I started a master's program this week. A masters program in a subject I don't have much of a background in. In fact I have three main classes: GIS for engineers, Principles of Learning and Vertebrate Paleontology. All three of them are based in different departments: Civil Engineering, Informational Psychology and Technology (whatever that means) and Geology. Out of those three I've only taken classes in geology and they were fairly basic.
At first all I could think was "I have no background in any of these how am I going to survive." As I went through this first week I found it interesting how often I remembered things from other experiences I've had. I was more prepared than I thought.
Here are a few examples:
Working with GIS.
I met a couple of time with a group after classes to discuss GIS in my senior year at college.
Working with GIS layers.
Working with layers in Gimp and other art programs.
Understanding Vector and Raster data.
Doing pixel and vector art and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Being in a class that discusses psychology and learning philosophies.
Attending a histories and theories class in anthropology.
Talking about dinosaurs and geologic time depth.
Reading a dinosaur text book to be ready for the class I'm TAing.
Anyway. I just found it fascinating how I was fairly prepared despite not having the background in the specific departments.
Perhaps it isn't that surprising but all the same it is interesting how things that don't at first seem like they would be relevant can be. Maybe that's why a holistic view of life makes so much sense. Just because we pigeonhole ideas it doesn't mean that they really are entirely separate. I mean who thought doing art would prepare me for an engineering class.
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