that material you struggled with as a teen comes more easily now.
However, I still get panicked every semester that I'm going to lose focus and flunk. Recently I've started having nightmares that I'm going to fail a class and not get to walk for graduation. I'm also worried because I'm starting STEM "weed out" classes next semester, so the difficulty is about the ratchet up significantly.
I'm managing by keeping my focus mostly on my current semester. I also bought a book called <em>A Mind For Numbers</em>, which is recommended for folks who aren't so confident in their math skills. It focuses on strategies for studying more efficiently and reducing the time you feel like you're grinding away but not getting anywhere.
I know it's scary, but school won't be as bad as your fear is telling you. Community colleges are very supportive places, with lots of resources to help you succeed. Take advantage of advising, free tutoring, and disability services (if panic attacks continue to be a problem). Don't let fear stop you from getting that degree! You can do it!!
This book I read gave a neurological explanation for procrastination. They stuck someone in a fancy brain scanner gizmo and gave them a task that would trigger their procrastination. What they saw was that the anticipated discomfort you mentioned lit up the actual pain centers in the brain. They also saw, however, that this brain activity stopped when the person actually started the task. Based on this, their advice was "start by just doing a little." But in your case, it sounds like the pain response continues while doing the task. Emotional flashback?
If their model is correct, then maybe your problem isn't actually "procrastination," but you're getting the same end result of avoidance and dissociation. If so then tactics for dealing with procrastination aren't going to help as much as expected- and obviously you've tried quite hard!
I’m sorry, that’s sounds so frustrating, college-level math and physics can be very unforgiving if your high school math foundation is weak. It sounded like you have put in the hard work but struggle to see results. That’s an indication that your current study strategy/habit is not working and it’s time to learn some new study skills, to study not just harder but smarter. Here is the perfect book for you:
https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
I benefitted a ton from the book. I also agree that it would be a good idea to take a semester off to focus on your mental health and study strategy, review high-school math using Khan academy, and do some soul-searching to understand why you are in college (what’s your life goals?) so that when you are ready to come back, you will be in a much better mindset with better background and strategies to get through the struggle.
When you have time (winter break?) read A Mind For Numbers by Barbara Oakley - it's a book about how to learn more efficiently, especially in math/science. It's a very practical book about how the brain learns and how to structure your study in a way that utilizes the literal biological process of learning that happens in your brain.
Also, what u/two-bit-hack said, and practice a lot. Don't be ashamed to watch tutorials and look up answers until you get it, but when you look up answers make sure you take the time to learn why the answers are correct. Real learning takes time and effort. Be persistent, consistent, and patient.
Salut, eu zic ca "problemele" ar fi astea:
- Ai nimerit fix intr-o recesiune, din ce văd majoritatea firmelor nu prea mai angajează acum, toată lumea merge pe burta, așteaptă sa vadă ce se întâmplă în viitor.
- Încearcă sa privești un pic lucrurile din prisma unui potențial angajator: primește probabil jdemii de CV-uri de la o grămadă de oameni care au terminat cursuri și vor sa între în industrie. Ca sa te cheme la interviu, trebuie să-i sara ceva în OK de pe CV - o experiență, un proiect, o măslină, o atenție. Oricât de junior / internship ai fi, trebuie sa fii un pic util firmei, sa poți sa faci un task mic singur; nu te angajează nimeni ca după aia sa pună un mid / senior dev langa tine 24/7 ca sa îți arate cum sa faci merge și sa citești cod.
- ca parare subiectiva și total neceruta, cred ca ești blocat în tutorial-hell.
Cred ca ar trebui să-ți faci un plan (gen ca în Ian 2023 sa fi angajat ca developer (junior sau internship) și pentru asta ai cam ~2 luni sa faci un proiect micuț pe care-l să-l pui pe CV (un exemplu ar fi sa consumi și tu un API public, gen ala de la GitHub, ca sa faci un git repo searcher - folosește și tu o libarie de CSS și vezi dacă poți să-l faci un pic responsive)
Dacă partea de mai sus îți da atacuri de panica și nu știi de unde sa te apuci sa faci asta, sugestia mea ar fi sa termini the odin project (track-ul cu full stack JS recomanda oamenii pe aici). În paralel, îți recomand sa citești cartea asta (te învață cum sa înveți, titlul e ușor imbecili)
Dacă banii sunt o urgență, atunci poți încerca sa aplici pentru poziții de QA, cu mențiunea ca munca e destul de repetitivă și departe de programarea propriu-zisă, așa ca o sa fii în aceeași situație de acum, doar ca o sa poți zice ca lucrezi în IT.
That's fair. It's one of the things I've learnt in a software career, it's very difficult to have an emotional attachment to things on a computer screen.
Vidya games showcase some pretty extreme stuff for example. But we don't care because we know, 2D isn't real.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
Give that book a try. Spring for the physical copy even, it has most of what I was talking about.
I remember the big difference in my college days was putting my bed time in Google calendar. I had a bed time with 15, 30 and 60 minute notifications.
Even though I didn't actually go to bed then, the act of measuring how much sleep I got meant I really fixed my sleep schedule and things got better.
Hey dude, get a pencil and paper and spend your free time on it. It doesn't have to completely be finished in one session or one day. Just keep revisiting it and add as your mind processes it. I would love to recommend a great book to you by Barbara Oakley. It's called a mind for numbers. It's an amazing book that explains the processes of the brain and what the best methods are for actually improving your abilities. I'm sure you are much more capable than you think you are. I'm am extremely happy for you that you have found DMT, it will show you that you can improve yourself in ways you wouldn't even imagine were possible. Just couple the dmt with real world application and you will see drastic improvements. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G3L19ZU/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glc_3H1DBYK2YVE5FT9YKK0G
Yes you can do it! You will not not fail.
This is a good, motivating resource: A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science
You simply have to change your study habits when it comes to math classes. You have to rework problems, use recall and pomodoro methods. (It can really be applied to many topics.)
This may be overkill and obvious to some people but this is what I did for all math classes (calculus, physics, linear algebra, discrete math, stats) as a 30 something returning to college.
- Watch some short video on the topic about to discussed in lecture.
- Go to class. Take notes on everything. Don't skip the "I got that" part. Trust yourself that if you don't understand something in lecture, you'll figure it out later.
- HW Tips: Use pomodoro technique when working on HW. Write entire HW solution down even if you don't turn in physical paper. Use Chegg, Slader, and/or YouTube to see how other people solve the problem or similar problem you're stuck on. (I spent a lot of time here. It prepares you better for exams, I think.) Try to understand at this moment.
- Exam Tips: Start exam prep a week out from exam date. Rework all problems from lecture and HW. Even if some week's HW took you 7 hours to complete, when you run through it again, the time it takes is much less (or should be). Maybe rework the review a couple times if you're lucky enough to get one and have time.
- Use recall method to remember formulas, proofs, lemmas, definitions, and concepts.
I did a version of the above and it was inspired from the book I linked. My success with this method is high. FWIW. I graduate in December.
It's important to find something that works for you. And you'll figure that out through trial and error. Just hope the error isn't too high.
This book helped me find some multiple flaws in the way I use to study and in return, greatly improved my GPA. Don't be misguided by the title, these are tips for all field of studies (not just science and math).
Please read through this book.We feel that we are bad at some subject but it beacuse how we try to study it.I find the maths can be best understood by solving as many problem as possible,This videos will only help you cement the understanding.
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B00G3L19ZU/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?\_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
I read a book by Barbara Oakley called A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) that I recommend for anyone struggling in these areas.
