If you are starting college this fall, and you are a STEM major, make sure you understand this!

Summary

In this video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of self-teaching and personal responsibility for college students, especially those pursuing STEM degrees. He highlights the difference between high school and college, where students are expected to be proactive in their learning process. The speaker also stresses the significance of handling frustration, being respectful, and treating college as a job, not a daycare. He advises students to focus on mastering material likely to appear on exams rather than obsessing over homework for perfect scores, advocating for the practice of taking exams to truly excel in college.

Takeaways

• 😀 College is a self-teaching environment; you are responsible for your own education.
• 📚 High school is compulsory, but college is a choice where you pay for a service, not to be taught but to be assessed.
• 🔬 Professors are researchers, not teachers, and their role is to guide and confirm your understanding, not to teach you everything.
• 🔑 As a STEM major, you are preparing for a career in research, which requires learning how to solve unsolved problems.
• 💡 Frustration is part of the learning process and is a skill to manage, as it will be a part of your professional life.
• 🧠 College is meant to be difficult to prepare you for the challenges and frustrations of the real world.
• 📈 The purpose of college is to build a foundation for job security and prestige, distinguishing you from those without a degree.
• 👶 Emotional reactions are seen as immature and unprofessional; learning to manage them is crucial for success.
• 📚 Reading and understanding textbooks is a skill that must be developed, as it is essential for learning and professional life.
• 📝 Homework is not the focus; instead, practice exams and mastering the material that will be on exams should be prioritized.
• 🎓 Treating college like a job is important for success, as it prepares you for the expectations and responsibilities of employment.

Q & A

What is the main message of the video script for students starting college, especially those in STEM fields?

The main message is that students are responsible for teaching themselves and should treat college as a job, focusing on learning from textbooks and practice exams rather than just getting perfect grades on homework.

Why does the author suggest that every subject is a branch of physics?

The author implies that physics is fundamental to all sciences because it is about understanding the laws of nature, and all subjects can be seen as applying these laws in different ways.

What is the author's perspective on the role of a professor in a college setting?

The author believes that a professor's job is to guide and confirm students' understanding rather than directly teaching them, as students are expected to be self-taught.

How does the author describe the transition from high school to college in terms of responsibility?

The author describes it as moving from a mandatory 'daycare system' to an environment where students are adults, paying for a service and responsible for their own learning.

What does the author mean by 'you are preparing for a career in research'?

The author means that as a STEM major, the focus should be on learning how to conduct research and solve unsolved problems, which is a key aspect of many scientific careers.

What advice does the author give regarding handling frustration in college and life?

The author advises students to learn to manage frustration, remove emotional reactions from life's challenges, and not let irritation affect their performance or interactions.

Why does the author emphasize the importance of being respectful and mature in college?

The author emphasizes this because it prepares students for the professional world, where emotional outbursts and immaturity are not tolerated and can lead to job loss.

What is the author's stance on the importance of attending lectures in college?

The author strongly advocates for attending lectures, as they provide crucial information that is likely to appear on exams and are part of the learning process.

How does the author view the purpose of homework in college, especially in STEM courses?

The author views homework as less critical for the final grade and more as a tool for practicing and mastering concepts that are likely to appear on exams.

What strategy does the author recommend for effectively using practice exams?

The author recommends taking multiple practice exams to become familiar with the exam format and content, which helps in performing better on actual exams.

What analogy does the author use to describe the process of learning in a STEM degree?

The author uses the analogy of learning a musical instrument, emphasizing the need for practice and precision in both scenarios.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Embracing Self-Education in College

The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-education for college students, particularly those pursuing STEM degrees. They highlight the shift from the structured environment of high school to the more independent learning atmosphere of college. The speaker clarifies that professors are there to guide and confirm students' understanding rather than to teach in a traditional sense. The video is geared towards students who are about to begin or are currently in college, stressing the need to take responsibility for one's own learning and to prepare for a career in research. The speaker also touches on the idea that all subjects can be related to physics and mathematics, and that frustration is a natural part of the learning process that should be managed effectively.

