MIS(judged)

Today's blog post is being brought to you by our lovely sponser Dunkin Doughnuts from our MIS204 studio located in IST103.

Having a 9am class at the end of a week consisting of 10:00 alarms and 1 a.m. bedtimes isn't the most pleasant idea, especially when you're wishing for a delay and the streets are still covered in snow but shockingly, well, it's not so bad.

Of all the classes scrambled onto my schedule at the last minute, this is the one I was dreading the most. Management Information Systems. All I knew was computers were involved and the book was going to cost me almost $200. Great.

I misjudged the class - I couldn't have been more wrong about the class, the book, or the subject matter. Each class, we start off with MIS in the News. It seems corny but so far its involved the New York Times, TED talks, Wikipedia and the ever growing power of the US Armed Forces. If that isn't a clear enough explination, let me make it simpler - it's interesting. While 53% of us (American's, that is) use Wikipedia, I know that I've never stopped to think about how it started, how it works or even why someone would begin such a site, anyway. Founder Jimmy Wales actually did a TED talk about his ever growing website and his dream of world knowledge given to all. Interested? After all, I'm sure you've used wikipedia wether it was for a project (only to have your teacher say its not a legitimate research source) or to find out how your favorite band got started.

But my favorite part of class isn't the TEDtalks, the easy Excel labs or that it gives me some computer time to work on THON, clearing emails or my blog - Professor Warner is the most genuinely interested professor I've ever had the joy of taking a class with, even if he picks on me for examples. We spent our first class getting to know each other (and the fact that 90% of my classmates dream of working for a professional sports team) and talking about how this class information will be obsolete by next fall. Today, we spent the 10 minutes before class talking about my camera and how he just got his daughter her first. Like I said - he's genuinely interested, not in grades, ANGEL assignments but his students. And the best part?
As a thank you for making it to class on a snowy-delay-less day, Professor Warner brought three boxes of freshly made doughnuts. Even ones with chocolate and sprinkles - my favorite, if I could eat doughnuts that is.


"We can't eat these in the lab though - I'd be in big trouble."

It doesn't hurt that I share a computer desk with my favorite friend and we spend half the class whispering about the latest THON drama, our boyfriends or how great our teacher is. Then spend our break scarfing down breakfast, buying sodas from the book store (which now sells food, medicine and snacks - really, check it out!) and taking pictures of the delicious doughnuts. After all, Hana loves doughnuts. Right, Hana? Just not ones with chocolate or sprinkles.. (Maybe she's not my favorite friend afterall.. just kidding).

"HANA, what is that on top of your doughnut?! It looks like oatmeal!"

But for now, its back to Annuity Scenarios, Microsoft Excel and the importance of parentheses.