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3catwoman3

(29,188 posts)
34. Biology, advanced biology, and German.
Mon Feb 2, 2026, 03:57 PM
Feb 2

Freshman math/algebra was a disaster. I didn't do very well, and I thought I just didn't "get it." The teacher was in her first year. After her second year, she got fired. It turned out there were a whole lot of us who hadn't gotten it.

Geometry in sophomore year was OK - I liked it, thought doing proofs was fun, and did much better. Trigonometry was pretty good in my junior year. Last marking period of senior year math was miserable. It was an intro to calculus. The teacher handed out a slender black book about the size of a 5x7 card and said, "Here - this is all self-explanatory." Au contraire!. Only thing I ever got an F in. Self explanatory, my ass. At least not to me.

I didn't warn my parents about the failing grade. My mother was aghast, and certain that the colleges that had accepted me were going to rescind their offers of admission.

I was also in the band all 4 years, playing flute and piccolo. We got graded in band, but there was no academic credit attached, so an A in band did nothing to balance off a C in any other class, and did not do anything to either help or hurt your GPA.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Science and Math classes were my favorites (nt) AZJonnie Feb 2 #1
Thank you very much for sharing with us, AZJonnie. debm55 Feb 2 #2
I liked math, it was an easy A Americanme Feb 2 #3
That is great. Thank you for sharing with us, Americanme. Wow, your school had a bowling alley. We just did duck pins at debm55 Feb 2 #5
I can't remember for sure, I think it was a 10 lane alley Americanme Feb 2 #16
Very true, Americanme, very true. Wish it was still the way it was. Do remember, Box Tops for Kids. Schools could buy debm55 Feb 2 #21
I live in Battle Creek, used to be known as Cereal City. Americanme Feb 2 #33
Thank you very much for sharing with us.Americanme. That is interesting. debm55 Feb 2 #47
We cooked a hot dog with an electric current. Frasier Balzov Feb 2 #4
HAHHAHAHAHHA. That is neat. Thank you very much for sharing with us, Frasier Balzov. debm55 Feb 2 #6
I was 12 and the year was 1971 Soul_of_Wit Feb 2 #7
What a great post. Thank you very much for sharing with us Soul_of_ Wit. I loved school and the teachers that taught . debm55 Feb 2 #12
History and English. BlueKota Feb 2 #8
Thank you very much for sharing with us. BlueKota. Actually I loved all subjects in school. It was a place where I debm55 Feb 2 #13
Same here Grim Chieftain Feb 2 #37
Philosophy was a favorite of mine too. BlueKota Feb 2 #39
study hall ... (little to none, actually studying involved .. ) stopdiggin Feb 2 #9
HAHAHAHAHHHAH. Our HS Study Hall was in the auditorium. Massive amount of kids. Got my work done and played cards. debm55 Feb 2 #14
I actually got kicked out of a study hall my senior year. BlueKota Feb 2 #31
English MIButterfly Feb 2 #10
Thank you very much for sharing with us. MIButterfly. A book will take you to places that you have never been. debm55 Feb 2 #22
And you meet people that are fascinating, exciting, and just plain fun. Polly Hennessey Feb 2 #27
Agree. Thank you Polly Hennessey. debm55 Feb 2 #48
My favorite subjects were Music and English! FM123 Feb 2 #11
Thank you very much, FM123. for sharing with us.Enjoy your books. debm55 Feb 2 #18
Science, Math, History. English was poorly taught--even AP English, though I did well. hlthe2b Feb 2 #15
Thank you hlthe2b for sharing with us. You were NOT stupid. The books selected were from the school district and the debm55 Feb 2 #59
Thermodynamics all the way. Gimme some of that entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy. Lol CincyDem Feb 2 #17
I enjoyed thermo. cloudbase Feb 2 #20
Thank you very much, CincyDem for sharing with us. debm55 Feb 2 #62
Science and biology for sure MichMan Feb 2 #19
Thank you very much, MichMan. Are you a mechanical engineer? debm55 Feb 2 #63
