TL;DR class descriptions/info to help underclassmen know about classes thru personal experiences. Add to it with extra info or questions!
To all the incoming freshmen or other underclassmen - you’ll prolly hear it a lot, but the time really does go by so fast. Enjoy it, soak it in, and step out of your comfort zone. Someone posted their classes thru Purdue to let other students know how those classes were (in case it was a niche/high-level class or it wasn’t on RateMyProfessor). That was pretty helpful to me so Imma do it too. I’ll let u kno how the courses went and what I can remember. I’m graduating from the College of Ag with a B.S. in Animal Sciences with a concentration in Biosciences and minors in Biotechnology and Real Estate. I came into Purdue with AP and Dual Credits, so some things I didn’t take. Anyway, here are the classes I took.
Anyone who’s taken any of these, please add on/say smth else if it has changed! Underclassmen, feel free to ask about them!
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FRESHMAN YEAR
AGR 101: Intro to Ag & Purdue (Multiple lecturers)
This course was THE intro course to Purdue and Ag (duh). It was a 1/2 semester course so I was done with it by week 8 and there was only a quiz. We were told the purpose of Purdue being land-grant and were just intro’d to the different parts/departments of the college of Ag + different success tips. This was also the class where u begin (already) thinking about your 4-year plan and create a LinkedIn. Easy A, just show up and learn about the college of Ag
AGR 114: Intro to ANSC Programs (Ashley York)
Also a 1/2 semester course that was done by Oct. This class just went into depth on what to expect as a student in the department. You may start work on a resumé, continue with planning or LinkedIn. Again, easy A, just show up. Also, Ashley was a saint helping me each year to make sure I was on track, even tho she wasn’t my advisor.
ANSC 102: Intro to Animal Ag (Elizabeth Karcher)
This class was the first “real” class of college. It was just an intro to different domestic species and the operations tht are part of animal ag. I think there was also a lab with the class where u were introduced to animals. Dr. Karcher also was a pretty good professor. Just pay attention - it’s sort of memorization for random facts about animals/common sense depending on what u took in high school/home life in a rural area. Should be easy A.
CHM 115: Gen Chem (Multiple lecturers)
Was never a fan of chemistry, so this class I went into with dread. I didn’t want to take AP Chem, and just dealt with it in college. Honestly, if u took honors/were a good student in hs chemistry, there should be no problem - was basically just like a high school class. There was a lab that went with this course, but because of COVID, I just had an online worksheet to do every week for pre-, in-, and post-lab so I can’t speak on it. If u aren’t inclined to chem, it might take a bit of extra studying, but I was never worried.
PHIL 110: Intro to Philosophy (Taylor Davis)
To be fair, I never exactly wanted to take this exact class. I came from a small town in the Midwest, so I wanted to be sure I wasn’t dumb or anything to the people, cultures, etc. around me. Told my advisor I wanted to take a class to give me more of a “world” perspective, so she suggested the class. It honestly was not bad at all. The professor knew what he was talking abt and very accepting of questions. We learned how to tear down an argument and build it up in several ways and talked about cool things like if we have free will, does God exist, etc. The only assignments that counted for the sem were a midterm and 2 papers - 1 small and 1 large philosophical essay over any topic from the class. Definitely changed my outlook, would recommend taking it. The first part of class was harder - making sure u understand why/how an argument does or doesn’t work - but the rest was fun/easy as the topics were just presented and talked about.
AGEC 217: Economics (Larry Deboer)
I found Econ as a topic in and of itself to be quite boring. Supply and demand, money, etc. The class kind of turned out that way. Its presented as basically supply/demand and reasons for changes to the them were slowly added throughout the semester. We had several assignments, but they were nothing terrible. Gotta give props to the professor, tho. He knew the class wasn’t great but made it fun. Also, the class is flexible for schedules as in some situations it can count for credit in place of ECON251.