I’ve never heard of any sort of class like that, though one may exist, if you really want to practice it you could always buy a cheap junkcar even if it doesn’t run you plan on breaking it anyway lol though that would get expensive. I’d say instead use different memorization and learning techniques an excellent book for this is Barabara Oakley’s “a mind for math and numbers.” The title is a bit misleading as the skills taught in that book can be translated to anything you want to learn not just math. I’ll attach a link to it for you if you wanted to check it out. https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU/ref=nodl_
Barbara Oakley wrote a good evidence based book. A Mind for Numbers. A Mind For Numbers
This guys makes the argument that it’s antiquated therefore it’s bad but you could also say it’s “time tested” therefore its good.
The Harm: Basically your saying it doesn’t work because the teachers do a bad job not because there is a flaw in math facts.
It’s Irrelevant: unfortunately the logic you use actually exacerbates the problem. The more you encourage the use of easy technology the less students Will feel empowered. Math facts is an easy catch phrase but the reality is it’s not “math facts” it’s number sense and the ability to work with numbers in your head. The better you are at it the better off you will be. There are a lot of variables that go into this as well like working memory ability, natural ability at math, visual spatial ability, but a big one is just practice, practice, practice.
Why its harmful: man he hit the nail on the head. But the conclusion is opposite of reality. The problem the less kids can do on their own the less confident they will be. By not encouraging and practicing number sense, which includes math facts, the less students will believe they are good at math. A Calculator is one or two more steps removed and the more steps you have the more chance you have for a student not to complete the work.
I’d say the gap for girls is based on stereotype threat not math facts ability.
I did a year of a physics degree. That shit is hard....
I had the textbook Fundamentals of Physics by Wiley. It gives pretty good explanations. With physics and maths you just have to do loads and loads of problems to get good. It's like going to the gym or something.
I also recommend this book which is all about how to study math and science subjects.
Good luck!
There's a really helpful book called A Mind for Numbers that deals specifically with learning math and science. It has lots of really helpful advice on the actual process of learning and teaches you how to study it. Another helpful book is Math Smart by the Princeton Review. It teaches from the ground up, going back to the very basics and working up from there.
Also the author of the "Numbers" book studied engineering later in her life and even said it wasn't her natural forte. She sought out experts on learning and the book is packed with their advice/tips.
I just listened to the audiobook of A Mind for Numbers. I don't think it was necessarily revolutionary, but it had some really good ideas. It's especially well suited for someone in your position of trying to reevaluate your study habits.
In the book, she spends a lot of time on the benefits of having your ideas challenged by your peers, while you look for ways to scrutinize their ideas. So in addition to working through more problems, you might want to start some sort of study group with your classmates, or at least start actively posting on /r/learnmath. This can help you to avoid studying within your comfort zone. You may be doing a lot of exercises, but maybe you are becoming too comfortable with the structure the textbook provides. For instance, if the section header says the next few exercises review a particular concept, you may not be equipped to identify when to use that concept on a test. Talking through your approach, whether you have the right answer or not, forces you to think about it in new and abstract ways. This will make you much more prepared for a test.
In my mind, exercising will help. It gives your brain a rest, lets you get your blood moving. Being fit can help you process information better. Depending on your exercise, you can turn it into a moving meditation, so it can have other benefits also.
There have been a few studies that show that exercise helps the brain learn better by creating new neurons and signaling pathways. 'A Mind for Numbers' briefly covers the information, but I don't have the studies immediately available.
As long as you are not using it as a procrastination tool, exercise is a great thing to do during breaks!
I was going to post this as well. I haven't done the course due to no time for it. But it's supposedly based on this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Mind-For-Numbers-Science-Flunked-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
So you could take a look at that as well, if you don't feel like going at the course's schedule.
Some things I found useful in self-studying/trying to obtain mathematical "maturity"
First 3 helped start the journey, 4 was my first dive into trying to do a proof-based class, 5 is a pretty good intro to analysis and proofs.
6, 7 have been pretty crucial in the past year or so of my self-study. 6 is really helping develop a problem solving mindset, 7 helping translate my intuitive problem solving/proof into something very rigorous.
Even proofs from just a few weeks ago seem like total garbage in comparison to where I'm at now and I'm sure in a few weeks I'll hate what I'm currently writing.
8 is good because there are a ton of valid proofs in different styles (induction, contradiction, contrapositive etc) for the same theorems.
So it's been good practice to apply techniques from 6 to prove theorems multiple ways and make them rigorous using style of 7 and then comparing the different proof techniques to understand why some methods are easier than other (eg one method requires a construction that might not be clear but the other might just required a counter example ie global vs local argument etc).
The main skill I'm trying to develop at the moment (other than problem solving -> proof) is being able to read less expository text and try to extract out the intuition/big picture.
This turned into a bit of an essay, but you asked important questions that I think deserve comprehensive answers, so I tried to do my best. Hopefully these answers help at least a little bit. :)
1)
It's mostly determination and time - though as others have mentioned, it helps a lot if you study data structures and algorithms a bit first.
I actually like Open Data Structures a lot. It explains things clearly, and it has Java, C++, and Python editions.
I also grabbed a super cheap old copy of Sedgewick's Algorithms in C++. Even though it's 25 years old, I like it better than the much newer Java version of the book. And the age doesn't matter. The data structures and algos you'll use to solve Leetcode problems are mostly decades old anyway. Even if you don't know C++, the examples are pretty easy to translate into any language. And you can grab a nice hardcover copy in good shape for $3-4 from AbeBooks. Lots of the exercises in the book will help you become better at the types of problems you'll see on Leetcode and similar sites.
And once you've solved enough Leetcode style problems, you start to see patterns. Then when you look at problems like the one you linked to, you'll see that when the problem says "rotate the list to the right by k places", all you really need to is yank off whatever is on the end of the list and then shove it on to the front of the list k times. But since it's a singly-linked list, you'll have to traverse the whole list to figure out where the end is, etc, etc.
Once you've got a decent grasp on the data structures, and how to traverse them, and you've solved enough different types of problems, when you see a new one you'll be able to classify it pretty quickly and devise a plan of action to solve it.
As for *enjoying* solving these problems - it's absolutely possible, but you have to put in some tough, boring work first to build up your base skill level. But it feels really damn good once you get to the point where you're easily cranking out answers to problems that you had trouble with in the past.
As for how to approach all of this, I highly recommend Learning how to Learn on Coursera, or [A Mind for Numbers]9https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU), which is basically that same course but in book form. The reason I recommend these is that most people don't actually know how to study algorithms and data structures (or anything else, really) in a way that leads to them understanding and retaining the information so they can use it later. This course/book will change the way you study and learn, and will help you make much more effective use of the time you spend studying and practicing.
2)
In the past, I would've said it's mostly a hurdle. But in the nearly 10 years I've been doing this, I've run into enough accidentally quadratic (and once or twice even accidentally factorial) code written by others that I think there's some value in questions like these.
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By "questions like these", I mean ones like the one you linked to that involve relatively straightforward operations on lists, arrays, hashtables, and trees. I don't think that some of the more brutal ones that involve things like multidimensional dynamic programming are quite as useful as interview questions, unless your goal is just to see how much you can make a candidate sweat when you ask them to solve one of those on a whiteboard in 20 minutes. :)
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Although keep in mind that the ultra tough questions are sometimes used as a proxy for IQ tests because in many jurisdictions, giving your candidates an actual IQ test can be a risky legally. But giving them an ultra hard programming question is less risky because it's at least somewhat related to the kind of work the candidate will be doing.