05:00

🎓 The Reality of College and Professionalism

This paragraph delves into the mindset students should adopt when attending college, especially those in STEM fields. The speaker stresses that college is not a daycare but a stepping stone to a professional career, where students are expected to be mature and handle frustration. They discuss the difference between high school and college, where in college, students are paying for an education service and are thus responsible for their own learning. The speaker also addresses the importance of respecting professors and the material, as well as the need to practice and prepare for exams, rather than obsessing over perfecting every homework assignment.

10:01

🔍 Prioritizing Effective Study Techniques

The speaker provides advice on effective study techniques for college students, focusing on the importance of being ahead in coursework and the value of practice exams. They argue that spending excessive time on homework for perfect scores is not efficient and that students should instead focus on mastering material likely to appear on exams. The speaker also discusses the significance of attending lectures, as they often cover material that will be on exams, and the importance of treating college with the seriousness of a job, as it is a prerequisite for employment and a key to future success.

15:02

🛠️ Treating College as a Prelude to Employment

In the final paragraph, the speaker reinforces the idea that college, particularly for STEM majors, should be treated as a job. They emphasize the importance of being prepared, respectful, and mature, as these qualities are essential in the professional world. The speaker also discusses the need for precision in scientific fields and the consequences of not treating college seriously, such as the risk of not being hired or being fired. They conclude by encouraging students to practice exams and to take college seriously, as it is a critical step towards a successful career.

Keywords

💡STEM degree

A STEM degree is an educational qualification in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In the video, the speaker emphasizes that a STEM degree is not just about acquiring knowledge but learning how to research and solve problems, which is crucial for a future career in these fields. The script mentions, 'you're in college specifically for a STEM degree,' highlighting the importance of self-directed learning and the application of knowledge in research.

💡self-teaching

Self-teaching refers to the process of learning without the direct guidance of a teacher or instructor. The speaker in the video stresses that college students, especially those pursuing STEM degrees, are responsible for teaching themselves, as professors are there to guide and confirm their understanding rather than to teach in a traditional sense. The script states, 'you are responsible for teaching yourself,' indicating that students need to take initiative in their learning process.

💡research

Research in the context of the video is the systematic investigation and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions. The speaker mentions that as a STEM major, one is preparing for a career in research, which involves learning how to tackle unsolved problems. The script uses the phrase, 'you're learning how to do research,' to underline the importance of developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

💡frustration

Frustration in the video is discussed as an emotional response to challenges or obstacles. The speaker advises students to learn how to handle frustration, as it is a part of life and particularly relevant in the context of college and research. The script includes, 'you need to learn how to handle frustration,' suggesting that emotional maturity is essential for academic and professional success.

💡emotional reaction

Emotional reaction refers to the instinctive response to situations that may trigger strong feelings. The speaker warns against letting emotional reactions dictate one's behavior, especially in a professional setting. The script advises, 'you need to learn how to remove your emotional reaction from the equation of life,' emphasizing the need for emotional intelligence and self-control.

💡lecture

A lecture is an educational presentation delivered by an instructor to students, typically involving the imparting of knowledge on a specific topic. In the video, the speaker explains that lectures are not just for receiving information but for reinforcing what students have already taught themselves. The script mentions, 'the lecture is where you have information reiterated to you,' highlighting the importance of attending lectures to solidify understanding.

💡homework

Homework in the context of the video refers to the tasks assigned to students to be completed outside of class, often to practice and reinforce learning. The speaker argues against obsessing over perfecting homework, as it may not significantly impact the overall grade. The script states, 'do not get obsessed with getting 100% on your homework,' suggesting a strategic approach to managing study time and priorities.

💡practice exams

Practice exams are tests that students take to prepare for actual exams, helping them to familiarize themselves with the format and content. The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking practice exams to improve exam performance. The script advises, 'take practice exams multiple practice exams every week,' comparing the process to practicing an instrument to achieve proficiency.