POL 223: Intro to Environmental Policy (Tara Grillos)
When I first started, I thought the route I wanted was ANSC with some focus in environmental issues. That’s why I took this class. I don’t understand the “intro” part, really. The whole class was presented as just case studies for things that have happened that impacted policies from the late 1800s/early 1900s until recently. Some of the info was cool. I don’t remember much for assignments, but there was a group project/paper where u had to decide on an environmental issue, state how u plan to fix it, on what level of government, etc. It wasn’t a crazy class to be in as a freshman, but it was not what I was expecting for a POL class.
ANSC 181: Orientation to ANSC (Elizabeth Byers)
Another 1/2 semester course. This class, as far as I can remember, was just for showing u the possibilities available to u in ANSC. This was specifically ANSC. It went over every concentration and what jobs/salaries there were. This was also a class where we were assigned to create our resumés (professionally) and start networking. Just as, if not easier than the other 1/2 semester classes so far.
ANSC 221: Principles of Animal Nutrition (Dale Forsyth)
Sorry but not sorry for anyone in ANSC. The class is boring, but Dr. Dale Forsyth is such a sweet old man. This class is the intro for nutrition in ANSC. U will learn the different required nutrients, food stuffs (supplements and stuff too) that have these nutrients, what happens when animals are given too little of these, and how to balance/create rations for animals (ruminant and non-ruminant). As long as u are okay/good with algebra, there shouldn’t be a problem. U just need to solve systems of equations in Excel to get the right weight of a food stuff. Homework was balancing rations. Exams looked at that + nutrients and their deficiencies. Dr. Forsyth also talks fast and doesn’t slow down because he has a lot to get thru. Come into the class knowing it prolly isn’t going to be very fun, but u need to know it. Try to find something interesting in the whole.
BIOL 111: Fundamentals of Bio II (Sean Humphrey)
Not sure how this class really is. I came into college loving biology and being (not to sound like an ass) great at it. To me, it was easy and relearning biology from high school for a bit. To others it may be a bit more difficult. There is just a lot of memorization. The professor was nice and answered my questions when I had them and explained in great detail if I was confused. I can’t remember any assignments I turned in, or anything about exams. Overall, I thought it was an easy class, but be the judge urself.
CHM 116: Gen Chem (Multiple lecturers)
Just a continuation of CHM 115. It picked up where it left off. Got a little harder, but it was nowhere as hard as TV or anything makes it. There are definitely topics that show up from hs again, but a lot is new. Wasn’t fun for this class switching lecturers every few weeks since they each had their own lecture style. Again, there was a lab section, but because of COVID, it was a worksheet. Not the worst class, but a meh class.
MA 16020: Applied Calc II (Alexandros Kafkas)
The first and only time I had to take math here. In hs I took MA 165 and thought it was a breeze (prolly bc it was hs). To anyone wondering, MA 165 SHOULD count in place of MA 16010 in college of ag. With that in mind, I went into the course knowing what Purdue math is known for, but still keepin an open mind with my abilities. I’m really proud of the grade I got, too. I think a lot of the course depends on the lecturer - mine was good at teaching us new concepts. Learn all you can about the lecturer beforehand, find out if they are good, and see it for yourself. We had quizzes in class every week (MWF) over the previous lecture and homework thru LON-CAPA that was usually due the day aftebefore (Tues, Thurs, Sun, I think). The quizzes and homework were good starting problems. The exams were tough and harder than quizzes/hw. If u’ve done well in math, but aren’t a prodigy or someone who can put in hrs of work, don’t expect to get likely higher than mid-70s on exams. It was common to get around a 50-60%. They do curve “if it’s necessary” but it is ALWAYS necessary.
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SOPHOMORE YEAR
AGR 201: Communicating Across Cultures (Pamala Morris)
To start…BOO. Was not a fan of this class. Felt like it was a money grab and busy work. It was required for some international understanding credits. The content wasnt interesting but for sure important. We were taught to basically be good ppl and about the different types of hardships that groups of ppl could go thru (ageism, sexism, racism, classism, etc.). We were required to buy the book, which was $50, but written by the prof and from what I assume was her website. I don’t recall ever using it unless it was necessary for an assignment. The class helps u relate and think critically, but is done in a piss-poor way. It could hv been the COVID aftermath where lecture was done virtually but we had a class later on with other students for a “lab”. Quizzes were easy, and overall easy, but so bad too.
