Final final
ahhh, only about 40 minutes until my bio final. Deep breath. I am “cautiously optimistic” (ha, ha, I hate that phrase, which is commonly used in political media coverage, most recently the swine flu coverage). I am glad that bio is my last exam because I’ve been very well ahead in that class in terms of my grade. However, I’d still like to do well on the final, and the subject material from the first two months of the semester is a little fuzzy for me. Have been going over my notes this morning. I hadn’t even LOOKED at the list of mammalian orders yet, which was the very last subject she covered in lecture over two weeks ago. ha ha ha…. so, I tried to cram 13 orders of mammals and their species examples into my head this morning, and then go back and re-read Mendel, chromosomal/autosomal disorders, and the frustrating definitions of structure/evolution of populations. That was my least favorite subject all semester. Populations. Oh, and modes of speciation. Hmmm. Seems contradictory to my interest in genetics, I know. But, perhaps its just the context in which I’ve had to learn these basics of biology and evolution. I suppose it’s just like learning how to multiply before plotting a circle.
I suppose the frustration comes when a professor’s test questions seem a little ambiguous. When I was reviewing my old exams from earlier in the semester, there was a question that went something like this: “there is a population of light brown/black spiders that inhabits a forest. A forest fire destroys the forest, the ground is dark and predators cannot catch as many spiders. The population now favors the darker spiders. Is this an example of….. disruptive selection, directional selection, stabilizing….???” I answered disruptive. But, guess what? the correct answer was directional. pah! This is where subject matter gets a little frustrating because really, there’s a little bit of everything “going on” in scenarios like that…. I still think that disruptive selection was a valid choice… though I suppose if we go by exactly what the definition states then yes yes, okay fine, I was wrong.
well, I can’t study anymore. Whatever I know by now, is what I know. Wish me luck.
wow. what should I do this afternoon?
Break a leg or good skill whatever is more acceptable…