Math class

[ragdoll]

Ugh last night's dream. Just...ugh.

Some backstory. Last semester I attempted a math class I need to get out of the way to get my degree. It's required and I can't avoid it. So I put my ALL into this class. I took notes, I studied, I did my HW beforehand (and there was a LOT), and participated in class. I am an A student everywhere else but I'd be HAPPY if I got a C in this class. Just let me pass! I know that not everyone is "smart" in everything, and math is just the opposite of everything I am good at. I used to very hard on myself because of it and my parents used to be VERY hard on me because of it (we'd have screaming fights over my inability to get anything but a B or A in math, meanwhile they couldn't get past pre-algebra if they tried). I am much more gentle with myself, but that doesn't mean I am going to accept a bad grade. I just know my limits.

Well, last semester I did all this work and the midterm comes around and I failed. Okay, I figured I just didn't study enough or I didn't understand the material. Well, it turns out EVERYBODY in the class failed! The teacher then revealed that there were things he wanted us to do in the test that he did not explain in the test or beforehand, so even if we got the answer right, we were marked wrong because we didn't write it right or something similar. He told us we had the opportunity to fix the test and hand it in for more credit, but he didn't tell us, again, the way he wanted things! I decided that while I am willing to go the distance, I wasn't going to play guessing games or put myself through more anxiety. So I dropped to retake it again this semester.

SO LAST NIGHT'S DREAM: had me in class and it was time to take a test...but instead of math there was all this weird gobbledegook or questions that had nothing to do with math. These questions weren't math related in the slightest! I got angry and walked out, but no one else was angry even though they were in a similar position. I told the teacher I was not going to take a test that the class was not prepared to take and she didn't care. So I was the only one who walked out.

The rest of the dream turned into some weird thing where holograms would be projected into places and I was trying to program them to pop up at playgrounds and such without getting caught, but I have no clue what that was about.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by ragdoll

Ugh last night's dream. Just...ugh.

Some backstory. Last semester I attempted a math class I need to get out of the way to get my degree. It's required and I can't avoid it. So I put my ALL into this class. I took notes, I studied, I did my HW beforehand (and there was a LOT), and participated in class. I am an A student everywhere else but I'd be HAPPY if I got a C in this class. Just let me pass! I know that not everyone is "smart" in everything, and math is just the opposite of everything I am good at. I used to very hard on myself because of it and my parents used to be VERY hard on me because of it (we'd have screaming fights over my inability to get anything but a B or A in math, meanwhile they couldn't get past pre-algebra if they tried). I am much more gentle with myself, but that doesn't mean I am going to accept a bad grade. I just know my limits.

Well, last semester I did all this work and the midterm comes around and I failed. Okay, I figured I just didn't study enough or I didn't understand the material. Well, it turns out EVERYBODY in the class failed! The teacher then revealed that there were things he wanted us to do in the test that he did not explain in the test or beforehand, so even if we got the answer right, we were marked wrong because we didn't write it right or something similar. He told us we had the opportunity to fix the test and hand it in for more credit, but he didn't tell us, again, the way he wanted things! I decided that while I am willing to go the distance, I wasn't going to play guessing games or put myself through more anxiety. So I dropped to retake it again this semester.

SO LAST NIGHT'S DREAM: had me in class and it was time to take a test...but instead of math there was all this weird gobbledegook or questions that had nothing to do with math. These questions weren't math related in the slightest! I got angry and walked out, but no one else was angry even though they were in a similar position. I told the teacher I was not going to take a test that the class was not prepared to take and she didn't care. So I was the only one who walked out.

The rest of the dream turned into some weird thing where holograms would be projected into places and I was trying to program them to pop up at playgrounds and such without getting caught, but I have no clue what that was about.

it seems you are being taught the lesson isn't always what you think it is... but at the same time you are sick to death of teachers not being straight up about what is going on, making you guess as to true intentions and so forth with all the pitfalls which normally go with people acting that way (which could also be construed in a larger sense as an attitude toward the world at large). So you say enough and walk out, and refuse to learn the lesson as presented, and at the end I feel like you are just kinda playing with stuff you may have learned instead of the lesson you were 'supposed' to learn.

well that is my general take but I'm not so good with the dreams so take with a grain of salt

[ragdoll]

Well that may be true. I dislike any dishonesty and anyone who is disingenuous to try to get me to do something. I don't like being tricked. My mom is like that and so many people have been cruel to me for it. I can't tell what is real trickery from good natured or whatever so I will have none of it.

[H:O:R:A:C:E]

"Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe." ~ Galileo Galilei

the thing that really impressed me in the math world, was the graphs and such
that came from all those calculations. a slew of numbers and symbols strewn
about hold little interest in and of themselves for me... but the amazing
graphics which come out of those equations can mesmerize.

your backstory spoke of being manipulated. that's not what you'd signed up for.
in the dream, it appears that you were the only one to recognize the absurdity
of the testing [things didn't add up, lol]. the teacher wasn't concerned that you
chose to not participate (you didn't fail!). to create convincing holograms later on
is indicating that you're successfully using the mathematics required for the task.
to have a concern for not being caught is suggesting that you are engaged in
subterfuge [trickery, i.e. manipulation]. for the action to occur on a playground
is saying that your efforts are in an "elementary state", or simply for fun.

[Michelle11]

That is interesting. I had a very similar experience with a history teacher in college. He gave us a test on something completely unrelated to anything we read or discussed. it was like you had to be psychic to know how to answer. I dropped the class and was told there were numerous complaints about the teacher but maybe they do it as a way to test us? Kind of shady if you ask me but maybe they are trying to see who would stick it out with an F. Well I don't blame you for leaving the class. it is upsetting when teachers betray you like that even if it was for some other purpose. Those grades affect our overall gpa so it isn't cool. I suspect your dream was a direct reflection of the experience. Our brains are creatures of habit so likely there is a fear of it happening again. The second part of the dream being about how you might handle it by playing games with phantom answers. I would say just try to go into the class with an open heart telling yourself this professor is not the same as the last so the experience won't be the same. Try to let the past experience go as best you can so you can do your best this next time. It's like the idea just because there is one bad apple doesn't mean they are all bad.