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3)
It really depends on what kind of work you'll enjoy most. Remember that not all programming jobs will ask you Leetcode style questions. Heck, I almost wish I'd get some. I've always prepared for them, and instead my interviews have always been higher level questions - talking about the design and architecture of applications I've built, languages I've used, etc. I've also been asked to do small projects to demonstrate that I can actually write working code - these haven't ever really taken more than an hour.
Unlike some others, I find that projects like these are totally fair - because over the course of my career I've encountered people who have been programming professionally for years, and yet can't deliver a working solution to a really simple problem statement, even given as much time as they want to try to complete it.
Yes, a Big N interview process will be pretty gruelling. But they're not that only places offering great jobs that pay well.
And as for whether you should do something like AWS solution architecture: if you enjoy that kind of work, I think it's a skill you should pick up, even if it is in addition to programming. Hell, it might be a better option in the future. I see a lot of politicians and celebrities saying things like "we need to teach *everyone* to learn how to code", and I worry that the market for professional developers will eventually become a bit of a red ocean in the future as a result of this.
I don't see too many politicians and celebrities saying things like "everyone needs to be able to architect scalable distributed cloud systems" so these skills might end up being more valuable than programming a decade from now. It can be a tough set of skills to build, because you have to be able to deliver on business goals while meeting a whole multitude of cost and technical constraints. But the broadness of the skillset is also the thing that makes it valuable.
Sounds to me like you are studying a fuckton, and that work ethic is not your problem. There are lots of hacks, like the pomodoro technique, or studying in a public place, or making schedules, etc, if you're having trouble with motivation or focus, but if you're studying as much as you say you are, I don't think that's the problem.
You don't need to study more, you need to study smarter.
"Studying" encompasses a lot of things. Reading. Re-reading. Looking over notes. Highlighting. Flash cards. Doing exercises. Etc. Not all studying is created equal. Not even close. As a general heuristic, you want to study in ways that are Active and Challenging as much as possible. If you aren't frequently getting things wrong, you're not doing it right. If you're reading or looking over notes, then you can't be wrong because "being wrong" doesn't even apply to that situation. Those are passive activities. You need to be putting yourself out there, taking a stab, and then checking if it's right. And you want to always be working at the edge of your abilities. If you aren't failing, you aren't learning. If you're getting everything right, move to something harder. De-stigmatize failure. Provided that you find out why/how you were wrong, and work to improve it and do better next time, failure is good. Fail often. Fail fast. Fail as fast as possible.
Think of it like physical exercise. You don't get strong by hanging around a gym. Or by reading about lifting. Or watching. Or thinking. You have to do work. And the work has to be hard. If you aren't struggling, you aren't building muscle. Being unable to do the last rep and needing a spot is a good thing. It means you are working at your limit. The brain is not a muscle, but it works an awful lot like one.
And on the topic of physical exercise, are you getting enough? A healthy/active body goes a long way towards a healthy/active mind.
Feynman Technique: Basically, if you can't teach it, you don't know it. You need to be able to explain what you are doing from the ground up. Pretend you are talking to someone who has no familiarity with what you are doing, and you have to make them understand it completely. Or don't pretend, get a friend in a different major and take turns helping each other out. You'll uncover a lot of holes in your thinking that you didn't realize were there until you thought about how to communicate it to someone else. (this technique it's well known and there's a million articles/videos about it so look it up if you want more)
Also, why are you asking here? I mean, good for you , you're asking, you are actively seeking help, you are doing the right thing. But with the world wide web full of information at your fingertips, did you really think the people the best study tips were going to happen to attend your university? Sorry, I feel like I sound mean. I'm trying to help you, this is important. If you're trying to learn something, do so in the most effective way possible. Right now you are trying to learn how to learn. Seeking the advice of locals on reddit is not the best way to do that. There are probably subreddits dedicated to this topic that are repositories of years worth of accumulated advice from thousands of people. There are experts who have written books. Etc. It's not bad that you asked here. You just failed. Which is good. Next time you'll know there are probably more effective ways to find knowledge.
Further reading:
A Mind for Numbers- Barbara Oakley Excellent book on how to learn. I've read a lot of books on this/related topics and this is the one I recommend the most. It focuses on how to learn Math/Science, but the knowledge is definitely applicable to any subject. I have a digital copy, if you have an eReader(or just want to read it on your computer screen I guess). Let me know if you want me to send it to you. .epub or .mobi. Also there are hard copies available from the Long Beach Public Library system.
Thomas Frank- youtuber He has a million videos on study tips. Lots of really good advice. But be careful not to fall into watching hours of his videos instead of actually studying. Not that I've ever done that... Here's a relevant few to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f-qkGJBPts https://youtu.be/5ad6grll-ak?t=50s https://youtu.be/23Xqu0jXlfs?t=38s
I was very similar to you, and found the book <em>A Mind for Numbers</em> incredibly helpful for helping develop effective studying techniques (I read it my last semester in school, and kicked myself for not reading it sooner). There's a coursea course called "Learning how to Learn" by the same woman (+ a man, iirc) that seems to cover the same content.
Good luck!
It's a habit that you have to build and work on. Honestly, I wish I had learned this in high school, where stakes and expectations are soooo much lower. I complained about high school and fed my hubris while I was in high school rather than take advantage of really learning academic self discipline.
Practically speaking, do work in spaced out chunks. A lot of people swear by methods like "the pomodoro technique," where you set a timer for 25 min (or something similar - perhaps if you're a serious procrastinator, you can work your way up by setting shorter periods of work time, idk) and work that time, then take a few minutes (eg, 5) of a break - rinse and repeat, taking a longer break after certain periods of time have elapsed (eg, after 4 "pomodoros"/an hour of "work" time, take a 20 min break).
In addition, spaced repetition is generally a good way to learn, and can really help you get a better handle on a topic as you let it percolate through the brain. Taking a break on problems can help give you that "ah-ha!" moment when you take another crack at it.
But tldr is: you stop procrastination through practice and breaking tasks up, which can allow you to be more efficient when you are actually working on a task as well as understand something better.
Also note! Apparently pain pathways are lit up in your brain when you start to do something you don't want to do as a serious procrastinator, but its been found that this goes away quickly once you're working in a task for a little bit. So... the discomfort is real... but it goes away/only lasts while you anticipate doing the thing you want to do.
I may be generalizing that too much - here's a study about it, specifically regarding anticipation of math work.
My source for this is a book <em>A Mind for Numbers</em> that goes over learning techniques, but there's also a book by the same person with an additional author called <em>Learning How to Learn</em> (and a coursea course by the same name) which may be useful resources. I read A Mind for Numbers and got more out of it than expected (it was essentially a book about effective studying, despite the name). I started the "Learning How to Learn" Coursea course, but haven't read that book. The Coursea course so far has basically covered the content of A Mind for Numbers.
Diffused thinking is more conducive to creativity and invention, but while flow is a sign of focused productivity. You need both diffused and focused modes of thinking. Models of innovation, like design thinking, have divergent and convergent stages.
This MOOC on Learning How to Learn has a good introduction to how your brain works. The early lessons are informed by A Mind for Numbers.
Online resources to check out include Khan Academy (a tried and true way forwards if you have trouble with arithmetic is to do every exercise), PatrickJMT, Paul's Online Math Notes, BetterExplained, and MIT OCW Scholar.
A good way to review precollege math is the Art of Problem Solving contest prep books. It might make sense to work through this alongside the college class. Working through these books and Velleman's How to Prove It should prepare you for Spivak.
