EE 202 - Linear Circuit Analysis II

Well, this class is basically a continuation of EE 201 - Linear Circuit Analysis. Fortunately this time we were taught how to use LaPlace Transforms to do all sorts of productive things, basically making everything we did in 201 look incredibly easy. The professor for this class was surprisingly good. I enjoyed going to class each day at 8:30 in the morning and learning about more circuit analysis. The only regret I really have is that I missed getting one grade letter higher by roughly 0.70%. Ah well, I still learned a considerable amount and for once didn't completely hate an "analog" class.

EE 364 - Software Engineering Tools Lab

Another programming class. As usual, I loved it. Surprisingly many people found it difficult, but I had no problem at all getting an A in there. The best thing was I didn't have to do anything outside of the hour lecture and two hour lab each week, so it didn't contribute to my homework or studying load. Ultimately we left the class knowing how to write ksh scripts, program in python, and utilize simple functions from tk. Ironically, as I write these summaries it's already the following semester and I'm an Undergraduate Lab Assistant for this class now (I actually do everything a graduate TA does, though). It's quite enjoyable.

EE 270 - Introduction to Digital System Design

My first digital design class. I also enjoyed this class quite a bit. Unfortunately our professor, at least in the minds of many, wasn't all that great. On the plus side, the previous professor had recorded and digitized all of his lectures from the previous year and made them available in a digital video lab, so instead of going to lecture we went there. Regardless, the labs were most interesting. Wiring digital logic and building arithmetic logic units really gives you a great insight into how computers actually work. Towards the end of the class we even started implementing our own simple computer.

EE 208 - Eletronic Devices and Design Lab

Ugh. This lab was like 207, but worse. It was also actually more geared towards accompanying EE 255 than EE 202. We were required to do more as far as the lab write-up went, and the labs in general were longer and more drawn out. I guess I did take some useful experiences with from the course, but it's definitely not one of my favorites. A large portion of the introduction to each lab was spent with the TA talking and us looking on the ground for spare components to hook up to the power supplies and fry. That, I must admit, was amusing.

EE 255 - Introduction to Electronics Analysis & Design

This class was also really interesting. We learned all about transistors and how to use them to implement all sorts of amplifiers. Our professor was really the greatest; he would kind of carefully mock people that asked stupid questions without them realizing it. Needless to say, I got a great kick out of that. I must say he is one of the most amusing professors I've had during my entire time at Purdue. Surprisingly I did take a lot out of this class as well.

MA 265 - Linear Algebra

This class was entitled "Linear Algebra" and I'm still not quite sure why I had to take it. It was like a review of things we learned in high school. Granted there were a few new things that we learned, but I really wish I could've taken something else. The lectures were incredibly boring, although I did still manage to find the content mildly interesting. A lot of it was matrices, which I've always enjoyed manipulating.

BAND 117 - Concert Band

Once again I made it into Concert Band, and once again Dr. Leppla was the director. He actually just returned from sabbatical the previous semester, visiting other various universities and observing their marching band programs. As it turns out, he still thinks we're the best and surprisingly most of the things we do everyone else does or does worse :-). Anyway, this semester we did a bit more contemporary music than we had in the past, but it was still a most enjoyable experience. Definitely the highlight of my day.