Things to do

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by Digmaster, Apr 21, 2009.

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  1. Digmaster

    Digmaster Registered Member

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    I apologize if this is the incorrect section, but I could find no better one.

    Basically, I am a 16 year old kid, freshman in highschool. I feel I am wasting my time horrendously by sitting in fount of my computer daily playing video games. I need something to get be up and going. I joined the robotics team at my school and I spent all my time working there. However, the season is now over, and I am back to playing these silly little wastes of time.

    Anyone know any kinda of thing I can do on my computer (When robotics club started my GPA dropped from 4.0 to 3.0. Its now since risen, but I don't want that to occur again.) I'm primarily interested in physics and computer engineering. In fact, a website that's slow me how to correct create electronics would be preferable. I learn fast, throw things at me. Please. I don't want to waste behind this computer every day. I want to do things. I want to know more things now then most people do when they leave college. I wish to do things in my free time people only dream of. I want to do things where I've using stuff I've yet to learn. Stuff that I might not learn. Until then I'm stuck here...Wasting my childhood, where I can learn more then any other part of my life. Help, please? I'm willing. Sometimes I grab a textbook out of my sister's room (Very intelligent Senior in high school) and read. And read and read and hope something sticks. And I hope I can use it. And I hope it takes me away from this desk.

    Sorry if I skip around idea, if I'm incoherent, if this is the wrong section, if I'm an idiot, if I'm wrong, if my spelling is miserable. If..I don't know.
     
    Digmaster, Apr 21, 2009
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  3. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    Yes I have just the right thing for you to do: do robotics...

    Go to RadioShack, there for 80$ is a microcontroller BASIC kit, you can learn by yourself to do.
     
    draqon, Apr 21, 2009
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  5. Crunchy Cat

    Crunchy Cat F-in' *meow* baby!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Join a hiking group.
     
    Crunchy Cat, Apr 21, 2009
    #3

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  7. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    he is more of an intellectual than a sportsy person...at least thats what i gather.
     
    draqon, Apr 21, 2009
    #4
  8. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    oh and since you are 16, find yourself a girlfriend...its a good way to pass time.
     
    draqon, Apr 21, 2009
    #5
  9. Crunchy Cat

    Crunchy Cat F-in' *meow* baby!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Then he would definitely dig hiking.
     
    Crunchy Cat, Apr 21, 2009
    #6
  10. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    whats intellectual in hiking? :bugeye: Unless he had a mini book to define the trees and plants he is passing while hiking, yes I can see it as intellectual, otherwise its just a good pass of time.
     
    draqon, Apr 21, 2009
    #7
  11. cosmictraveler

    cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    cosmictraveler, Apr 21, 2009
    #8
  12. Fraggle Rocker

    Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    There are more creative things you can do with your computer that are still fun. There's lots of software for writing and playing music. And for the visual arts as well.
    Are you sure that what you need is something else to do while sitting down? I know these other guys have given you some flippant answers, but to be serious, it really is important to balance your life and do some things that use your physical body occasionally, not just your brain and hands. Many kids of your generation are in terrible shape physically because they don't get enough exercise. Unused physical energy feeds back negatively and makes you feel depressed.
    Obviously the internet is a fantastic place for learning things, so you should be able to increase your knowledge of those subjects.

    I don't know what level of physics you're at, but my freshman physics class at Caltech was entirely mathematics: force and acceleration, moment of inertia, that sort of thing. Even the theory of relativity, which we got in our second year, is pure abstraction. You can learn a lot about physics from the internet.

    Same for electronics. My first year of that class was also almost all mathematics; they were really reluctant to hand soldering irons to a bunch of sassy Caltech sophomores. You can learn more about that on the web too, and there's plenty of software you can use to design circuits in the abstract before you actually try to build them.

    You won't need any help finding these websites; I'm sure you know how to use Google and you probably have a better search engine than that if you're a computer geek.
    Millions of people long for the talent and discipline to write a novel or to play an instrument. Have you thought of that?

    How about a foreign language? You're still (barely) at the age where it will be really easy, and you're growing up into an era in which Americans will no longer be able to expect everyone else in the world to learn English. In any case, being bilingual vastly expands your intelligence because most of your thoughts are formed in words and having two ways of expressing them gives you two different ways of thinking.
    I get the impression you don't believe any of the adults in your life can help. Is that true? You should at least try a little harder before you give up on them. None of your teachers care? Your parents are useless? There aren't any clubs you can join where the advisors will mentor you?