You might wish to read this book and Polya. Scott Young's tips can be useful to streamline your learning.
>I’ve been trying to focus on myself, but it becomes increasingly more difficult seeing everyone else is so happy
>
>Comparing yourself to others on a regular basis can eventually lead you to feel inadequate and experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and strong feelings of worthlessness. Rather than wasting your time, energy, and head space on negative comparisons, try reminding yourself of the positive aspects of your life.
Keep a written journal (not typed), it will help your brain process your feelings, worries, insecurities, etc, while you sleep.
See if you can get A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) at your local library. Its an incredibley quick read and will help you understand the neuroscience I'm just touching on here.
This free class is taught by the writer you can sit and watch some videos between your homework. I know you're in honors, you're already smart, but learning not to burn out can be especially helpful.
May I recommend this book - A Mind for Numbers
Or you could work through the course which is free for now - Learning How to Learn
For Maths specifically, how about working through Khan Academy? Their practice exercises are, to me, pretty good.
Read these:
A Mind For Numbers
https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
This book teaches you how to avoid procrastination, get organized, and become sccessful in your study (not just limited to math, in any studies).
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
All people who want to stop bad habits and create good habits to achieve long-term goals should read Atomic Habits.
Best advice and best course I did (around 30) was the "Learning how to learn" course from coursera - its free and has a companion book a mind for numbers.
Highly Recommend. https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
I always recommend the book A Mind for Numbers by Dr. Barbara Oakley along with the accompanying free Coursera course Learning How to Learn. Same information, different formats. It walks you through HOW to study - taking breaks so you can actually process what you just learned, how to review, flashcards, self-testing, etc. It also goes through what doesn't work - highlighting, passive re-reading, cramming for hours right before a test. All with scientific reasoning on how the brain works and what is the most efficient way to learn.
So I did the BS in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree and currently work in the field. Some of these responses about Cybersecurity are a little much... It is not that bad to work in the field.
Some things to note about it though is that it is a BROAD field. Cybersecurity includes things like audits/compliance, pentesting/offensive security, digital forensics, incident response, threat intelligence, governance risk compliance (GRC), security engineering, threat detection, application security, devsecops etc.
The other thing to note is that entry level roles are really competitive, especially if you have no tech back ground to start off with. It can be done, just super competitive.
With that out of the way, it seems you don't want to be pigeon holed and I say because of that then get the degree in Computer Science. Its the more general of the two degrees. You could always learn the cyber security stuff on your own later. Lots of resources out there.
I know you mentioned not being mathematically inclined but don't let that stop you. You could always do the math portions of the degree at Straighterline and transfer them in. There is also a ton of math resources now a days for people to use such as Khan academy and Wolfram Alpha. I can also recommend this book:
A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) link: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
Another thing to remember is that math and coding are skills. I believe that means when given the right resources, anyone can learn them.
I'd recommend this book or this class, both are done by the same person:
https://www.amazon.com.br/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn
It'll help you not only understand how to learn better but why some people are really fast and some are slower learners but that's not necessarily bad as you will see.
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Something I recommend to junior officers and NCOs looking forward to long Army schools:
Learning How to Learn, FREE on Coursera.org, and/or the associated book, A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra). Both go into the science between how your brain forms and maintains memories and how to effectively study so you will actually be able to retain information long-term.
I can't evaluate how real the science behind it is, of course, but the recommendations match my own hard-won lessons in What Works For Me; I wish I'd had it back when I was in college. The Coursera course is a prereq for incoming freshman at some schools.
The class is only 15 hours; I think it took me more like 10. It's free except for your time. I found it worth the investment.
Best of luck.
Salmeon's suggestions all the way.
I highly suspect I have ADD, and suffered for it+ shitty study habits in college. Good studying habits would have saved me a lot of headache. My list of advice (partially repeated from Salmeon):
Export accountability by setting up study sessions with others in your cohort (even if they're digital).
Should be easy to do with an MS cohort.
This can work better if your group is restricted to meeting for a shorter period of time or a certain period of time (ie, beware of study sessions turning into social hour, and thus making the studying take longer than it needs to). Even if you don't stay on track while studying, I find it's still good to have peers around for helping to return to task, or so that others are available to bounce ideas off of as needed. One of my favorite applications of this was meeting up with a friend at a bar immediately after getting homework in our last class Friday afternoons, and working on it for an hour or so (alcohol helped alleviate some of my "starting anxiety" if I'm being honest, but "don't rely on alcohol or other recreational drugs to get things done"... 🙃) Related:Start homework immediately
Maybe some people can put it off for later. Maybe you can put it off for later. I found it was way less painful to start things before I let myself get seriously into "break/relax" mode. It's harder to do homework saturday afternoon and/or after work than it is to do it Mon-Fri after class/in between classes. Try to find a way to work homework into your day-to-day schedule sooner rather than later.Make your study sessions pomodoro sessions: (work for x amount of time (eg, 15 min), then take a break (1-5min), rinse, repeat - after a certain number of repetitions (4), take a longer break (10 min)). People swear by this. Try it.
Don't rely on your brain to keep track of "to-do"s write that shit down in a calendar you can reliaby use, be it a traditional planner, google calendar/calendar app, or something customizable like a bullet journal
(Note: bullet journals can be super utilitarian - don't let all the pinterest, influencer, artsy, "bullet-journals-as-sketchbooks/design-practice" put you off of them - the point is just to be flexible for use as you need it. The official "bullet journal" thing was actually initiated by a guy with add/adhd who needed a flexible but reliable way to organize, and it's basically the more organized version of just writing shit down on sticky notes everywhere)Take breaks.
Your brain needs them to operate better for understanding and efficiency.Diet and exercise can help you, as stated.
Seriously, eating that sweet, sweet free pizza and chips and cookies is great, and you certainly should eat those things if you want to, but your energy levels will likely be better if you give your body the nutrition it evolved on and requires as a primary source of meals.
-- At one point, I started drinking some Soylent as meal replacements when I didn't have time to make (breakfast/lunch/dinner), especially if this happened before tests. Maybe not the best option, IMO, but dietary replacements like that, which have appropriate daily nutrition (*check to make sure they do...), can be better for getting you fed in a pinch than a fast food stop... YMMV - I found they worked for me in those situations
¯\_ (ツ)_/¯
-- Hydrate too, btw. Water makes your body feel nice. Water became my go to if I was being an idiot and pulled an all nighter. Seemed to do me more good than just coffee (which, related pic we had up in my undergrad physics study area, which perfectly captures that exhausted all-nighter, caffeine fueled delirium...)Talk to professors
Easier to do in an MS program, because that's often just their nature (closer working relationship with profs), but yeh, don't be afraid to talk to them about issues you're having, ask questions, and generally get involved. Helps to keep you on top of things. Profs are like a life preserver, especially in graduate programs, in my experience - you're still in a body of water and need to tread or swim your way out, but you have help.
Finally, and related, I have and will continue to shill for Barbara Oakley's A Mind for Numbers (her site, Amazon). Seriously, she should pay me at this point. A good chunk of my points are things you'll find in her book, but a more official source with more coherent tools and motivations may be worth checking out. It's directed at people who struggle with math and science, but I took away from it lots of efficient study methods and mindsets, alongside some neurology-based motivation for all that - super easy read, possibly largely directed at a younger audience, but it still has useful tools regardless of age.