Yes, I am (retired) MichMan Feb 3 #69
Thank you very much, MichMan. debm55 Feb 3 #72
History and English. LoisB Feb 2 #23
Thank you very much, LoisB for sharing with us. debm55 Feb 2 #64
Art! Some science, and some history. electric_blue68 Feb 2 #24
Thank you very much, electric_blue68. I really attended a great and large (2100 students) HS and teachers . Classes were debm55 Feb 2 #65
Oh, very interesting! 2100! electric_blue68 Feb 3 #67
Thank you . electric_blue68. I will look him up debm55 Feb 3 #71
YW! 👍 electric_blue68 Feb 3 #80
Whichever classes had many curly haired gals in them GreenWave Feb 2 #25
Oh you. That you GreenWave. debm55 Feb 2 #66
History, Literature ,and Geography. Polly Hennessey Feb 2 #26
Thank you very much, Polly Hennessey. I also liked diagramming sentences. debm55 Feb 2 #58
The only thing I was good in was Art so I liked Art class. Diamond_Dog Feb 2 #28
Thank you very much for sharing with us, Diamond_Dog. It is very important for the teacher to be able to get across the debm55 Feb 2 #56
Mathematics. Straight As in all of them. OLDMDDEM Feb 2 #29
Thank you very much, OLDMDDEM. for sharing with us. Did you go into a Math field as a career? debm55 Feb 2 #50
Company controller OLDMDDEM Feb 3 #68
Science mgardener Feb 2 #30
HAHAHAHHAAHAH. Thank you very much. mgarderer. Nutrition would count, but not lunch. debm55 Feb 2 #46
Art & in college art therapy & personality theory. SheltieLover Feb 2 #32
Thank you very much for sharing with us. SheltieLover. debm55 Feb 2 #44
Biology, advanced biology, and German. 3catwoman3 Feb 2 #34
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing, 3catwoman3.You had some very poor Math teachers during your school career. I debm55 Feb 2 #43
History - the great story of humanity. We learn from it or repeat past errors. No Vested Interest Feb 2 #35
Thank you very much for sharing with us. No Vested interest. debm55 Feb 2 #42
Science, Math, & History ProfessorGAC Feb 2 #36
Thank you very much ProfessorGAC. for your choices. debm55 Feb 2 #41
Social Studies JMCKUSICK Feb 2 #38
Thank you for sharing ,John. debm55 Feb 2 #40
Art and math ... surrealAmerican Feb 2 #45
Geometry was my favorite Math class as was drafting. Thank you very much for sharing with us surrealAmerican. debm55 Feb 2 #49
Spanish, History, and CHOIR Jilly_in_VA Feb 2 #51
HAHAHHAH. Thank you very much, Jilly _in _VA debm55 Feb 2 #52
It was specific teachers rather than subjects Bmoboy Feb 2 #53
Thank you very much for sharing with us. Bmoboy. I agree with you--teachers and mentors are the best at helping us debm55 Feb 2 #54
Drafting and Physical science Maninacan Feb 2 #55
Wonderful and good for you. Maninacan. You are amazing with your skills and career. PS I loved drafting. Thank you for debm55 Feb 2 #57
Music and only music oberle Feb 2 #60
Thank you very much. for sharing with us. oberle. Wonderful. debm55 Feb 2 #61
Drivers Ed Emile Feb 3 #70
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA. Thank you Emile. debm55 Feb 3 #74
English, History, and Drama. OldBaldy1701E Feb 3 #73
Thank you very much for sharing with us. OldBaldy1701E debm55 Feb 3 #75
science in general, later computing Eugene Feb 3 #76
Thank you very much Eugene. Thanks for sharing with us. debm55 Feb 3 #78
History CanonRay Feb 3 #77
Thank you very much, CanonRay for sharing with us. debm55 Feb 3 #79
Even though I was extremely shy, I loved Drama class Mad_Dem_X Feb 3 #81
Thank you very much , Mad_Dem_X for sharing your interests with us. debm55 Feb 3 #82
English and literature. Was a bookworm. kerry-is-my-prez Feb 3 #83
Thank you very much. I know what book and self quiz you are talking about as I was a teacher for 40 years. Very good debm55 Feb 3 #84
The only class I remember liking Nittersing Feb 3 #85
Thank you very much, Nittersing, At first I had a Bachelors of Science in Art Ed then a Masters in El Ed and Special Ed. debm55 Feb 3 #86
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