I remember as a student when I couldn’t understand how professors could “just see” the solutions to problems. I’ve been reflecting after teaching a bit that I’m becoming that person, and how it just feels natural now, and that it’s really just because once you’ve seen enough problems in your field everything kind of just fits together, so new problems don’t really look that new anymore. It feels good to be honest, but I have a hard time thinking of it as wisdom, more just accumulated experience (then again, what is really “wisdom”?)
Thanks! I very much enjoy my profession, but I can also clearly understand that it’s not for everyone. My major impression after lecturing for different engineering courses is that chemistry differs from most in that you need (even) more basics before things start getting cool. Most of the other engineers can start doing actual cool projects in first or second year, while the chemists don’t really get to the good stuff before third or fourth year. On the other hand, I’m very glad I pulled through to the cool stuff at the other side :D
I remember as a student when I couldn’t understand how professors could “just see” the solutions to problems. I’ve been reflecting after teaching a bit that I’m becoming that person, and how it just feels natural now, and that it’s really just because once you’ve seen enough problems in your field everything kind of just fits together, so new problems don’t really look that new anymore. It feels good to be honest, but I have a hard time thinking of it as wisdom, more just accumulated experience (then again, what is really “wisdom”?)
Haha, even when playing DND I don’t really understand wisdom :)
What do you teach?
“Wisdom”: You’re a sorcerer with a long beard. “Intelligence”: You’re the annoying engineering type that breaks the DM’s beta in creative ways.
I’m a chemist, and I lecture in some engineering-related courses (mostly thermodynamics and mathematics)
Ooh very cool. I was never any good at Chemistry, but it looks fascinating
Thanks! I very much enjoy my profession, but I can also clearly understand that it’s not for everyone. My major impression after lecturing for different engineering courses is that chemistry differs from most in that you need (even) more basics before things start getting cool. Most of the other engineers can start doing actual cool projects in first or second year, while the chemists don’t really get to the good stuff before third or fourth year. On the other hand, I’m very glad I pulled through to the cool stuff at the other side :D