Here's a download link to a pdf from Stanford Medicine that summarizes a lot of the concepts and tools in that book, if you'd rather: https://med.stanford.edu/md/academic-support/learning-strategies/_jcr_content/main/panel_builder/panel_0/panel_builder_3/panel_0/download_1366532847/file.res/Book%20Notes%20A%20Mind%20for%20Numbers.pdf
There's also an offshoot coursea course called <em>Learning how to Learn</em> that you could crank through if that's your thing more so than reading - can't comment fully on it, and think reading is easier, more flexible, and faster, but it's an option
Others have covered the "if you need it in 2 days, just study your ass off, do lots of problems, and get practice tests"
I think what's more important is this:
Now's a great time to start incorporating spaced repetition and efficient studying tools into your routine. I have recommended before and will recommend again the book A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley (her site, Amazon) - it's useful for those who struggle with math-related subjects, but it's also useful for students who don't have good studying habits. Consider borrowing it from your high school, local college, or local community library. It's an easy read, and is actually useful and immediately practicable (unlike what I've found in the "self-help" style books I've read). I read it by reading a chapter or two right before going to bed while winding down. There's also book that seems pretty similar (or, seems like it would give at least the same insights, maybe with slightly different delivery, or more focus on younger people) called Learning how to Learn (her site, amazon) and an associated free coursea course of the material you could crank through if that's your thing more so than reading.
Good luck - you're fine. You can work this back if you choose to stay in the class - just work consistently from now on and you can help salvage your grade.
Happily, you have learned this lesson now rather than later. Incorporate better studying habits into your practice, and reap the rewards!
I'd recommend reading A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley. I'd also recommend reading Peak by Anders Ericsson. I think your problem is more on learning and those are two really good ones. I advise you consider listening to them as an audiobook because you don't need to pay attention to them 100 percent of the time to understand what the content of the books are, and by listening to them you'll be able to find more time for them.
I would recommend you incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Doing something like running for 30 minutes, or setting a 30 minute timer and doing bodyweight exercises with 1 minute rest in between each. Anything is fine, but you want to avoid having to go to a gym or something like that because traveling takes time, which you probably want to allocate to studying. Exercise will help relieve "tension" that builds up in your body from sitting all day studying, and helps you be more focused mentally.
I think it would help to prepare yourself to solve more challenging problems than you are used to. I think in school we are mostly given easy problems, and when we are faced with more challenging, real-world problems people don't know how to handle them and give up. I don't believe there is a good way to learn this other than actually solving a bunch of problems, which is something you won't be able to get enough experience in before your class starts, so the second best thing might be to read a book that covers that stuff to prepare for it. One I recommend is A Mind For Numbers by Barbara Oakley. You should consider listening to it as an audiobook, because you might be able to find more time that way than sitting down and reading it. I liked listening to it while going for a walk, since I got some exercise while I was studying at the same time.
Finally, doing "mental exercise" to put you in a good mood will also help. I know this might sound a little out there, but let me share with you my experience. I was very stressed one day, and I decided that I'd try to put myself in a good mood by watching a comedy TV show and laughing at every joke, even ones that I usually didn't find funny. I did that, and towards the end of the episode, I was in a good mood. I think I tricked my brain into releasing endorphins or something like that. Anyways, it helped put me in a better state of mind to tackle the problems I was working on that day.
Hope this helps, and I hope you do well in your bootcamp.
I strongly recommend that you ead <strong><em>A Mind For Numbers</em></strong> by Barbara Oakley and take the <strong><em>Learning How to Learn</em></strong> Coursera course that will give you broader instruction and experiences to help learn the most effective and researched ways to study with greater retention and with less wasted time and effort.
The book and course deal with practical and effective learning methodologies, procrastination and motivation.
If you’re struggling with math: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
love this post! thank you for sharing op.
i've been wanting to get into stem myself. already learned a little coding/computer science/software engineering and such taking cs50 from harvard for free online challenging but great course.
for those who feel like they 'aren't good at math' (not true!!!) i highly recommend the book "A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra)" or the free course 'learning how to learn' which is based on the book and the teacher barbara oakley is awesome. she flunked math and went back and kicked ass super inspiring story. teaches you how to actually study.
re: algebra i started learning on khan academy and for comp sci etc. i've found that i really need to understand the concept of abstraction - was hard to wrap my head around at first but really seems to be the key to get things to click at least for the basics i've been learning so far.
OP, I commented about effective studying/work ethic below someone else, but figured I'd elaborate a touch.
If you don't have effective studying techniques down, I'd recommend the book <em>A Mind for Numbers</em> by Barbara Oakley, which I could have made good use of in my physics education had I not read it literally right after I graduated. The book, regardless of what the cover and title indicate, goes over effective learning techniques, and is an easy/quick read.
There's also a book by the same person with an additional author called <em>Learning How to Learn</em> (and a Coursea course of the same name/by the same duo) which may be useful resources. I haven't read Learning How to Learn. I started the Coursea course before reading A Mind for Numbers, but found the book to do the job of the course more effectively for me personally. A Mind for Numbers seemed to cover much of the same material as the Coursea course was covering.
People are suggesting that it's important to take breaks for your sanity, and they're right, but they haven't pointed out (that I've seen) that breaks are also incredibly valuable for helping you learn more effectively! Taking a break on problems/difficult material can help give you that "ah-ha!" moment when you take another crack at them. This, honestly, was my biggest take-away from the book (and explained really well why it always seemed like classmates who did more fun things/had more leisure time than me could get through work more quickly than me in spite of said leisure time).
This is almost certainly totally recoverable but will take time and effort to achieve. You might be interested in and find inspirational:
How I Rewired My Brain to Become Fluent in Math by Prof. Barbara Oakley.
Her book:
A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even if you flunked algebra)
may also be inspirational and helpful to you. She talks a bit more about her situation in the US army as a Russian language specialist assigned as an out-of-her-comfort-zone officer to a signals/communications unit.
I'd also suggest looking at:
Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers by Jo Boaler.
You need to start at the point where you stopped understanding. That may mean going back to counting and going forward from there!
Here are some resources I used:
EEVblog – No Script, No Fear, All Opinion
ElectroBOOM - YouTube - more a fun channel showing what happens when you do things incorrectly in a controlled manner.
A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) 1, Oakley, Barbara - Amazon.com -- this is a really great book of just getting into the mindset of studying mathematics, and really just learning how to enjoy learning.
Perhaps it's to do with how you're studying, and not just age? Of course we will slow down a bit over time, but you would have built up a wealth of information over 10 years which adds to your foundational knowledge.
I know that in most schools they tell you what to study, but not how to study.
I read 2 books that I found really helped with this:
- A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley PhD, and
- The College Success Cheat Sheet by Jonathan Lee Davidson
There are some overlapping ideas in the above books, but I found when studying using the methods outlined in these books, it became easier as I wasn't fighting against myself. Study techniques like the 'Pomodoro technique' can help with focus (essentially just setting a 25 minute timer during which time you focus 100%, then have a break when it goes off).
Finally, your brain needs exercise, so make sure you're reading widely and regularly challenging yourself.
Can do it on reddit. if you can get ahold of paper and pen that'd be a better way to deal with things as it will develop muscle memory for your brain to build a neural network around that will help you resolve issues while you sleep and give you the ability to process information and develop new ideas quicker while awake, while also building your memory skills.
Or get this book from your local library?
Shelter in place, there's a shit storm raging outside.
I love that you put "learning how to learn' in your curriculum. That is one of the most important courses available. Dr. Oakley also published the book "A Mind for Numbers." Strongly recommended for folks for whom math doesn't come naturally. The "Learning How to Learn" content covers about 50% of this book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G3L19ZU?ref=knfdg_R_kine_twm_PLUS_EARN
I'm going to offer you some super good book suggestions as well as online resources, I really hope that you look into them immediately.