SPAN 201: Spanish III (Nancy Reyes)
I know I’ve said this already abt other courses, but this still applies. This course was 100% a high school class. I did a placement test into this course (after 3 years in HS Spanish - Fr. to Jr. - with a 2 year gap of not learning) and got all credit for Spanish 1 and 2. Took it for international understanding credits. This course made sure u knew the basics again, spent a lot of time in past tense, then ended w maybe a month in subjective and future tense. There were a few speaking assignments and cultural readings/lectures. Was encouraged to speak Spanish for class, but the prof knew that couldn’t happen but still helped us all. Exams included MC, writing, and listening. Not sure if this is the same for other languages, but hopefully it is.
CHM 255 + 25501: Orgo + Lab (Elizabeth Parkinson)
Dreaded this class, but went in confidently. The class sucks, no other way abt it. It was a lot of memorization and practice. A lot of the “basic” stuff started sticking about halfway thru the semester. It doesn’t help that I stopped going to lecture about 3/4 thru the sem. It wasn’t as hard as expected, but it was still quite hard. The prof was amazing at making the content interesting. Labs were ran by GTAs. Depending on the section your GTA may not kno anything. The labs also did not go along with the lecture - they are 2 separate courses that can individually be passed or failed. Exams were as you would expect with the course - a few high spots among a crowd of C’s and D’s. The lab had multiple things due every week w the semester started. It was expected to do ur pre-lab at start of week, turn in ur in-lab immediately after finishing lab, then the previous week’s post-lab/final lab was due. The lab also holds the policy that if u don’t show up dressed right or sleep late, if you don’t show up within 10/15min of start that u can’t show up and will receive a 0 for the lab.
ANSC 230: Physiology of Domestic Animals (Rod Allrich)
This class taught me a lot. Each week was a different body system and learning info regarding animals individually. Things were taught in general as overarching concepts, but then things were applied as necessary for individual species of animals. Everything was brought up from the digestive system to the endocrine system. The class met 4 days a week and had a quiz once a week. There was no lab when I took the course. The specific professor I had was also interesting to say the least. Dr. Allrich is a funny, good man, but he does not use or create slides. Instead he uses his own website to post info (usually from Merck veterinary) abt whatever it is he wanted u to learn. In class he would just ramble on about what he thought was important. ANYTHING he said could be test material - no matter what (I was told by an upperclassman to remember that his favorite pie was sour cream and raisin pie bc it was a quiz question they had). Now, there is a lab that goes with the course. Also, if u hv Cabot the course material and class are much harder than with Rod. There are expectations, lectures, and more. Regardless of the professor, the information that was taught was useful, remembered, and interesting. In any class, Rod typically will have this structure but will grade easily. Quizzes will be to write statements of fact and exams won’t exist or will be take-home with only having 5 paragraphs to write using a word bank
ABE 226: Biotech Lab I (Kari Clase)
This was the first course I took for my minor in Biotechnology. I did not know what to expect going in as I didn’t grasp the scope of biotech. The course was ran well. The whole class is a wet lab where u are in the scientific process trying to find a new species of bacteriophage. U dig in dirt, do some pipetting, use beakers, make plates, isolate DNA, and send it off. Any research u do/finding a phage gets put into a national database for phage research. U do hv lab notebooks that get checked, but hv an outline to go off. There were several quizzes and deliverables that had us learn about phage more, or aseptic technique. It was a good class. U do have to buy a lab coat (which is kinda cool). Easy class that kickstarted my interest.
