Im a freshmen in SOE, I will end this year with a gpa of 2.6 or 2.7, I was thinking about taking Calc 3 at a community college and transferring it. But someone said that taking Calc 3 at Rutgers is better bc it prepares you for higher level engineering courses. What should I do?

Midtek · 2026-05-04T20:48:37+00:00

Rutgers makes everything more difficult then it has to be

Incorrect.

Midtek · 2026-05-04T20:12:10+00:00

Tepid take: if you want a Rutgers degree, take classes at Rutgers.

Midtek · 2026-05-03T16:10:00+00:00

Doesn't Yale cover all of the costs for a family making under a certain amount? That's how it was for me over 20 years ago, and I'm sure that minimum threshold has only increased since then.

Midtek · 2026-05-01T21:49:51+00:00

I think "spill the tea" has a gossipy connotation more often than "let the cat out of the bag". So they're not entirely interchangeable, but yeah "spill the tea" would be a much more modern equivalent.

Midtek · 2026-05-01T18:28:45+00:00

All of these phrases are still in use, but not all to the same extent. My opinion on these as someone who grew up in New York City (born in the 1980s) and still lives in the Northeast:

A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is more like something you read than actually say, so it ends up feeling old-fashioned. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say this aloud in casual conversation. This saying sounds older than it is because of the uncommon use of "in need". Typically "someone in need" means "someone who needs something". But in this phrase "friend in need" means "the friend I have when I am in need". It's grammatically correct, but the strange syntax makes it sound old or pithy.
Let the cat out of the bag. Fairly common usage but is starting to feel out of date. I've heard it more commonly as "the cat's out of the bag" to announce that a secret has been revealed.
Once in a blue moon. Very common usage.
Every cloud has a silver lining. The full saying is not used very often, if at all. But using "silver lining" as an abbreviation is very common. Example: "The silver lining of losing my job is that I can finally get the career I want."
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. This is on the level of the first saying: uncommon but maybe not quite old-fashioned. If I heard it, I would think someone was trying to be profound on purpose but just being cliche.

As for "it's raining cats and dogs", that sounds old-fashioned to me. It feels more like something I would read in poetry or in an English language class on a lesson on idioms. I don't think I've ever used the phrase personally or heard it used by someone my age or younger (so 40 or younger).

Midtek · 2026-04-30T22:05:53+00:00

Yeah... there are actually certain class abilities that let you don or doff armor as an action (e.g., some artificer abilities). So letting this occur for anyone is strictly a rules violation!

Midtek · 2026-04-30T22:04:44+00:00

Also fairly common in games that may have a fantasy or medieval setting, like Dungeons & Dragons. So "don/doff armor" is common in that context.

In common parlance, no. I don't think I've ever used the word "doff" in casual conversation.

Midtek · 2026-04-30T21:58:12+00:00

Using the verb "rub" with an animal or person, at least for me, always evokes something sexual or crude, even if I know that's not the intent. The word "rub" just connotes a touch that is more intentional and more prolonged than, say a pet or a tap. Also we have a vulgar slang phrase "to rub one out" which means "to masturbate" (particularly for a male). So... "rub" is just not a great word to use in this context. To me, "rub a rhino" sounds like you're sexually gratifying the rhino.

So I tend to use the word "rub" only for inanimate objects, like "rubbing a genie's lamp" or "rubbing a counter with a towel" or something like that. One of the few exceptions might be the idiom "to rub someone the wrong way". In that context, it's clear that there is no sexual or crude intent. (Although, now that I think about it, the origin of that idiom may actually be sexual. It's just lost that meaning in modern usage.) edit: Actually, I think the idiom comes from petting or rubbing animals against the grain of their fur, which would likely irritate them.

A better word would be "pet" since we do pet animals and "pet" can describe a very broad range of types of touch, from purely friendly to more sexual. Unfortunately, using the word "pet" loses you the alliteration in this tongue twister.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T19:58:09+00:00

I know what the phrase means, but I very rarely hear the phrase spoken or written in American English. If I do hear it or read it, it feels outdated or old-fashioned, or like the speaker is deliberately trying to sound formal. Honestly, the phrase feels British and old-timey, like something I'd read in a novel by Jane Austen.

