I’m a 20 year old student at Georgia Tech, double majoring in Industrial Engineering and Psychology, and am spending the current semester studying abroad at the University of Leeds in the UK.
I read HPMOR this weekend on a bus trip to London and as soon as I returned I found this site and have been enthralled by the Sequences, which I am slowly working my way through.
All of my life I have loved to read and learn new things and think through them, but last year I came to the realization that my curiosity had started to die in my late high school years. I found myself caring about getting a good grade and then abruptly forgetting the information. Much of what I was “learning” I never truly understood and yet I was still getting praise from teachers for my good grades, so I saw no reason to invest more effort. Early last year, I realized that this was happening and attempt to rededicate myself to finding things that again made me passionate about learning. This was a major contribution to adding Psychology as a second major.
This semester of new classes in a new educational system combined with the past few days of reading the Sequences have sparked my interest in many subjects. I’m itching to go to the school library and start picking up anything that catches my interest now that the the thirst to learn has been reawakened. I’m especially interested in Evolutionary Psychology, Social Psychology, and Statistics. I have absolutely no idea what I would like to do as a future career, but have this reoccurring thought that I would love to do some sort of work which involved restructuring the education system. (Every person at my University that I have mentioned that thought to gives me a strange look and says either “Education? You???′ or “But then you wouldn’t make any money!’)
Anyways, I am extremely glad to have found this site and community.
Early last year, I realized that this was happening and attempt to rededicate myself to finding things that again made me passionate about learning. This was a major contribution to adding Psychology as a second major.
Since I suspect you may find it interesting, have you read anything on spaced repetition so far? Also since I’m linking there I just want to warmly recommend gwern’s site in general, he has a great knack for finding relevant information and presenting it well (good enough to get him a job at the Singularity Institute!)
I found myself caring about getting a good grade and then abruptly forgetting the information.
I’ve come to know and grown to dislike this feeling in the past few years of university. It is why I spend more effort than needed to try and make knowledge I learn become truly a part of me. Of course sometimes you just need to jump through hoops …
This semester of new classes in a new educational system combined with the past few days of reading the Sequences have sparked my interest in many subjects.
Consider asking around for a chavruta. The sequences are loooong (which is good since they are mostly well written) and talking to people about what you read is always fun. Taking up daenerys on her offer also sounds like a good idea indeed.
Hi, thank you for both the welcome and the wealth of helpful knowledge!
I did find the info on spaced repetition, as well as everything else you linked me to, very interesting! I think my problem now is that my interest in so many different things has been sparked, and I’m having a hard time prioritizing what to read and research first!
Hi! I also loved finding a place where people were really excited about ideas.
You might be interested in 80,000 Hours, a site on choosing careers that improve the world (and they’re very much in favor of making money as a way to do this, though also in favor of education as a career!)
I’m itching to go to the school library and start picking up anything that catches my interest now that the the thirst to learn has been reawakened.
That’s a dangerous idea! Books in the library that are more interesting than your textbooks tend to result in “waking up” four hours later to realize you’ve read an entire book on [interesting subject x] and are still no closer to researching [boring essay topic y].
Good luck though! Your classes do sound pretty interesting. Hopefully you can stay engaged.
I would love to do some sort of work which involved restructuring the education system.
I think that’s a brilliant idea, and it really needs to be done. The “but then you wouldn’t make any money!” people are pretty annoying, but you can ignore them.
That’s cool that your studying a combination of Psychology and Engineering. I’m doing something similar and it seems to be very rare to find someone who is working in both of those fields. I’m sure that in the UK people would be even less understanding of this. It seems like over there you just choose one subject and that’s all you do for the next three years. Keep on looking at those library books. I think the most important thing as an undergrad is to follow your interests even if this means dialling back on the effort you put into class work.
You’re studying some really interesting stuff. What’s your semester abroad been like?
You seem really awesome, so I hope you continue to post on here. If you need any one-on-one question answering or discussions, feel free to shoot me a PM :)
Studying abroad has been amazing—it’s really making me think about all sorts of things I’ve never thought of and I’m loving noticing the subtle cultural differences!