CHM 256 + 25601: Orgo II + Lab (David Thompson)
This class was disastrous. It was me, the content AND the professor as to why that was the case. This was just a continuation of course and lab. The new content was harder to wrap my head around, + I stopped going to the lectures about halfway thru the sem. To make matters worse, the class was early and the prof was speaking in mach turtle. I would listen to the lectures a day later so I could 2x speed thru them and the man was sounding like a normal person talked. This class was harder than the previous course. If u didn’t like CHM 255, sorry this is worse. The lab was just the same as the previous sem, but the GTAs changed. Again, labs didn’t go with the lecture and are 2 individual courses to be passed or failed separately. I passed but the class made me rethink my life once or twice and was potentially the worst class I ever took.
STAT 301: Elementary Stat Methods (Spencer Hamrick)
I did not enjoy this course a single bit - besides the professor. The course throws, what I felt like, was the entire concept, terms, rules, designs of statistics at u. It was a lot at once for me. I felt like there was a disconnect between what I was learning and in what ways it applied to me. It wasn’t too difficult, but the class was boring. There was also a lab section that was not great either. We were forced to use SRSS. There were homework assignments on a different software/website that equally were boring. The exams were harder than expected - there were some sections with questions with such small disparities that the answer came down to a difference of 1 word in a sentence. Overall, there’s a lot to learn and it’s all pretty basic to give a general understanding, but it was done poorly. If it was done better, it likely would have been an easy course. This course tho is also one of the worst classes I took.
AGRY 320: Genetics (Joseph Anderson)
There’s not much to say about this course. It was genetics. It felt like another continuation from the end of BIOL 111. It built a foundation for DNA, chromosomes, and went from there. There was a lot of higher thinking and content that was build upon thru the semester. It was a bit of memorization, but the content was fun. There were hotseat/iclicker questions for each lecture. Prof. Anderson was also really good at presenting the info.
AGRY 321: Genetics Lab (Aneesha Kulkarni)
This was the lab that went with AGRY 320. It was separate from the lecture. I do not believe it ever followed along with the lecture. The semester was spent with Arabidopsis. From the plant, we extracted DNA, did PCR, did mutant analysis, etc. The whole semester led up to a final lab report for what had been done that semester. There were also some small lab assignments that needed done. The class was also serious about attendance which could have made a major impact on grades. It is also typically ran by a GTA. It was fun and I enjoyed it. There was never really any work that needed to be done outside of class and at times it let out early.
ANSC 333: Physiology of Reproduction (Jonathan Pasternak)
This was a good class. The content focused on female anatomy/physiology first, then male anatomy/physiology, then on interactions and changes to the body through hormones and development. I found the class to be interesting as there is a lot more that goes into reproduction that u think. It’s a lot of cool info thrown out, but in a manageable way. Notes can go fast n there is a lot of terms and items to pay attention to. There was also a lab portion to this class. The lab went with what we learned in lectures. It was hands-on learning and doing things. It might sound gross but we had a lab where we took fetuses from a pig uterus to weigh and look at. We also looked at pig semen under a microscope. The professor was obsessed with histology. Expect to look at many slides of different tissues and know how/why they differ, where they are from, etc. I don’t remember assignments, but there was a lab practical that involved many things. Overall, it was a fun class.
ABE 227: Biotech Lab II (Kari Clase)
This class was busy. There were lots of things that needed to be done often (oddly no true deadlines it felt like). This was the dry lab portion. After ABE 226, any DNA that was collected sufficiently was sequenced and the data came back. That’s essentially what the semester was for. With the DNA from a phage, u must make entries to find out the start/stop site of genes, gene function; BLAST the genes, gather evidence there is truly a gene, and more. There were some small assignments with deliverables. There was also a larger project that was put into the undergrad research symposium. From the DNA, a small group chose a gene and researched. A lot of busy work and nights up, but there was a final genome announcement and research went into real life.
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JUNIOR YEAR
HIST 33805: History of Human Rights (Rebekah Klein-Pejsova)
This class was a requirement for an upper level humanities course. This class was easy and interactive. There were some readings that had to be done outside of class, but not much else was required. U would read, then come to class, fill out a discussion, and talk. The content started back in history and moved all the way to just beyond the Holocaust. There were a couple writing assignments that were like a paragraph. The final was to write a paragraph on when u thought the history of human rights began. Again, easy and almost no work required.