How to Become a Straight A Student
And have fun!!!
Ciao! Allora per iniziare, ti dico di prendertela con calma con l'uso di Anki. Ha una sua curva di apprendimento, quindi sicuramente non è un programma facile da usare, soprattutto perchè è un medium non intuitivo e MOLTO creativo, quindi tutte le persone hanno i loro approcci per usare gli Spaced-Repetition Software in generale.
Detto questo, ci sono dei principali aspetti da imparare per sfruttare il pieno potenziale di Anki: a) Anki, b) Le scienze cognitive dell'apprendimento, e c) HTML, CSS, Python e JavaScript (opzionali ma consigliati).
a) Ti consiglio di imparare di Anki, inizia dalla seguente guida: https://docs.ankiweb.net/#/.
b) Allo stesso tempo, quello che vuoi fare è applicare le scienze cognitive dell'apprendimento. Purtroppo sul subreddit di Anki è pieno di persone che non hanno conoscenze a riguardo. Quindi ti consiglierei di informarti per conto tuo su questi argomenti. Molte volte è più facile cercare consigli sul subreddit rispetto alla letteratura scientifica, ma ciò che è facile alcune volte non corrisponde alla qualità. Detto questo ti consiglio studiare le seguenti fonti (almeno i consigli pratici): https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn, https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU, https://www.amazon.it/Make-Stick-Science-Successful-Learning/dp/0674729013, https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Secrets-New-Science-Expertise-ebook/dp/B011H56MKS, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1529100612453266, https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition, https://www.retrievalpractice.org/ e infine https://www.learningscientists.org/. Opzionali: https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Learn-Surprising-Happens/dp/0812984293, https://www.amazon.com/Ultralearning-Master-Outsmart-Competition-Accelerate/dp/006285268X
I consigli pratici che deriviamo dalle seguenti fonti sono i seguenti:
Per applicare meglio le tue conoscenze in più contesti possibili in real life (o massimizzare il transfer of knowledge), creati sia delle domande aperte (o generative) che delle domande a risposta breve. Le domande aperte servono per testare le tue conoscenze in stile top-down. Es. Domanda: Parlami dell'evoluzione secondo Darwin; Risposta: etc. Le domande a risposta breve servono per testare le tue conoscenze in stile bottom e bottom-up. Es. Domanda: Formula di struttura della lisina; Risposta: etc. o Domanda: In che anno è nato George Washington? ; Risposta: 1732. Le domande a risposta breve le userei per fatti o concetti difficili da ricordare (o i tuoi punti di debolezza). Quindi ti consiglierei di crearti le domande a risposta breve su pezzi di informazione che non hai richiamato (o hai sbagliato) durante le revisioni delle domande a risposta aperta. Per le domande a risposta breve, ti consiglio di studiare questa guida: https://www.supermemo.com/en/archives1990-2015/articles/20rules; ma prendi con le pinze ciò che dice, secondo lui l'approccio ideale è quello atomistico, ma secondo me (e anche secondo la scienza) l'approccio ideale è puntare all'equilibrio tra l'approccio olistico e quello atomistico. In questo modo hai sia il big-picture che il little-picture. Purtroppo sul subreddit di Anki molti usano solo l'approccio atomistico. Anche io ci ero cascato inizialmente ma bisogna stare attenti alle fonti e domandarsi sempre chi è l'autore, il suo contesto intellettuale, il contenuto scritto, etc. Studiare da più fonti (scientifiche) è più difficile e meno gratificante ma è l'approccio più qualitativo, obiettivo e gratificante a lungo termine.
c) Ti consiglio di imparare i linguaggi di programmazione sopraelencati. Imparando CSS ad es. puoi ''standardizzare'' la creazione delle domande a risposta breve. Ovvero, ti crei dei template da usare come base delle carte per poi riempire i campi (fields) che differiscono. Con Python puoi creare degli addons che hanno come funzione di risolvere dei problemi o debolezze di Anki con l'aggiunta di funzionalità aggiuntive. Insomma, per migliorare il tuo user experience, i linguaggi di programmazione sono i tuoi migliori alleati. Imparandoli, acquisisci pure delle skills che sono richieste dal mercato e rendi anche i tuoi processi più efficienti.
Infatti, alla fine Anki serve per risparmiare tempo sullo studio e ''gamificarlo'', ovviamente queste variabili dipendono da come lo usi. La scienza e l'autosperimentazione fanno parte delle ''chiavi'' per queste variabili.
Per ulteriori dubbi: https://sites.google.com/view/ankitaly/homepage?authuser=0; il nostro canale discord: https://discord.com/invite/jXDtF6Y
Check out A Mind for Numbers
https://smile.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU?sa-no-redirect=1
Hello my friend.
No you're not supposed to remember everything. Yes you are supposed to learn key concepts.
...First off, there's much to learn. If you're serious about doing well as a student, I would encourage your to pick up a copy of this book "A Mind For Numbers" by Barbara Oakley. Its an incredible book about how to learn (and actually retain) effectively. It can be applied to any topic. I used the knowledge in here for my jiu jitsu and guitar playing.
​
Second; a few techniques on reading. textbook.
- Begin each new chapter by skimming it. Flip through the entire chapter and look over the paragraph headings, and any pictures or diagrams in the chapter. This gives you a concept (even a loose one) of what the chapter will be about, and something to "hang" the information off of when you read it later.
- Read the chapter highlighting only key ideas that pop out, and taking simple notes in the margins if you have any insights of your own/realizations. A rule of thumb is to highlight no more than 1 sentence per paragraph. They are meant to give your eyes a way of tracing the page when you are doing later recall and creating notes. Use restraint, Don't cover the page in ink. Think of highlighting as bread-crumbing a dark cave so you can find your way later.
- When you finish a section or a chapter; practice "Recall". Close your eyes, and out loud, attempt to explain the key points of whatever you just read to an imaginary person. Without looking at the page, grapple with it, try to remember. Maybe use chapter headings to jog your memory if you are really struggling. This one act is what sets you up for effectively learning and retaining. Don't skip it. It's more valuable than re-reading later.
- Then, maybe a day later, make a notepad on your computer and write a set of notes on the chapter your just read. Keep it simple, it really doesn't need to be overly detailed- This is a 10 minute effort, not a 30 minute effort. If you're taking more time to make this, you need to simplify. Use only key concepts drawing directly from what you highlighted. This will be a quick, searchable resource later for studying, and the very act of creating it the next day is another form of recall.
- Congratulations Between reading, recall, and note drafting, you've now efficiently studied the information 3 times, in 1 day + 10 minutes the following day. By the time you complete this cycle, you should only need to review simple notes in order to jog your memory about the chapter... and if you need to crack open your book later, the notes you made correspond to your highlights, making it a breeze to skim through the information and locate whatever you need.
A Mind for Numbers by Dr. Barbara Oakley is the best book I have read on this topic, and should be required reading in schools IMO
Get an apprenticeship with a plumber. Go to the library and learn "How stuff works" and How to learn and how to stay healthy, also use the internet.
As to 1), I'd recommend reading A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley (https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU).
I think others have answered this question for you - but I'd like to offer a word from a fellow math-phobe...