    My parents spent my entire childhood grooming me for Caltech and I wasn't allowed to do anything that wasn't a preparation for that goal. Talk about regrets! The grass really is greener on the other side.

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    Please follow through with that thought, but to be fair I have to advise you that your ability to learn will not attenuate as you grow older. I couldn't comprehend history until I was in my 30s, politics in my 40s and philosophy in my 50s.
    You seem to be of two minds about your desk. On the one hand you want to escape from it, on the other you're looking for something fantastic you can do with your computer. What you want to escape from is a world with no challenges, not your physical surroundings.

    By all means follow your instincts and look for resources for physics, electronics, etc. You can probably do that on the internet but finding an intelligent, sympathetic adult will be even better.

    But you should branch out and try something different. Music, art, writing. Scientists and engineers do all of those things for recreation and some of them are quite good at it.
    I'm the Linguistics Moderator and I assure you that your spelling is just about perfect and your writing skill is very good. That's why I suggest that you try serious writing. (Not necessarily serious subjects, humorous stories are always good.) Most Americans can't put a coherent sentence together.

    Do you have a dog? He can help you find a little peace and he probably has a higher opinion of you than most of the grownups in your life. He thinks you can do anything you set your mind on, and he's probably right. Every kid should have a dog and I think it's criminal that so many parents don't provide them.

    Whatever you do, stick around here and keep in touch. Some of these members are wise guys but most of us care and will try to help.
     
    Fraggle Rocker, Apr 21, 2009
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  13. takandjive

    takandjive Killer Queen Registered Senior Member

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    Fraggle, that was really nice.

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    You know, he might try volunteer work, too. I don't know how old you are, Dig, but since you're obviously a very smart and probably a pretty nice kid, maybe you could look into tutoring younger kids or volunteering at a youth center.

    I also loved geology in my teens.

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    takandjive, Apr 21, 2009
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  14. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    ...
     
    draqon, Apr 21, 2009
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  15. original

    original sine Registered Senior Member

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    I can only offer a few suggestions that won't seem redundant after the good advice you've already read. If you are interested in photography or just exploring the outdoors, try hiking, biking, or kayaking in some large parks nearby. Volunteering is a great choice as well, and to be honest, it helps to have that kind of community involvement on a resume or college application. Learning a different language is a great endeavor. Or maybe you would just like to change your hobby from playing video games to creating video games?

    For an amateur game designer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Maker
    Free lessons on programming and web design languages: http://www.w3schools.com/
     
    original, Apr 21, 2009
    #12
  16. Absane

    Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    I do a lot of thinking while I hike. In addition, I listen to university lectures on my MP3 player while I hike.
     
    Absane, Apr 21, 2009
    #13
  17. spidergoat

    spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    spidergoat, Apr 21, 2009
    #14
  18. Crunchy Cat

    Crunchy Cat F-in' *meow* baby!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Maybe you should try hiking too.
     
    Crunchy Cat, Apr 21, 2009
    #15
  19. Xylene

    Xylene Valued Senior Member

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    Digmaster, if by any chance you're interested in the deep history of the Human race, I can suggest that you look up the Genographic Project on line. Essentially what they're trying to do with this work is sort out how the various ethnic groups of the world are related to each other. There is a Wikipedia article on the project which gives you the current state of play. It's quite fascinating--there are currently 85 chapters of information about various lines of descent from mitochondrial Eve, and another section that deals with the Y-chromosome descent lines from the original male Adam.
     
    Xylene, Apr 21, 2009
    #16
  20. Digmaster

    Digmaster Registered Member

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    Wow, I'm speechless. I was expecting several people to tell me to go away. Instead I found a lot of good suggestions. Thank you.

    Now to answer everyone.
    draqon: That's a really good idea. $80 is a bit steep for me, however I ahve several hundred saved away in case a part of my computer fails, but this clearly trumps this. I will look into this.

    Crunchy Cat: One more merit badge until I'm an Eagle scout. One problem with hiking is I have asthma that's triggered by dust. Thus hiking usually turns out very bad for me, sadly. I enjoy it, but it's kinda hard on me.

    draqon (about girl friends): I'm a fairly quiet and shy person. I only have several friends, all of which I'm very close to, to say the truth.

    draqon (On Hiking): I think when I walk. When I go and walk tot he store I think about so much. Sadly my handwriting is horrible I don't feel like lugging a laptop around with me, so I can't record any of it.

    cosmictraveler: Online colleges...Never thought about that. I've signed up with colleges next summer to learn about several subjects (Mostly engineering). Now to do that now would be fun.