BCHM 307: Biochem (Barbara Golden)
I loved this course. Dr. Golden was soft spoken but she made sure u got the info u needed. The content felt like a mix of genetics and chem. The course was biology-sided for those that hate chem. This course went back to the central dogma and such, but then included a lot of metabolism and inner workings of cells. There were parts involving the Citric acid cycle and other “basic” biology concepts that went into further explanation from a different perspective. I believe there were also hotseat/iclicker questions. If u liked biology or genetics, u should like this course, too.
BCHM 309: Biochem Lab (Orla Hart)
Just like the genetics lab, this lab did content that led up to something big at the end. The lab was spent learning basic lab technique, then focused on isolating and purifying LDH from a Bradford assay. There were lab reports/assignments, but they all help and lead to the big lab report. It was a fun time. Dr. Hart was a fantastic prof for the course as she fully knew the topic, always helped out, and had high expectations. She would also joke and talk with us. She shared about her family (she’s Irish), her cats, n more. + she would talk with you in her office, where she had Ghirardelli chocolates to eat. There was a written midterm + u are required to wear a lab coat and goggles during lab.
ANSC 311: Animal Breeding & Genetics (Donna Lofgren)
This was another class that I liked a lot. For anyone interested in this topic, it is not what u expect. The class is not punnet squares and seeing what traits u can see. This class was a lot of math. You had to find the allelic/gene frequencies, var, covariance, selection intensity, generation interval, EBV, etc. I cannot stress that this class is a lot of math (prolly 75/25 to 85/15 for math/concepts). It is, however, one of the few genetics restrictive selectives for ANSC (if I remember right). There is other content too, learning about how to breed animals, components of breeding and genetics, etc. There is a lecture and lab. The lab is when homework was intro’d and we were given time to ask questions/complete it. The lab lasted 2 hours, and usually there would be several homework problems left. There was also a large project that used a sim (mine was beef, other years used lamb/sheep). I would have to cull and breed to get better genetics, get rid of disease, etc. The better the offspring the better. This sim was paired with an arrow chart and written report. Lot of work, but a lot of fun.
ANSC 326: Applied Non-Ruminant Nutrition (John Radcliffe)
This class was boring. Unless u love animal nutrition, it’s hard for it not to be. This was like a continuation of ANSC 221, but only focused on (essentially) pigs. Once again, just learning the background/basic info for feeding animals, providing nutrients, and balancing/creating rations. Also, this class also uses a lot of Excel - more than ANSC 221. There was a final for the course, but it was only a 1/2 semester course. There may have also been a lab section, but the work typically finished quickly.
ANSC 446: Companion Animal Mgmt (Rod Allrich)
Another course with Rod. It was basically nonsense. U learned what it took to keep companion animals healthy and managed. Specific diseases/interests were looked at for animals during class + issues/problems with animal clinics, shelters, etc. There wasnt much to learn. Since it was Rod, there were no slides. Anything written could be tested. Students had to present some issue with companion animals for points twice in the semester. There was also an animal business plan due at the end of the semester. It was required to describe the location, services, employees, their benefits, etc. There were no exams, but there were his quizzes - u were provided movies to watch and write a 1-page summary/reflection on what u saw. Once u get used to Rod, his classes are some of the easiest to ever take.
MGMT 200: Intro Accounting (Terra Maienbrook)
This was my first class for my Real Estate minor. If u have taken any math class at college u should be fine. This course is an intro. U learn the accounting equation, debits, credits, depreciation, and interpreting it through balance sheets. It can get a little confusing when things are broken down further, but as long as u pay attention there shouldn’t be trouble. Just remember what debits and credits do and u should pass the course. There were assignments that helped understand what needed to be done and how the content u are learning works, but it turns into busy work later on. If u get 1 small error as ur doing ur balance sheet, then the whole problem will be wrong and it probably won’t tell u what the error is. The professor also used hotseat/iclicker for attendance, so make sure to show up. She did let u come to any section at any time and still do the attendance. Exams weren’t difficult if u pay attention and do well in lecture and homework. If u do well, the prof would even email saying that u did well.