I spent years hating math, and in my 30s wanted to change careers. I found that to do so, I needed to re-learn some math. I ended up reading this book https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
**I wish so badly I had read that book as a math-hating teenager**. I wasted so many years avoiding math... and looking back, it was so immature of me. Reading that book and learning how to learn in a way that would enable me to do math has changed my life, and while I still don't "like" math, I can do it, and I no longer hate/fear it. You don't have to like math, but you should be able to do it - if you don't, a lot of doors in life (doors you want to open!) are going to slam shut in your face and you might not know until it's too late.
A Mind For Numbers by Barbara Oakley is the book to the MOOC on Coursera: Learning How To Learn. I believe that is the most important one. Take the free course, read the book - this changed everything for me, finally I have to knowledge and tools I was seeking!
Then I cannot recommend this enough https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn
And the book by the author of the course https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU
Really invaluable and easy to follow. Works great for me and I hope for you as well.
Read A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley. There's a lot of cognitive psychology that she goes over about how to learn best in math and science.
Read A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley. There's a lot of cognitive psychology that she goes over about how to learn best in math and science.
Io conosco questo libro, che ho letto e mi sento di consigliare. Eventualmente lo trovi anche su libgen, c'è un corso su coursera ecc. (in poche parole non sei costretto a spendere soldi).
L'unico problema è che devo ancora testarlo sul campo (almeno in parte: ti posso dire già ora che la tecnica del pomodoro, anki e la spaced repetition con me funzionano da dio), quindi non ti posso dire "con me ha funzionato", ma magari vale la pena buttare cinque minuti per vedere se secondo te può essere interessante o meglio lasciare perdere.
Penso che valga la pena almeno vedere cos'è, perchè è molto famoso e apprezzato come libro. Se proprio non hai voglia di leggere, questo video sostanzialmente fa un riassunto in 10 minuti dei concetti principali
tl;dr ti voglio proporre un libro che secondo me merita molto, ma ho paura di sembrare un sotuttoio e anche un po' stupido... perchè devo ancora iniziare l'università. Valuta te.
- Use This
- Use This
- Change how much you eat based on how much your weight changes per month, assuming the change is large enough or consistent enough for you feel reasonably confident.
- You are now following a dieting model that matches what scientists do in science land.
Fitness is, at its core, a huge fucking pile of "science and math shit." The fitness products that are sold to consumers aren't intended to make it easier or do the thinking for you; they're built to make people think they're working hard and making progress by introducing game-like systems (gamification) that feel rewarding. The easiest way to cut through the bullshit that's made to make money is to embrace the science.
Tangent time:
You're in your fucking 30s. You're young. Your ability to learn new things can be developed and rehabbed up until your mid 70s. The old studies about language and skill acquisition limits past age 25 had multiple design flaws and their results aren't supported by modern research. You're the only obstacle you're dealing with.
Take this course (here's a summary on reddit) that's based on this book. If you complete it with certification and send me verification I'll personally cover the certification fee.
I recently read a book called A Mind for Numbers. It specifically is targeted at people in school who are struggling in difficult subjects (STEM specifically, but the techniques are applicable to any subject). I definitely recommend you give it a read - I'm not in school anymore, but I have found it to be relevant to my own personal studies.
If you feel your memory is really bad, look into techniques to improve it. The TED talk linked by /u/tripledolan is a good place to start. You can read the book by that same guy, Moonwalking With Einstein. It's about the national memory championships, and how people train their memories to almost superhuman levels.
Finally, if you have access to a school counselor, maybe try making an appointment with them. Poor memory function is a symptom of depression, so that may be a root cause.
I gained a lot of useful "tips and tricks" for studying from the book A Mind for Numbers, which is the accompanying book to the Coursera course Learning How to Learn. I have a feeling that you will get a lot out of that - one of the big points of the course / book is getting more effective studying out of a given amount of time.
You can use this compiled list of resources on Internet for learning almost anything for free. Here is the link for complete library. Happy learning!
Edit1: Starting to learn? Take this course from Coursera or read this book on How to learn. The course is free. I am currently reading the book , it has helped me a lot.
Over on Hacker News I recently learned about a free Coursera course called "Learning How To Learning" (https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn) and I sure wish I'd been taught that stuff when I was in college! It's a four week course and uses recent discoveries in neuroscience and psychology. It's aimed squarely at college students taking math in particular and STEM classes in general.
I highly recommend it.
The course is taught by Dr. Barbara Oakley, and it's derived from her book "A Mind For Numbers": https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra/dp/B00G3L19ZU/ref=sr_1_1
Next I recommend picking up the new book "Peak" which is all about "deliberate practice" (which Oakley teaches as well). How you practice is super-critical to how well you learn (and retain what you've learned).
https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Secrets-New-Science-Expertise-ebook/dp/B011H56MKS/ref=sr_1_1
A brief explanation of "deliberate practice": http://expertenough.com/1423/deliberate-practice
"Peak" reveals that the "JumpMath" program follows the same ideas of "deliberate practice."
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/a-better-way-to-teach-math/
Good luck!
The course teacher also has a companion book: A Mind for Numbers that is a great reference too.
I'm a developer and started noticing similar issues. I kind of think my brain just got lazy and fat from years of numbness with a bit of age thrown in the mix. This book helped me quite a bit: "Mind for Numbers"
It has a companion course on Coursera: Learning How to Learn.
Luckily those books are complete overkill for your level. Those are graduate-level texts so you can wait to tackle them if you get a CS degree.
But learning math is a great way of building your skills and is clearly more amenable to pencil and paper than programming. And it'll make algorithms come more easily.
I'd start with the AoPS contest prep books. Work through those and you will have a much stronger foundation in high school math, more so than most freshman math and CS majors.
If you want a book that will show you how to study math, read this.
A book like Velleman's How to Prove It will teach you how to write and read proofs. From there, you should be able to tackle a book like Spivak's Calculus. Pinter's Algebra is also a cheap text that'll teach you abstract algebra, which has applications to CS. Linear algebra is also really useful; I'd suggest Strang's text for a first exposure. If you had access to a computer, I'd suggest Klein's Coding the Matrix.
Pretty late to the party, but I'd recommend the book, A Mind for Numbers, by Barbara Oakley. It's on the subject of how to study for technical subjects. It sounds a little lame to be reading a book on how to study, but it actually has a lot of great strategies backed by great minds in academia. The professor herself started off as a language student, and only dove into math when she went back to school for engineering.
The book is a supplement to her course on Coursera, Learning How to Learn if you want to check that out. I've only read the book, so can't vouch for the quality of the course.
Besides that, for more general study strategies, I'd also recommend reading Cal Newport's blog, Studyhacks. He started the blog when he was an undergrad student in CS at Dartmouth, and carried it on through his years at MIT and now as a professor. He brings up a lot of good ideas on how to tackle technical subjects as well.
All the best!
http://www.amazon.com/Mind-For-Numbers-Science-Flunked-ebook/dp/B00G3L19ZU This is full of good advice, and tons of citations to back up suggested actions.
There is also a free online class about it here
A lot of the other posts are suggestions backed by personal opinions, this is applied research. This is science applied to learning.
Maybe check out things like Learning How to Learn on Coursera and the related book, A Mind for Numbers.