If I have any questions, I’ll be sure to PM you—thank you so much for the offer! :)
Hello!
I’m a 20 year old student at Georgia Tech, double majoring in Industrial Engineering and Psychology, and am spending the current semester studying abroad at the University of Leeds in the UK.
I read HPMOR this weekend on a bus trip to London and as soon as I returned I found this site and have been enthralled by the Sequences, which I am slowly working my way through.
All of my life I have loved to read and learn new things and think through them, but last year I came to the realization that my curiosity had started to die in my late high school years. I found myself caring about getting a good grade and then abruptly forgetting the information. Much of what I was “learning” I never truly understood and yet I was still getting praise from teachers for my good grades, so I saw no reason to invest more effort. Early last year, I realized that this was happening and attempt to rededicate myself to finding things that again made me passionate about learning. This was a major contribution to adding Psychology as a second major.
This semester of new classes in a new educational system combined with the past few days of reading the Sequences have sparked my interest in many subjects. I’m itching to go to the school library and start picking up anything that catches my interest now that the the thirst to learn has been reawakened. I’m especially interested in Evolutionary Psychology, Social Psychology, and Statistics. I have absolutely no idea what I would like to do as a future career, but have this reoccurring thought that I would love to do some sort of work which involved restructuring the education system. (Every person at my University that I have mentioned that thought to gives me a strange look and says either “Education? You???′ or “But then you wouldn’t make any money!’)
Anyways, I am extremely glad to have found this site and community.
Welcome to the site!
Since I suspect you may find it interesting, have you read anything on spaced repetition so far? Also since I’m linking there I just want to warmly recommend gwern’s site in general, he has a great knack for finding relevant information and presenting it well (good enough to get him a job at the Singularity Institute!)
I’ve come to know and grown to dislike this feeling in the past few years of university. It is why I spend more effort than needed to try and make knowledge I learn become truly a part of me. Of course sometimes you just need to jump through hoops …
Consider asking around for a chavruta. The sequences are loooong (which is good since they are mostly well written) and talking to people about what you read is always fun. Taking up daenerys on her offer also sounds like a good idea indeed.
Cheers, Konkvistador
Hi, thank you for both the welcome and the wealth of helpful knowledge!
I did find the info on spaced repetition, as well as everything else you linked me to, very interesting! I think my problem now is that my interest in so many different things has been sparked, and I’m having a hard time prioritizing what to read and research first!
Hi! I also loved finding a place where people were really excited about ideas.
You might be interested in 80,000 Hours, a site on choosing careers that improve the world (and they’re very much in favor of making money as a way to do this, though also in favor of education as a career!)
.
Welcome to LessWrong. If you’re interested, there’s a meetup every other week that meets near Emory.
I’m in the UK for the semester, but once I’m back at GT I’m extremely interested in the meetup!
That’s a dangerous idea! Books in the library that are more interesting than your textbooks tend to result in “waking up” four hours later to realize you’ve read an entire book on [interesting subject x] and are still no closer to researching [boring essay topic y].
Good luck though! Your classes do sound pretty interesting. Hopefully you can stay engaged.
I think that’s a brilliant idea, and it really needs to be done. The “but then you wouldn’t make any money!” people are pretty annoying, but you can ignore them.
That’s cool that your studying a combination of Psychology and Engineering. I’m doing something similar and it seems to be very rare to find someone who is working in both of those fields. I’m sure that in the UK people would be even less understanding of this. It seems like over there you just choose one subject and that’s all you do for the next three years. Keep on looking at those library books. I think the most important thing as an undergrad is to follow your interests even if this means dialling back on the effort you put into class work.
Hi Lisa! Welcome to Less Wrong!
You’re studying some really interesting stuff. What’s your semester abroad been like?
You seem really awesome, so I hope you continue to post on here. If you need any one-on-one question answering or discussions, feel free to shoot me a PM :)
Hi! Thanks for the welcome!
Studying abroad has been amazing—it’s really making me think about all sorts of things I’ve never thought of and I’m loving noticing the subtle cultural differences!
If I have any questions, I’ll be sure to PM you—thank you so much for the offer! :)
Welcome!
Probably the most profitable and most-needed of the three.
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