this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2024
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Mildly Interesting

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Can you guess what I did during my twenties?

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Can you guess what I did during my twenties?

Changed majors a bunch of times?

[–] ParabolicMotion 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Only once, actually. I majored in mathematics, but I began as a biology major.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

My only other guess is buying and reselling college textbooks, lol

[–] clearedtoland 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I have ptsd from that Early Transcendental Calculus. But boy do I miss those college days where you’re just drinking from life’s firehose of knowledge.

I know nowadays we have all we can learn about at our fingertips but there’s something magical about it in your 20s.

[–] ParabolicMotion 4 points 4 months ago

PTSD? Were you just overwhelmed by all of the derivatives you had to memorize and the rules for integration? It can be a little overwhelming at first. I always liked u-substitution. It felt like a puzzle. You’re absolutely right. I think when you’re in your twenties, you’re filled with so much how for how you’re going to apply all of this newly acquired knowledge to your future job field, and then after thirty, the realization sets in that you might not keep advancing in your area of study; instead just be applying years of prior knowledge to complete tasks and train others. I mean, consider complex analysis, it’s a trip, and I could watch some cool videos on YouTube to relearn it all, but at age 35, I find myself wondering what else I’ll do with it, or if I’m neglecting some household chore, or errand I’m supposed to be doing.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I recognize that calculus book.

[–] ParabolicMotion 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Isn’t it a great book? The calculus series were some of my favorite courses.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

In my basement as well… along with 3x the number of textbooks as this. Used to buy them used for fun.

Welcome to the former lifer student club lol.

[–] ParabolicMotion 1 points 4 months ago

I like your style!

[–] adam_y 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Read mostly hardback books like a king.

[–] ParabolicMotion 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You can tell which years money was really tight by which ones are paperback. Some of my hardbacks were bought used, though, to save money, too. I love the way hardback books look on a shelf when you’re done reading them. They just cost so much more, than paperback, though.

[–] adam_y 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm second hand books all the way.

Great collection you have, I'm pretty sure you'd be seriously good chat down the pub.

[–] ParabolicMotion 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Aww, thank you! 😊 I’d love to hang out and talk some time. If you like my book collection, we’d get along great!

[–] adam_y 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Its a really lovely mix of science and literature. Signals a broad and interested mind. Besides, Once and future king is an absolute banger.

[–] ParabolicMotion 1 points 4 months ago

Thank you! I love good reads. The Once and Future King is very good, for sure. I can’t help but slightly hate Guinevere’s character for cheating on King Arthur, though. It’s not like they were separated, or divorced.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This guy subscribed to the life philosophy of "If I go home with somebody and they don't have books, I won't fuck them."

[–] ParabolicMotion 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

There’s a pretty good chance that if you walk into a club, looking to grab a drink, and the first person you meet says something along the lines of, “Eh, baby wan sum fuq?”, that person probably won’t have a very diverse set of novels upon their shelf at home. That’s just my view. If he feels the same, I understand.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] ParabolicMotion 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

lol! I wish! I always made the joke that if I ever won the lottery, I’d become a professional student; see how many additional degrees I could earn before I die.

[–] jeffw 3 points 4 months ago

I feel the same way!

[–] dddontshoot 2 points 4 months ago

Just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947.