I haven't been through the gauntlet like you have, but as a beginning programmer I do have self-esteem issues. I'm terrified I will discover that I'm just not smart enough to program. Along with the links I've already sent, here's what I'm trying to keep in mind, and what I'm doing for myself;
a) Recognize that it's supposed to be hard. Personally I was a bright student in most subjects in high school, and that made my outlook on intelligence more black and white. If I picked up a subject easily, I was good at it. If I struggled, I forever branded myself as bad in that subject and just did what I had to do to get by. But struggle and persistence is, to me, true learning. That is when you are truly stretching yourself and becoming stronger and more intelligent. I take to syntax and language learning easily -- that is my strength -- but problem solving isn't quite so easy.
b) Learn Math. Computer Science and Programming is largely mathematical in nature and theory. I think they require similar types of problem solving skills and thinking patterns. So what I realized, when I was struggling with certain programming problems, was that I didn't understand the math. This was just a superficial realization, but since I've gone back and began to study math again I've seen concepts pop up that I've learned in programming, such as generalization. And I'm not doing advanced math. Right now I'm still reviewing the fundamentals of algebra. I'll be taking PreCalculus in the fall, but it's a long way to go before I get to Linear Algebra and Discrete Mathematics and Physics for Engineers. I don't care. That's why I am working hard at it, to make progress as quickly as I can. For learning math, I use mostly Khan Academy. I also might recommend Barron's E-Z series for math topics, if you can find them at your local library. I find the concepts to be well-explained, but then some of the word problems challenge my problem-solving skills.
c) Don't think you're any good at math, either? Go right back up to the top of my post and check out Learning How to Learn and a Mind for Numbers. Barbara Oakley, the author and professor, has a Doctorate in Engineering. She HATED math as a child and didn't go back to really study it until she was 26. I think something huge to understand is that classes are not always taught in a great way and if we don't know our study and learning skills (which are rarely taught to us in school) we will not excel. You clearly have the passion for programming. I think it'll be a lot of work, but I think you ought to give that brain of yours another chance.
Useful sites for this besides Khan Academy include MIT OCW Scholar, PatrickJMT, Paul's Online Math Notes, BetterExplained, Coursera, and edx.
This book is something you might find beneficial. Lots of great tips.
Also, read this guy's stuff.
Efficient study habits and Anki will help you use your time more effectively.
Sorry to hear.
From what you have written, it will essentially be 'pot luck' whether or not you pass. Leaving things until the last minute - even when you have a reasonable grasp of the subject - is the worst way to learn. Spaced repetition is one of the best ways to learn and retain information, but it takes a longer period of time; something that cannot be achieved in a last-minute 'cram session'.
However, failure is not the big bad thing it is made out to be. Failure helps us to grow and learn.
Most great things that you see (art, music, interesting books etc.) do not happen first go. Rather, they have to go through many iterations (or 'failures') until the final result is ready.
In the case of having to repeat a grade, it may sound terrible to you now, but long-term it is unlikely to make a material difference to you.
When you are studying, things that you are taught (or required to learn) may seem meaningless to you now, but you must think much longer-term, as what you are learning now will build the foundation upon which you will build throughout your life. Learning doesn't stop when you finish school or college; it's a lifelong endeavour! Assuming you have a stable home life and don't have to hold down a job / look after relatives etc, there is no better time to study than now. You don't have to worry about paying bills or keeping your job. You can just learn.
At this stage, just realise that while it may seem really bad, it's not as bad as you think. Try to figure out why you have been missing lessons and work on studying 'smarter' next time, even if you have to repeat a grade.
For help with how to learn better (they don't tend to teach you how to learn in school, just what to learn....), have a look at these 2 books:
A Mind For Numbers by Barbara Oakley, and
The College Success Cheat Sheet by Jonathan Lee Davidson
Both books are actually quite enjoyable to read and offer some fantastic tools to help you study smarter, rather than harder. They cover areas such as spaced repetition (noted above), how your brain works to retain information, procrastination etc.
Of all I have said above, I have made some assumptions, such as a relatively good/stable home life and no other issues.
If you feel that you are in a dangerous or difficult situation at home, or you are struggling mentally, there's nothing wrong with seeking help.
Good luck!
30 here, struggled with this problem most of my life. Here are the things that help me today:
- No zero-days: At all times I pick a project that I want to work on. Each day I promise to make progress towards that project. Even if it's the smallest thing possible (one line of code, one more word on a page) I make sure that I do it.
- Use Pomodoro Timers: When I do sit down to get work done, I use the Pomodoro technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes, work on one task until time runs up, go do something else for 5 minutes, repeat. This makes the task seem much more manageable since I'm "slacking off" twice an hour. Also, it allows me to measure progress in "blocks".
- F&@# Motivation: I don't trust nor rely on my emotions. There are many days that I don't feel productive but still make sure I do something.
- Walk before study: Walking clears my head like nothing else does. Every time before sitting down to study I will go on a short walk. This also helps with forming a habit cue to study.
A book that I wish I got years ago to learn how to study efficiently is A Mind for Numbers. The complimenting Coursera course Learning How to Learn is something I can't recommend however (moves too slow and the information feels "dumbed down"), but the book is excellent. I'm a 3 times college dropout who is finally succeeding at school at 30, and that book has helped a ton in this regard.
Good luck out there kid and remember, we are all in this together.
i appreciate that you found my post useful and completely relied on it, but i would still recommend you to actually check Mooncrash credits by your own. thinking for yourself might be rewarding.
> I'm calling bullshit.
it's ok. maths can confuse many people, that's why you found it difficult to calculate how many employees Arkane fired. there's a great book by Barbara Oakly, i really love it and recommend it to you, too.
back to the game.
a) some people think that Prey is slightly bigger than Mooncrash. so i personally see that reasonable if it required more people for menial work as long as Arkane was able to control the workflow.
can we see that in Mooncrash?
nope.
we see that a lot of Arkane low- and mid-rank employees were dismissed. if you calculate the total number, that will be more than 50. and the absolute majority of them had "Artist" or "Design" in their job titles.
in fact, Mooncrash credits include only Arkane mid- and seniors.
55 names from Dhruva are more diverse: 35 names incude interns and low low-ranks staff + 15 mid + few seniors (in Prey they had no managerial titles).
also i made a rather disturbing observation. i've checked personal portfolio profiles of Dhruva artists in various sites, and found there no Prey/Mooncrash or at least stylistically similar works.
b) what's about Arkane seniors, maybe they had a plenty of time to dedicate to the DLC given how tiny is Mooncrash?
i doubt so.
they looked quite busy. the majority of them started holding multiple positions concurrently.
and another interesting regularity happened: almost all positions got reduced exactly on 1: Prey had 5 architects - MC 4. Prey had 3 animators - MC 2. Prey had 2 game systems designer - MC 1.
so credits reveal that Arkane simply had no human resources anymore to perform recycling by their own. basically, Arkane's staff kept control only over those things which are impossible to outsource on the go - the gameplay.
c) but i'm open-minded. i still give a chance if Dhruva is actually "a highly reputed and best-of-breed art production house", as their website says. all in all, haven't they successfully collaborated with Arkane on Prey?
well, serious changes happened to Dhruva immediately after Prey release. Dhruva was purchased by Starbreeze. i won't talk now about peculiar relations between Starbreeze and Zenimax, it's a topic of another discussion. here it's more important to understand what happened to Dhruva.
well, employees reviews during development of Mooncrash are not much exciting:
"After Starbreeze acquisition, work is getting hectic, huge pressure on artists, No proper workflow."
"They know only how to earn money and fill pocket and make employees work like a labour. They also threatens people if you ask them for a leave. All they want is to show off outside that it's a big company but inside something else is going on. Regarding Food - every day you will find some insect in the food and employees keep posting the pictures but management do nothing."
"Not giving time for trainees to learn in projects,they treating like a production machine"
"Missing Out Inspirational Leads And Art Directors"
tldr: credits reveal that Arkane laid off their own designers and artists, and delegated actual artistic production into sweatshops oversees.
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