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stentorian
vol. XXXIX
the north Carolina school of science and mathematics 1219 broad street, durham nc 27705
http://www.ncssm.edu/stentorian
august 2004
In the midst of my third-trimester
Derek Paylor
W hen parents tell
neighbors and
friends their little
one is in her third trimester at
NCSSM, shame will not mar
their faces. They can smile
because their daughter isn’t in
the family way but is actually
on the path to being a Science
and Math superstar. This
young lady will be a pioneer,
for 2004 marks the first year
S&M has instituted the
trimester schedule, a feat
deserving thorough critique.
Students’ attitudes
toward the trimester schedule
went through a series of highs
and lows last school year. Like
most situations in life, the
campus had to accept the good
with the bad. While new
courses were available in
more selective areas, students
were dismayed and disgusted
when they couldn’t register
for them due to overload-
underload guidelines (all A’s
and one B to request an over
load). Senior Karthik Sekar
recalls how “when the
announcement of trimesters
came about, our class was in a
huge uproar and had heavy
resentment toward the admin
istration, but when everyone
got to see the classes that they
were able to take and the
amount they could take,
nobody was angry any
more.” The proposed
courses of African
American Literature,
Women’s Studies, and
Topics in Southern
Literature were nixed after
the first registration round
due to “lack of interest.”
The extra classes extended
the school day by fifty
minutes for a dismissal
time of 4:15pm, and if stu
dents fail to perform up-to-par
this coming year, more pres
sure will be placed on them to
withdraw than in previous
years from'administration and
academic programs.
This year’s calendar
will differ greatly from past
ones. The absence of Alt-
Days and the addition of their
lackluster equivalents-short-
ened periods-rub students the
wrong way, and a Mini-Term
in the dead of winter leaves
some out in the cold (imless,
of course, travel is to the
southern hemisphere). Mid
terms are now three times a
year, leading many to won
"Students' attitudes
toward the trimester
schedule went through a
series of highs and lows
last school year.
der what they will be referred
to as since they aren’t “mid
dling” anything anymore.
Teachers also have to cut the
content of some established
classes in order to fit every
thing into a shorter time peri
od. And special study options
like independent studies and
seminars will no longer be
offered first trimester. Senior
Carrie Leggett feels things are
moving too quickly. “I think
the trimester [schedule]
should have been postponed
one more year to work out
quirks which have not been
worked out yet.”
Griping aside, the
trimester schedule does have
positives. The new
schedule gives students
the option of taking
required year-long class
es, such as physics, chem
istry, and biology, for
only two trimesters. This
leaves room for the abun
dance of new classes like
Film Criticism, Forensics
and Psychology. It also
gives juniors a lighter first
trimester in order to help them
adjust to NCSSM. And even
though a slew of conspiracy
theorists ponder why we have
this switch in the first place,
having a trimester schedule
sets this school further apart
from other magnets, making it
more distinguished and
arguably more attractive than
it already is.
Forums were set up
multiple times throughout the
year for students to air con
cerns about the schedule. The
administration also allocated
times for the class of 2005 to
be informed about the new
schedule through group dis
cussions lead by SLIs provid
ing information (complete
with refreshments) and a pro
gram run by Dr. Warshaw
which proved quite hostile in
term of student responses.
The trimester schedule
remained a hotbed of contro
versy last year, but S&M stu
dents are praised statewide for
their open-minded attitudes,
allowing for an electric charge
of anticipation on campus.
No one can deny the
fact that the classes 2005 and
2006 are guinea pigs, but
please leave the bad attitudes
at home. Let’s be Lois and
Clark about this and. go into
the unknown with a furrowed
brow and shoulders against
the wind. And if the stress
turns out to be overbearing,
crack a pregnancy joke or two.
Confessions of Two Nostalgic Seniors
Lucie Guo and Xianlin Li
I ongratulations, all of
you!
You have survived
mountains of paperwork and
persisted through nerve
wrecking competition. You
are now a member of this
exciting Science and Math
community! This is a place
where you are going to learn,
experience, and bond like you
never have before.
Kristoph Kleiner
So get ready for a
fabulous year.
Take advantage of
this first week to make foun
dations for strong fnendships
with your hallmates. Once
classes start rolling, you may
not always have time to hang
out with them as much as you
want to. Consider obeying the
two-week rule, an NCSSM
custom of waiting two weeks
to find a significant other!
Being tied-down so early in
the year limits your chances in
establishing new friendships.
NCSSM brings great diversity
from all over the state; keep an
open mind while you are
meeting new people.
And don’t be afraid
of the seniors! Chances are,
they are just as excited or
nervous (or both!) about meet
ing new people as you are. Be
open to all the insights that
your classmates, hallmates
and teachers can offer you.
Science and Math is
a unique place that offers
many intellectual opportuni
ties. But as you can guess,
succeeding at S&M takes
work. Despite what you may
have experienced at your old
school - even if you breezed
through your classes and
effortlessly maintained your
spot at the top of the class -
thriving at NCSSM involves
diligence. Don’t give too
much credit to rumors about
certain classes; the classroom
experience is what you make
of it. Even if the first test or
grade is bad, don’t be bitter.
and don’t give up. Take it in
stride and work harder.
Excelling at academ
ics may have gotten you into
this school but don’t be intim-
Kristoph Kleiner
idated by all the hype about
making good grades. Ten