Well, its that start of a new academic year.  Anybody want to share horror stories or unexpected pleasantness about the first week or so?  

I had a student come by my office yesterday.  Not someone I know particularly well. He and I got to talking about his research experience at a large private institution this summer.  He said he really had a good time, learned a lot (not just science, but what big time research is too, and politics, etc).  Anyway, he also said that he really appreciated the breadth of research and course experience he had here at HMC, as it really prepared him to approach his science.  Many of the grad students said that they wished they had a broader education or research experience, as they are very limited in their approach to new problems. 

I related this story in my class this morning as a way to "justify" or "explain" why it was that they had to take courses they weren't necessarialy interested in, because you never know what you are going to need to know in the future, and the broader your base, the better you will be.  I think they bought my argument.  The nodding heads outnumbered the shaking ones anyway.

Adam