MGMT 304: Intro to Financial Mgmt (Phil Baeza)
This class was okay. Part of it could have been it was the prof’s 2nd semester teaching here. The class was a lot of basic info for management/econ and was also a requirement for the Real Estate minor. U are taught corporate finance + the goals of it, cash flows and a bunch of math with related terms (NPV, PV, NWC, NOI, etc.) None of it was exactly difficult to figure out. The class itself wasn’t bad content-wise. Once u learned the information, it was there. There was a lot of Excel for solving problems. If u aren’t good with Excel - make that a priority. The course also had exams, but you were allowed a typed cheat sheet for each. Besides the exams, there was also a case competition (so many of these in MGMT classes). Info was gathered about a company and with a group had to decide to approve or disapprove of their loan request. Overall, not terrible, but hard to sit thru.
ANSC 303: Animal Behavior (Marisa Erasmus)
This was an interesting class to take. It was pretty fun (and I ended up as a TA, my last semester). The course is essentially psychology in animals. You learn conditioning, scientists who contributed to the study, types of interactions, and types of behaviors (maintenance, maternal, social, play, sickness, etc.) and how they are in animals. The course also has a lab section with it. The lab section is essentially to allow for time for the zoo project, although there were some labs that went to the ASREC to observe those animals. For the project u are provided an animal at the zoo to research, go to the local zoo, and observe them. When ur back you create a presentation for the research you did involving the animal and enrichment provided by the zoo. In class, there were several quizzes over lecture content plus a midterm. There were also assignments, but many of them had some involvement with the zoo. The class also had no final, but there was a final quiz. The professor did talk fast sometimes, but as long as you typed or rewrote notes later, there was no issue.
STAT 503: Stat Methods for Biology (Yan Xing)
Unsure of why, but I loved my grad level stats courses. They were much easier and fun to learn than STAT 301 (so if u hate STAT301, give 503 a try). This course basically started at the beginning. The content started with learning sample vs population, statistic vs parameter, plus sample unit, size, variables, and variable types. The course became harder as time went on, but nothing was super difficult. The topics included basic stats (mean, stdev, var, types of distributions, unions/intersection), marginal probability, tree diagrams, binomial distributions, chi-square, ANOVA, hypothesis testing, and multiple comparisons (like bonferonni). The information was always presented in a way catered to life sciences (crazy). The lectures not presented in class, but expected to be watched beforehand. I did not go to lecture, but watched the lecture videos on my own. That was enough understanding to easily pass. There were homework assignments that were due every other week. Start them sooner than later, you’ll need the time! This class was also my introduction to coding in R. I had no experience in any coding beforehand but easily got the hang of it, especially since the professor provided tutorials. It was used for every homework, basically. There were also quizzes that weren’t too difficult. The class was not easy, but it was fun.
ABE 512: Good Regulatory Practices (Keri Clase/Stephen Byrn)
This was the final class I needed to get my Biotechnology minor. It was terrible. The professors were nice, but there was no structure. The lectures were about regulatory science and dealt a lot with information from the FDA. The course went over the good and required practices required for the creation, testing, passing, and distribution of medical equipment and/or drugs. Every small detail and information that was not in lectures was required to be known. There were quizzes and assignments that all got turned in through Gradescope. The quizzes are where random information was expected to be known. The assignments were deliverables which asked some question or inquired about a part of the process and write about them. The final was a final deliverable that had to effectively be a conglomeration of the other deliverables (but not just copying and pasting). The class wasn’t hard, but very poorly set up.
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SENIOR YEAR
CSR 103: Intro to Personal Finance (Wookjae Heo)
I just needed a filler class in my schedule. I figured it could help learn some “real world” stuff that maybe I wasn’t sure about. The class was completely online with provided lecture videos. It was very easy and what would be expected. Topics went from how to manage debt and make sure you can get loans, to being informed about credit cards and insurance. All the information was easy to get through. There were writing assignments to be done basically every week. The professor would have you read a paper that 50/50 he had a part in writing, and answer questions. Some things were interactives that just needed to be completed (regardless of how well). Not a bad class. It will definitely pad your GPA - everything taught should be common knowledge.
