Thanks, CG. I'll have to go fishing more often.
😉
I doubt that it would be suitable for your circumstances, but one option for studying for studying physics would be to utilize the chem/physics open lab hours to get assistance with understanding the subject. The difficulty with that is that you would probably wind up having to make more trips to the area because the lab is only offered during specified limited hours. Going to that lab made a major difference for me between just getting through the class and understanding the subject well enough to to do very well. Another thing that worked well for me was taking physics I while taking chem II because the math concepts seemed to mesh so well. Physics actually made chemistry easier. It may have worked even better had I taken the first physics prior to taking the second semester chem class.
Today was an amazingly GOOD day for me. I ran my research paper by the writing center. The person who proofed it for me said that he had been in the same doctoral program as my prof. He knew her personality well.
The gentleman read over my paper, asked about my grade in the class, and gave me enough
unsolicited encouragement, praise, and sympathy to salve my battered ego for quite some time. He encouraged me to investigate a career in writing fiction. That was rather ironic, since this is a
research paper. He was serious, though. I'm satisfied that this work is so well argued and well polished that any criticisms will be purely subjective. I'm finished worrying about it. All I have to do is turn it in this morning. Wait! There's one last thing to worry about. Nothing can go wrong to make me get my first tardy or absence. Anything that isn't on her desk by the start of class automatically loses a letter grade. She won't accept the work until the student traipses over to the other campus, has the secretary time and date stamp it, and then brings it back to hand to her in person.
I've been in a great mood ever since my early morning trip to the writing center. The rest of the day went unexpectedly better.
This afternoon I was given my own research project! It happens to be something new that interests me very much. Shortly after that, I was offered the option of taking on a second project, that will include having an undergrad assistant for next semester. I'm suddenly moving from being the lowly helper to being trusted on my own and getting to mentor someone else. It feels good.
-----Cut to late night commercial- But WAIT! There's more!
I was offered full-time pay for the summer, if I will stay in town. The added lure was that the PI said that way the first project would be completed and that I'd have a paper ready for publication by the end of summer.
That's that kind of paper I most need to learn to write. These offers weren't even in my dreams!
Of course, there's a catch. My PI knows that I've been getting my act together to apply for summer internships in distant labs. The acceptances for those don't arrive until March and April. I am required to let him know my decision on whether to work here for summer prior to that, because he has to commit the funds before spring. Someday, when I have money to donate, it will go to the USC labs, not the university's general fund. The science department has been exceptionally good to me.
I've decided not to add physics II to my spring courses. I have a full course-load without it, and will have plenty to keep me busy in the lab. If I stay in town to work for the summer, I can take a couple of courses then. I'm so happy to finally be offered pay for something besides food preparation.
Life is crazy. A week ago I was worried sick over the way one office at USC has been treating me unfairly. Now, I'm ecstatic over the treatment at the lab. Worthwhile things really
are growing from the compost.
BLECH! I'm writing my paper on something that interests me - how Orwell's life and political experiences are reflected in his fiction. I've enjoyed the research because he led one heck of an interesting life and wrote many autobiographies, but hate having to turn in my paper because I already know that, according to her, freshmen are not capable of producing "A" papers. It should be a relief to finish this course, but then I won't have this trivial issue to distract myself by complaining, and will wind up worrying more about my more important issues. 
this month. I do hope that your name comes up as "accepted" sooner, rather than later.