💡maturity

Maturity in the video is discussed as the ability to act responsibly and professionally, especially in the face of challenges. The speaker contrasts maturity with childish behavior, such as emotional outbursts, which are not acceptable in a professional environment. The script includes, 'you're being respectful and you're being mature,' to stress the importance of emotional regulation and professionalism.

💡separation of class

The separation of class refers to the social and economic divisions among different groups in society. The speaker mentions this concept to illustrate the importance of education in achieving a higher social status and job security. The script states, 'you are separated from this class of people and this class of people a lot of money,' indicating that education can be a determinant of social mobility.

💡precision

Precision in the video is used to describe the high level of accuracy and exactness required in scientific fields. The speaker warns that graduates in scientific fields are expected to be precise in their work, as lives may depend on the data they calculate. The script includes, 'you're expected to be precise,' to emphasize the critical nature of accuracy in scientific professions.

Highlights

The video is aimed at students starting college or currently in college, particularly those pursuing STEM degrees.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-teaching in college, contrasting it with the more structured high school environment.

A humorous claim is made that all subjects are essentially branches of physics, highlighting the interconnectedness of STEM fields.

The role of a professor is described as guiding and providing accreditation rather than directly teaching the material.

The speaker stresses that students are preparing for a career in research and should approach learning with that mindset.

College is portrayed as a place to learn how to handle frustration, a skill deemed necessary for future professional life.

The speaker argues that college education provides a level of job security and prestige not achievable without it.

The concept of emotional maturity and its importance in the professional world is discussed, with advice on managing emotional reactions.

The necessity of learning from textbooks independently is underlined, as it is a skill required for professional development.

The speaker criticizes the focus on achieving 100% in homework, suggesting it detracts from more important study practices.

The importance of attending lectures is highlighted, as they often contain material that will be on exams.

The speaker advises students to be respectful and mature, likening it to behaviors expected in the workplace.

The analogy of treating college like a job is used to emphasize the seriousness and professionalism required in academic pursuits.

The value of practice exams over perfecting homework assignments is advocated for, in preparation for the exam format.

The speaker discusses the potential consequences of immature behavior in a professional setting, using the analogy of getting fired.

The need to be several chapters ahead in reading before attending lectures is suggested for effective learning.

The video concludes with a reminder of the importance of self-teaching, respect, and treating college as a job for success in STEM fields.