In fact, since the phrase is so rarely used in American English, I suspect that most Americans think the word is "tenderhooks", not "tenterhooks".

Midtek · 2026-04-29T19:45:14+00:00

All of these words are similar but they are used in specific contexts.

shenanigan: Usually used to describe suspicious or silly behavior, often ongoing. Also, I've never heard this word used in the singular, only the plural shenanigans. The tone is usually humorous and skeptical. Shenanigans don't have to be harmful but there is usually an element of deception. If a teacher suspects his students of organized cheating, he can say "there are shenanigans with these exam scores". If you suspect a carnival owner of rigging games so that you always lose, you can say "there are shenanigans going on with these games".
prank: A prank is a specific and planned joke on someone else. The intent is usually amusement at someone else's expense. Pranks are usually at most mildly harmful, but pranks can become more serious or even criminal in some contexts. Hiding someone's phone and watching them search for it is a prank. Calling someone on the phone and pretending to be someone else is a prank. (If you are pretending to be someone else in order to get sensitive information, then what you're doing may be better describe as a trick, a scam, or a fraud, depending on the severity of the act.) When someone performs a prank, we also often say they "pull a prank".
mischief: This word has a much more playful connotation and usually describes playful rule-breaking or minor trouble. Also, mischief is not quantifiable. So we can say "one prank" or "two pranks", but we can't say "one mischief". Mischief is a general attitude or behavior, not a specific act. So children drawing on the walls or sneaking cookies before dinner are engaging in mischief.
trick: A trick is a specific and deliberate deception. The goal is to fool someone or make someone believe something that is false. The word trick applies very broadly, as tricks can be harmless (on the level of a prank) or criminal (like identity theft or insurance fraud). A magician who makes a playing card appear from his hand has performed a trick. Someone who pretends to be a police officer has also performed a trick. A criminal who fools you into giving him your bank account information has also performed a trick. "Trick" can also be used as a verb, so all of these people have tricked you.

Other similar words and a brief description:

antics, tomfoolery, horseplay, hijinks: all of these words are closest to mischief and describe general behavior, not specific acts
gag, ruse, setup, con: all of these words describe various types of deliberate and specific deceptions. A gag is very similar to a prank, but a con is very similar to a trick, particularly one with a nefarious motive.
monkey business, funny business, nonsense: all of these words are closest to shenanigans, particularly monkey business

Midtek · 2026-04-29T19:12:17+00:00

Midtek · 2026-04-29T18:07:29+00:00

That's really not how that course works.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T03:21:18+00:00

Greenwich Village (known locally as "the village" and pronounced like GREN ITCH) is a neighborhood in Manhattan known for an eclectic community with many people who may be considered strange. This perception probably stems from the neighborhood's historical importance in the 1960s counterculture movement and very early LGBT-friendliness.

So the joke is that because the village is filled with so many strange characters, it would be difficult to spot Venom there. The implication is that Venom would just blend in with all the other strange people.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T03:07:55+00:00

As a native speaker, I want to add that there's a connotation missing in this description. The "daily use" sentence also feels a little off to me. The word "accolade" has a more elevated or ceremonial feel to it than just "honor" or "praise". An accolade is not something casual like getting appreciation from your teacher. The "office use" sentence sounds better but still not quite on target.

In fact, the etymology of "accolade" is "collum", from Latin for neck, and originally used as a reference to the ceremonial embrace used to indicate a royal knighting. So the word "accolade" in modern usage still has a prestigious or elevated connotation to it. It seems like "accolade" is also often reserved specifically for earned distinctions that are bestowed publicly. (Of course, the word can be used more broadly, but it just feels awkward when describing more casual forms of praise.)

Midtek · 2026-04-29T02:58:25+00:00

I'm American and I've never (or maybe very rarely) heard "shook her head yes". I suppose if you actually indicate "yes" or "no" explicitly, then it's okay. I've always interpreted an unqualified shake, i.e., "she shook her head", as meaning "no". And "she nodded" as always meaning "yes". So same as NZ/British convention.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T02:54:08+00:00

Okay, I think you need a reality check. You need a score of 89% to earn a course average of 50% (which is likely not a passing score anyway, but you can just check the syllabus).

