Recently, I’ve been putting off German studies due to other matters.
Don’t give up on learning German!
I’ll add a checklist section at the beginning of my notes to track my current progress.
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Did you attend classes when?
Grading changed to the current system in 2024, with internal scores counted as the highest grade.
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I’ve been thinking about whether to retake the course. The reality is more challenging than I expected—is it worth it? My grades this semester are higher than last semester, but my rank has dropped, indicating that most students performed exceptionally well this year.
Retaking the course will require significant time investment. While reviewing the material again will likely make it easier, I’ll still need to spend considerable effort re-studying everything for the final exam.
Additionally, the outcome may not meet my expectations. On one hand, retaking at my university follows a pass/fail system, so I can’t guarantee the score will be higher than before. This requires confidence in my ability—if I truly believe I performed poorly last time, I’m certain I can do better this time. On the other hand, retaking involves lottery-style course selection, where I’m unlikely to secure the most generous grading professors. Different instructors have vastly different scoring tendencies, and if I get a new one, it’s basically gambling.
On another note, retaking demands a huge time and mental effort investment. If the score improvement is only a few points, it may not be worth it.
Thus, I’ve attempted to quantify a cost-benefit ratio index, defined as:
\text{Cost-Benefit Ratio Index} = \text{Credit Hours} \times (0.5 \times \text{Expected Max Score} + 0.5 \times \text{Expected Min Score} - \text{Actual Score})
Here, Expected Max Score is estimated based on my historical performance (e.g., assuming I can maximize assignment scores and score ~90 on the final exam under ideal conditions), while Expected Min Score is based on a worst-case scenario based on my self-assessment.
The Cost-Benefit Ratio Index is used to evaluate the value of retaking the course. Its practical meaning is that Cost-Benefit Ratio Index / Total Credit Hours equals the change in my Grade Point Average (GPA) before and after retaking.
My criteria for the cost-benefit ratio are as follows:
- Below 10: No value at all—retaking this course is a complete waste of time.
- 10–30: No value—retaking isn’t worth it.
- 30–40: Worth considering—if I have time this semester, I should retake it.
- Above 40: Highly recommended—retaking is strongly advised.
I actually built an Excel spreadsheet and calculated the following conclusion
Only one course is worth retaking based on my analysis. For the rest, I should focus on excelling in my new courses instead of wasting time on courses with no value.
I also hope to reduce my fixation on courses or tasks that offer little to no value.
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Today, I tried using the TV at home as an extended monitor for my computer.
At first, I thought I could simply unplug the HDMI cable that originally connected the TV to the set-top box and instead connect it to my computer, using the computer as the signal source. However, it didn’t work: the computer now detects a second screen, but the TV still displays “No Signal”.
I’m not sure what’s going wrong. What’s the difference between a TV and a regular monitor?
This issue alone is enough to put off the idea of setting up a NAS at home for movie watching—another complicated topic.
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I’ve done it before, so it should work. Can you switch the TV’s input source?
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Shouldn’t be an issue by logic—is it that your TV has multiple HDMI ports but you’re not selecting the one connected to the computer? Try using the remote to switch inputs.
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If it weren’t for barely missing the guānbǎo (保研) cutoff, I wouldn’t have bothered—just keep moving forward and focus on the next semester/year. 
(I thought retaking courses would be like senior year/retaking high school, wasting time without learning anything new.)
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Fail to retake is better than failing at Jiao Tong
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Yes. During the setup phase, my TV only had signal source options: 1, Analog TV; 2, Video 1; 3, Video 2; 4, PC; 5, HDMI; 6, Component. I selected HDMI.
In fact, I tried all options, but none worked—all showed “No Signal.”
Adjusting with the remote only affects the set-top box, but I’ve already unplugged the HDMI cable from it—so it had no effect. I suspect that perhaps I need to leave the set-top box connected while adding an extra HDMI cable (I have some in my dorm room, but none at home). Next time I go back to the dorm, I’ll bring one home to test my guess. Though I don’t think this aligns with my understanding of how monitors work.
That’s correct.
I just think that Jiaotong University has this culture, and I have the time, even if it’s meaningless. Currently, my ranking suggests I can qualify for the scholarship track, but I’m also considering pushing for a higher rank to meet my personal ambition for a higher achievement.
Mainly because this semester, I was
…which is motivating. I think it’s better to try new things when I have the time.
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Does the remote control for the set-top box not work for the TV? Shouldn’t the TV have physical buttons as well?
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Previous settings, such as source selection, were adjusted by physically pressing the buttons.
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Today was my first time taking a guzheng (古筝) lesson, and I realized my hands are quite stiff. It’s true that some things are indeed easier to learn when you start young.
But it’s never too late to begin now. I’ll use this break to focus on foundational finger techniques before attempting my first piece—though I’m not sure if I can stick with it. I hope my teacher will keep encouraging me to complete my assignments.
Currently, my cooking skills feel stuck in a plateau. Either the recipes are too complex—I don’t feel like making them, and even if I do, I struggle to extract key points from the many steps to form my own understanding (I think the core issue is that I can’t determine which steps are essential and which are optional)—or they’re too simple, leaving me with no sense of accomplishment. I lack inspiration and the courage to experiment. Yesterday, I made a ji gong weng (chicken soup), and even my dad didn’t want to eat it—it was a major blow.
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Wow, you can actually cook! That’s impressive!
Have you ever thought about trying something new? I’ve got plenty of German recipes here—maybe I could translate a few for you to try?
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Looking forward to it! (Though I can’t cook )
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