Transcripts

good morning everyone author Jonathan

David here well the semester is about to

begin it's August

2024 uh Earth year cycle 59.7 there I'm

just kidding

uh this video is for those of you that

are about to begin college or maybe

you're in college specifically for a

stem degree science technology

engineering

mathematics of course you could

um consider anything a stem degree

really because everything is science and

actually you're doing a Physics degree

there's only two degrees math and

physics you can't do physic you can do

math without physics but you can't do

math

without you can do math without physics

but you cannot do physics without math

and every subject is a branch of physics

so you either

you either teach language which is math

or you apply language which is physics

and I don't need this uh

so if you're an engineer you're a

physicist if you're a computer

programmer you're a technically a

physicist in in in one way or another

anyways besides the

point if you are starting college or in

college and you are a science major or

any major really this is applicable able

to everybody but my Channel's generally

geared towards the the scientific mind

um before you start the semester what

you need to understand more than

anything above and beyond everything

else is that you are responsible for

teaching

yourself High

School is an 18-year

well high school and middle school all

that that's an 18-year daycare system

you are legally required to be there you

have no choice in the

matter now you're an adult you're going

to

college you're paying other adults for a

service they have an obligation to

provide a quality service to you that

you're paying for they are not in

control of

you you're paying them for service okay

however ever the professor is not a

teacher the professor's job is to do

research in their field they get a

paycheck for

guiding proteges or pupils through the

learning process and giving them a stamp

of approval an accredited stamp of

approval by another accredited person

the the link of

accreditation now you are not paying the

professor to teach you anything you are

paying the professor to confirm that you

know what you're talking about as you

teach yourself and if you're incapable

of of fully teaching yourself the

professor's there to help guide you

along why because as a stem major you

are preparing for a career in

research

research so when you're in college

you're learning how to do research

you're not going to go to the job and

have the employer say here's this

unsolved problem we want you to to solve

go to lecture the professor is going to

teach you how to solve the unsolved

problem and then you come back and solve

this unsolved problem for us does that

make any sense no you're doing research

okay you're training to do research so

if you're frustrated you're supposed to

be because you're going to be frustrated

in life wait till you have kids you're

going to be frustrated with your job

wait till you have a boss you're being

you're being prepped for frustration you

need to learn how to handle frustration

you need to learn how to remove your

emotional reaction from the equation of

life if you get irritated you need to

stop that because no employer is going

to hire a child who has an emotional

temper tantrum because they're not

getting their way or something's

difficult college is meant to be

difficult that's why you're separated

from this class of people and this class

of people a lot of money and well you

could still make a lot of money without

a college education and it it really I'm

I'm talking about like education

separation a bank of knowledge that's

going to be job sec security and

Prestige for the rest of your life

versus not having that but ultimately

I'm not saying anyone's better than

anyone okay everyone's equal we all just

have a different role to play in society

but in the in the in the game of society

we do have separation of class we are

not equal you know we are not equal it

may say we're created equal we're not

our bodies are different our minds are

different we all operate differently

however

emotional content like Bruce Lee would

say emotional content and he'd say

something like be like water

flow uh Bruce Lee was great um point is

okay you number one above everything

else you are responsible for teaching

yourself this information you have a

book you need you need if you say you

don't get anything from the book it's

because you don't know how to read the

book I make videos explaining this

okay you need to immediately learn how

to learn from the book okay because

every course you're going to take has a

book and when you're in the field in the

job you may have to reference these

books or other books like them you need

to know how to read them if you're like

you pick up the book and you're like I

don't understand it of course you don't

it's like a musical instrument a science

degree is like learning an instrument

you don't just pick it up and know how

to play you got to practice you got to

figure it out you got to get the muscles

to work all

right if you don't get anything from

your lecture that's because you didn't

read the book the lecture is where okay

a teacher teaches a professor lectures a

lecture is where you have information

reiterated to you that you've already

taught

yourself okay so if you ever go to

lecture and you're like I don't

understand what they're talking about

and the professor's like can anybody

answer this and nobody can answer it

well how the heck can you answer if you

haven't learned your learned it yet you

got to teach yourself it you you know

you're not in high school

anymore you're in a situation a gap

between daycare a child you know you may

think you're an adult you're 17 you're

