by B.J. on 3/01/2005 02:45:00 PM 0 comments Print this post

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More Tricks of the Trade at UCLA

Some little tricks that I want to remember from my experience at school that have helped me be happy. I guess whoever reads this can use it, but it's mostly addressed to me.

HOMEWORK AND STUDYING

- In order to do homework, keep yourself busy and doing something, but stay cool about it. Or if you've got nothing to do just do assignments like you've got a lot of stuff to do. Just do it straight and if you come up with random thoughts along the way, then do your best to incorporate them. Nobody cares if you thought everything through very thoroughly and you think it's the best work you've produced. The best work is produced when you're not trying too hard anyway.

- To study, study how topics transition. Then worry about the parts within or that make up those topics.

UCLA-SPECIFIC TIPS

- So that people just don't randomly stare at your browsing habits on your laptop, sit on the second floor of Powell with your back facing the books.

- Young Research Library 4th-5th floor is the best place to study. And take a dump. Student activities center, too. But at night.

- Keep yourself hot and bothered during class. Seriously. Usually your body temperature drops in those air conditioned rooms and make your body somewhat yinny or numb and inactive. Note: I still fall asleep because I feel really tired.

- I will not reveal parking secrets that people can google and discover until I am well out of UCLA, but I will tell you that you need to learn how to parallel park in between cars. Parallel parking lesson in 5. . .4. . .3. . .

You do that by stopping your car while it's in line with the car that's in front of YOUR parking space (that's right take ownership of that mother), signalling right, and seeing if there's any oncoming traffic. If there isn't any or they let you park, turn your steering wheel clockwise to your right and when you feel that your car is getting close to the curb as you're turning your steering wheel clockwise, turn your steering wheel counter-clockwise to your left.

- Minor health tip: Lengthen your stride by skipping steps both up and down. It's easy to skip steps going up and with sustained practice for a year it'll be second nature to run by skipping steps. That'll make you a faster runner.

I also recommend that skipping steps going downstairs ala my former roommmate (it was really amazing that he did it with such ease with such steep steps) because that sustains the stride-lengthening when you walk as well so that you can walk around like your the big man on campus when you're really only 5'7, 145 lbs of benign muscle with less facial hair than a prepubescent middle school kid. I know skipping steps downwards is harder and you'll look stupid at first, but my body seemed to learn to skip steps downwards in about 4 weeks.

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