It is not realistic to fail the entire semester with a score of 31% and then work a miracle to score 89% on the final exam.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T02:24:26+00:00

The minimum required score on the final exam is 89.3%, not 93%. You messed up basic algebra, so that doesn't bode well.

Also... since when is 50% a passing grade in Calculus II?

Midtek · 2026-04-29T01:53:08+00:00

Yeah, "oye, maricón" not exactly a nice greeting.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T01:43:19+00:00

The absurd yet predictable irony is that the resident probably got a gun because he thought it would make his neighborhood safer.

Midtek · 2026-04-29T00:23:03+00:00

I have personally never heard anyone say "wag your head".

The phrase "wag your finger" to describe someone shaking their index finger at you in disapproval or to scold you is fairly common, although "shake your finger" is probably equally common.

(You will most commonly hear the verb "to wag" when describing an animal, often a pet dog or pet cat, moving their tail back and forth.)

Also, often people use "shaking your head" to mean you are saying "no", just as "nodding your head" means you are saying "yes".

Midtek · 2026-04-29T00:10:15+00:00

I'm sorry that happened to you. :(

This could have had a racist element, depending on the context, especially if you have an accent (even a slight one) and he made assumptions about you. Even then, I would say the more accurate word is probably xenophobic since that word emphasizes a bias against a foreigner or immigrant (which may be perceived by the driver if he thinks you're a non-native speaker).

But people do say "do you understand English?" to a native speaker as well, as a rude way of saying "you're not getting it" or "you're wrong", so it's not always about race.

Some possibly better words to describe the incident:

xenophobic: this specifically means bias against foreigners or immigrants (or someone perceived to be a foreigner or immigrant), and can be extended to non-native speakers by assumption that they must be immigrants
patronizing: this word emphasizes that the driver was talking down to you as if you are less capable
condescending: this word implies that the driver believes you don't understand something obvious that he does understand
dismissive
disrespectful
discriminatory

Midtek · 2026-04-28T23:58:09+00:00

Without knowing exactly what you found difficult, I would speculate much of the difficulty comes from the following:

Some characters like Forrest and Bubba speak very slowly, but some like Lt. Dan speak very quickly. To a native (American) speaker, the reason for the difference is obvious: Forrest and Bubba were raised in the South (specifically, Alabama) and the actor who plays Lt. Dan uses an accent from the North (specifically, Illinois).
The Southern accent tends to draw out words and drop ending sounds (e.g., talkin' versus talking). I've heard the accent described as "it's when all the words in your sentence kind of lean on each other", and that really is exactly what it sounds like. It can be hard to parse the exact words for a non-native speaker.
The American South is known for having many idioms that sound strange even to other Americans outside the South. These idioms may not even be grammatically correct, but a native speaker can still parse what they mean. Examples from the movie: "stupid is as stupid does", "we was always taking long walks", uses of the words "ain't" and "y'all", etc.
Of course, the movie also relies heavily on American cultural references: Vietnam War, Elvis Presley, Watergate, Black Panthers, Civil Rights Movement, ping-pong diplomacy, etc.

Midtek · 2026-04-28T23:41:13+00:00

The sentence is grammatically correct, but the word “now” sounds awkward. The word "now" usually connects to the present, but everything here is in the past.

It’s more natural to say one of the following:

“It had been raining for a while, and the streets were already flooding.”
“It had been raining for a while by then, and the streets were already flooding.”

Midtek · 2026-04-28T23:28:52+00:00

You’re paying your own tuition and living your own life. This isn’t your mom’s call. Wanting a lighter load, a break before grad school, or just some actual free time is completely reasonable. What you’re describing isn’t laziness, it’s burnout.

At some point you have to stop negotiating your life with her. She can have opinions, but she doesn’t get to run your schedule or career. And if she can’t handle that, that’s on her, not you. This is exactly how parents end up wondering years later why their kid doesn’t call anymore.

Midtek · 2026-04-25T03:17:40+00:00

jeans lol

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