mature you're not wait till you're 40 I

look back at myself I thought I was

smart when I was 20 I thought I was

smart when I was 30 and I'm sure when

I'm 50 I'll think I'm an idiot today

you're not smart get over yourself okay

no matter how confident you are anybody

that's older than you is going to know

that they went through the same thing

you did so you know it's it's better to

just put the sword down put the sword

down don't

argue because the people that are older

than you are the ones that are going to

write the check that pays your freaking

bills so I have respect for

them I'm not saying I do all right I'm

not preaching of the choir most of the

stuff I tell you is because I deal with

this myself I can't stand people that

are older I'm right cuz I'm older I get

it but look you want a paycheck you want

an easy life you want a high-paying job

you got to put those knee pads down put

them on your gr put them on your put the

knee pads on get on the ground and kiss

that butt okay all right now it's called

being mature respectful you may disagree

you may not like it but you're being

respectful and you're being mature

because your emotional reactions these

are primitive behaviors I'm not getting

my way I'm going to complain that's a

primitive pathetic way to go about life

again I'm not I'm preaching to the choir

I I still deal deal with these things

myself things don't go my way I want to

throw a temper tantrum I'm like I'm

giving up blah blah blah but I I as I

get older I get better at not doing that

and I I'm telling you as a young adult

it's easier for someone like you to

change than it is for someone that's old

older you get the harder it is to change

but nobody wants a child working for for

them and if you're treating College the

way you treat high school you're still

in daycare you're a child stop college

is a prerequisite to employment you

better treat that prerequisite the same

way you would treat employment the

difference is in college you're allowed

to make mistakes so that you can learn

from them and in the real world if you

make these mistakes and you act like a

child you have emotional Outburst you go

to your colleague and go that's not the

way I learned it that's not the way I

learned it and then you don't know and

then it turns out the way you learned it

was wrong or you're so right turns out

you're

wronging you're out you're fired good

luck finding another job in your field

because if you get fired from a job in

your field you may never work in your

field again that's a rare thing because

likely if you're immature like that

still you wouldn't get the job in the

first place so make sure you understand

this you have to teach yourself you have

to learn from the book you have to learn

how to learn from the book you have to

take practice exams your homework do not

get obsessed with getting 100% on your

homework I watch so many students

including me spend an extra 10 20 hours

a week trying our hardest to click that

button on that online homework or do the

written homework to get 100% on the

homework what a stupid thing to do why

why uh your homework's worth nothing in

pretty much all of these stem courses

your homework's worth f maybe 10% of the

grade that's nothing it's negligible

because everybody adjusts the grade at

the end of the semester they say there's

no curve they're not going to do

anything they they adjust the grade at

the end of the semester they do very

rarely do they not so if 90% of the

grade A minus is your exams and they do

a grade adjustment by 10

20% Then your homework's kicked out of

the mix it doesn't make any difference

in fact the only difference the homework

will make is if you do good on your

homework the teacher might lift you from

a D minus to a c or D+ to a c minus or C

minus to a C+ or something but all that

extra hour 10 160 to 250 or so plus

extra hours a semester just to go from a

minus to a plus that's

ridiculous no when you do your homework

you you think smart about it you choose

questions that are likely to be on the

exam and you master those anything

that's going to take more than 30

minutes to solve will not be on the exam

don't worry about it focus on it later

who cares you're going to forget it

anyways if you get CES on all your

homeworks and you spend all that extra

time taking practice exams and acing the

exams you're going to get an A+ in the

course if you get A's on all your

homeworks and you don't do any practice

exams you're going to get C's in the

course I've seen this so many times

students they spend all this time

getting A's on their homeworks and get

C's on the exams where people who just

focus on the exams get A's in the

classes C's and B's on the homework you

know hund getting A's on homeworks

guarantees C's on exams cuz all that

time wasted you should be taking a

practice exam instead of spending 10

hours trying to get a 100 on your

homework take those 10 hours and do 10

one hour practice exams because if you

say I'm not good at taking exams it's

because you don't practice taking exams

I'm not good at playing guitar I don't

practice guitar every day I'm not good

at reading sheet music I don't practice

reading sheet music this is reading the

textbook this is practicing practice

exams by the way an entire letter grade

A to B B to C da d d d da that can be

from a lecture attendance oh it says I

don't have to go to lecture it's not

part of the grade yes it is yes it is

all after half the class drops the

teachers will often say anybody who's

stuck in the class I'm going to boost

them up an extra letter grade just for

showing up to class you need to go to

lecture too because the questions that

are solved on the board those are what's

on the exam almost every single one of

the questions in the class will be on

