I’m so glad I’m not in school anymore.

My life is about ten times less stressful because I no longer have to take exams and answer pop questions during class.

My least favorite classes were those that involved math.  Even if they allowed you to use your calculator, I still stunk it up.  There’s something about math that doesn’t click with me once we get past 2+2 = 6.  Wait, what?

What’s even worse than not knowing what to do with a math problem is not having the right tools to do what’s right with a math problem.  I’m reminded of my Senior year in college.  I had arrived for my final exam in my “quantitative methods for research” class (the name alone makes you want to run and hide).  The instructor told us to take out our calculators and put everything away.  And after about 30 seconds of shuffling through my backpack I realized that I had left my calculator at home, on my desk, where I had been studying for the last 8 hours.

Studying for nothing.

Luckily, someone else had forgotten their calculator too and spoke up, asking if we could use our phones.  And MUCH to my surprise, our gracious professor did let us use our phones.

I had my handy iPhone, which to the best of my knowledge didn’t have a scientific calculator option, but I was thankful for something, rather than nothing.  A lot of the problems required you to do scientific calculations, but I did the best I could.  I worked my way through the exam.  It was SO frustrating.

Finally, with 5 minutes left to finish the exam, I shifted my weight in my seat, which in turn shifted my phone to the side, which in turn caused the screen to rotate and the basic calculator turned into a stinkin’ SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR.  I could NOT believe it.

My heart started to pound so hard.

Partly because I was mad at myself and partly because I knew I had 5 minutes to try to check 25 problems with the scientific method.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

By Joy Published: December 5, 2012

• Yield: 10
• Cook: 9 mins

Adapted from 'Apple a Day'

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar and white sugar until fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract.
3. In small bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips and place tablespoon dollops onto a greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 9 minutes.

I think I was able to check three problems until I had to go up and hand my exam to the professor, who I had gotten to know pretty well over the years as I’d had taken classes with him before.  When I handed the exam to him, he must have notice my sweat drenched hairline as he asked me “Are you doing okay?”.  ….Ugh.

No, Sir.  You have no idea.  I should have just majored in Home Economics.

I then proceeded to go home and bake about 3 dozen cookies out of frustration.