    Fraggle Rocker: Where do I start?
    Well, firstly I do use my computer for lots of things. I'm known as the go to person in my grade for video editing. I do it when I'm bored at times. I also believe I'm fairly good at 3D modeling.
    That would explain quite a bit. I rarely exercise, excluding my biking, which I do daily. I love biking.
    I know a bit of physics here and there. Everyone in robotics were at Physics AP, and they took time out to teach me a bit. I don't know everything, but I know a bit.

    Someone has posted links to college courses online. However, I need to hunt down some of those websites and programs you mentioned. Also, I still use google. I've yet to find something that beats it.
    I play the Trumpet, French horn, and I used to play the piano.

    I'm taking french next year. Possibly not the best choice, but my school doesn't offer German, which I wish to learn.
    I live in a community full of people from the military. Most of the adults here are more concerned with guns and working out then with theories or robots. I know brain surgeons and similar people, but they work long hours so I never have a chance to talk with them. There is a teacher I've grown close to, our very lovable physics teacher, and mentor of our robotcs team. I just don't really know how I can initiate conversation to him. I try at times, but after a while I don't know where to go. Or I force myself out in the fear that he might see me as That Stupid Kid. Most of the clubs at my school are artsy. That's how my school rolls. Robotics is the only club at our school that caters to intellectual people. There's the Academic League, but I find that's more about memorization then knowing how everything works. My parents are just as clueless as I am. They want me to find something to do, but they can't find anything.
    Oh good. I've heard that in your childhood your brain learns faster then any other time. Glad to hear there's still stuff out there that I need to be older to comprehend.
    As the trombonist next to me in a syphany I'm in said "You're scared of failing. Just go out and do it. If you fail, who cares. But if you get it right everything will applaud." Sadly I've yet to take his advice. I find that'll I'll stop myself from saying things, doing things, exc, all because I don't want to have others think badly of me if things don't turn out well, if I mess up. I can't shake this.

    On the subject of art. I want to be able to do something artsy for forever. Draw. Sculpt. Paint. Something. However, I've always failed in my attempts, so I stopped.
    Thanks for you comment about my writing. I type up some stories sometimes when I'm bored and no one's around. I usually don't show people. When I do they ask for more. I never show them more. Might as well leave them with a good taste in their mouth.

    I do have a dog. It's a little energetic dog that attacks my cat. My poor cat. I don't think I've bonded with it very well.

    Thanks for telling me to hang around. I wanted to do that long ago, but I had this constant fear that I'd mess up somewhere and you guys would think of me as just another stupid kid who's way over his head, thinking he knows everything about everything when in fact he knows nothing. This forum has been in my bookmarks bar this entire time, but I never clicked it. Thanks for saying I'm welcome. I need that.

    takandjive: I should volunteer. I've been wanting to for the longest time, but I could never bring myself to ask around.
    original: I try to create video games. That's why I love games like Fallout 3, with its easy to use "geck" (Used for adding new content into the game), I've created whole new worlds. I end up spending more time making parts of the game then playing it.

    spidergoat: That looks amazing. I'll need to look into that. Seems like fun.

    Xylene: As amazing as that is, it doesn't really look like a think I'd be interested in. Sorry

    Thanks for all your input. Today is my 16th birthday, and this is honestly the best gift I got today. Thank you so much.
     
    Digmaster, Apr 22, 2009
    #17
  21. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    chess club
     
    draqon, Apr 22, 2009
    #18
  22. draqon

    draqon Banned Banned

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    Digmaster I am serious about girlfriends...you need one, every guy needs one. Do not put it off until college, start working on it now. Talk to girls, ask them out. Dont be like me, who avoided all contact with women in my high school.
     
    draqon, Apr 22, 2009
    #19
  23. river-wind

    river-wind Valued Senior Member

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    I support this idea, as well as learning programming. I tended towards building computer games when I was in HS - it's technical, creative, and gets some artistic energy out as well!

    I support this idea; sorry to here about your asthma; perhaps during the wetter spring months when dust is less of an issue you can go? congrats on the impending Eagle award!!! Make sure you tell your car insurance company - many give discounts to Eagle Scouts.

    As for girlfriends: Even if you don't want to spend the time now, follow draqon's advice - start asking. It's like being a writer, you have to get used to getting rejection letters; the sooner you start, the quicker you'll end up a published author.

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    Lastly, check out the following fro free lectures from Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Duke, MIT, etc,etc...:
    http://www.apple.com/education/guidedtours/itunesu.html

    and also here:
    http://academicearth.org/
     
    river-wind, Apr 24, 2009
    #20
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