the exam if you're not a lecture you're

not going to see them well I don't get

anything from lecture of course not

you're not reading the book you're not

being respectful you're still a child

you think you're forced to be there

you're not you're an adult it's your

choice to be there maybe you got some

horrifying parents that are you know

torturing you because they're trying to

live vicariously through your life

because they failures or something or

they want you to be some big prestigious

person because they can't stand

themselves and they want to compare

everything to you that sucks I'm sorry

but you're still an adult you can walk

away from the situation you might be cut

off and homeless

but everybody's family sucks okay if you

ever watched That 70s Show Kitty foran

had a great saying she said if your

family's not embarrassing you they're

dead everybody's family sucks you're not

special we all have all our F the only

thing you can do is hope that you have a

family and you do a better job than your

your family unless you have a great

family family and and and that's great

I'm jealous of you cuz I hope to have a

great family myself but our families are

all crazy we're all crazy you take a

group of people that would never blend

in society and you force them to spend

eternity together it's a it's a cosmic

joke uh but it keeps the world turning

so anyways I'm going to cut off here in

a minute because I try to keep these at

15 point is is that when you go to

college okay specifically for a stem

degree you got to be at least two to

three chapters ahead of every lecture

meaning you teach yourself the book If

you don't know how to read from the book

you need to learn how to read from the

book cuz you're going to be using them

for the next 5 10 years in the rest of

your life two if you miss lectures you

are being extremely disrespectful and

you're sacrificing potentially a whole a

whole letter grade okay do not waste

your time on homework questions that

will not be on the exam take practice

exams multiple practice exams every week

you want to be an expert pianist you got

to practice playing the piano you want

to play in front of a crowd you got to

practice playing in front of a crowd

that's the same way you treat school

science degrees are like uh a musical

instrument and and guess what when you

graduate you're expected to be precise

when you play a musical instrument

you're expected to be precise you can't

half ass this no nobody's going to give

you a job in in a field where people's

lives depend on the data that you can

calculate youve got to be precise so

take this very seriously do not take

College as a joke if you're in a science

degree you need to just ask yourself the

way you're treating College if that is

what your resume is to an employer would

you hire yourself you know treat College

the way you would treat a job if you

don't show up to lecture you're not

getting a paycheck if you don't do your

work properly and prepare for your exams

properly you're not getting a paycheck

if you're not respectful to your

classmates you're going to get fired for

harassment or whatever you know if you

have emotional outburst and you're

immature temper tantrums cuz things

don't go your way great you're fired we

don't care we have no emotional

connection to your immaturity we are

paying you for a job we expect results

and we expect you to take it up the butt

okay and that's reality okay half of

life is fantastic the other half is

painful it's not Duality Duality is is a

delusion brought on by people who can

only see onedimensional because we're

all three-dimensional creatures living

in a fourth-dimensional world that can

see two dimensions and interpret one

dimension left and right as one

dimension okay now you see two

Dimensions just like you're looking at

this screen right now two Dimensions you

interpret three dimensions From Shadows

you look at your screen you look away

from your screen it's the same thing

it's two Dimensions you can interpret

three dimensions From Shadows but you

can only see two Dimensions cuz whatever

Dimension the being is they can only see

one dimension below and they live in one

dimension higher and they can only

interpret or comprehend and the well you

can comprehend higher Dimensions if you

let your brain leave this Left Right

mentality you know um the uh the

Democrat and Republican concept of

science the um you know the difference

between a Democrat and Republican is one

says I'm right and the other says I'm

right that's the difference uh not not

that I know anything about politics so

don't don't get all hung up on that

anyways I'm going to end here so just

just recap on that it's very important

that you understand you got to teach

yourself and be respectful and treat it

like a job and pra you want to you want

to do good on exams and Ace the course

you need to do practice exams seriously

all right peace please subscribe to my

Channel or better yet become a member I

like paying my bills this is my job so I

appreciate it uh any any help is

fantastic because uh I tried to get a

job once and they're like dude you're

like famous online for like 20 different

things

why would we hire you I'm like but the

pandemic ruined all my money flow well

they they still anyways that's another

story I'll talk about some other days so

I appreciate anything you can help

because this is what I do for a living

and and uh if you guys don't support me

then I can't pay my bills and I like I

like to have shelter myself so if you

have any questions any topics you want

me to elaborate on let me know I got a

world of information I'd love to share

and no I'm not right about everything I

just know a lot of crap all right peace

I'll see you in the next video thanks