MGMT 370: Real Estate Fundamentals (Lindsay Relihan)
This course was quite informative. It was an average level of difficulty. There was a lot of information that went into it - I mean it is a fundamentals class. Topics that were talked about included foundations of real estate, what is real estate, valuation of property, lending, time value of money, multiple financial ratios, and taxation. There were multiple assignments - some writing and others math. The writing was for discussions (5 of them) about certain papers provided or certain book chapters. The math assignments were problem sets to get done for what we had learned. They gave plenty of time to finish them. Beyond that, there was also another case study/competition. For this a company was selected and given potential locations to move to. You had to decide if it was worth it for the company to move locations.
ANSC 345: Animal Health Management (Rod Allrich)
For this class, I just needed to take another ANSC course. This class was practically the same as any other Rod Allrich course. We learned how to keep animals healthy and basically many different common diseases of animals. From his website, we would get brought to a page talking about some disease or medical problem that could potentially happen and have to write a 1-page summary/reflection. This happened each week. He still did in person quizzes with statements of fact. Once again, students had to make videos/presentations for the class to present on some problem. There was no final exam. Did not learn too much from this one, but it was a great space filler and GPA booster.
ANSC 481: Contemporary Issues in ANSC (Barry Delks)
This is essentially the final push for ANSC students. As seniors, you take this course to prepare you for the real world. Lectures were given by guests who the professor brought in. They would talk about their specific company, career, or niche and any issues they were seeing there plus how to stop them. The professor would then have groups get together to discuss ways to fix the problems and have the guest comment on what was said. There were also assignments to be done, but they were very easy. They were just things to make sure you were on track for a job and/or graduation (having a 30-sec intro, making a cover letter, redoing your resumé). Part of the class was also just attending the career fair.
STAT 512: Applied Regression Analysis (Tiantian Qin)
Like my other grad level stat course, I absolutely loved this one, too. This class was a DIST course. This class solely focused on regressions (simple linear and multiple linear regressions). Topics for the course started with the basics (terms of regression like betas, Xs, SSE, SSR, SST, and diagnostics) and moved to more difficult content (lack-of-fit-testing, global f-testing, transformations, ANOVA, marginal effect, coefficient of partial determination, multicollinearity, and more). I found the content interesting and it was fun to learn about. Nothing was too difficult and could always be asked about through office hours. There were homework assignments that corresponded with the lectures that were due every other week. Again, take the time. The course also used R coding for everything that was done. The course also had a couple exams to do. But the biggest thing was the regression project. This required a group of students to get together, find a set of data, and use it to form a regression analysis. There was a lot of coding involved, but it was fun parsing through and wrangling data.
MGMT 375: Real Estate Law (Cecelia Harper)
This course has been super personal and fun to take. This is one of my last courses for the Real Estate minor and I am glad to have taken it. The course goes over any and all laws that relate to real estate in some way. The course talked about property rights, subsurface rights, common laws, easements on land, financing/lending, prenuptial agreements and other contracts. Most grades come from exams, though. There were 3 during the semester plus the final. All exams (except the final) were open note and book. The final we were allowed a 1-page cheat sheet that was front and back. The only grades that did not come from exams were from the contracts we drafted. You create your own lease agreement and purchase agreement, then pair with someone to mesh them together for a new one of each. I think the course is particularly made tho by the professor. She is a practicing real estate lawyer who knows what she is talking about. She would set it up so the class was very personal and we each asked her questions. It was interesting because she could have stories about clients to connect things from class. She would always entertain questions. There was no extra credit, except for when she would randomly do attendance. The course structure could be changing quite a bit now, tho.
MGMT 43901: Real Estate Investment & Development (Michael Eriksen)
The other last course for my real estate minor. This class was a step away from what I thought it was going to be. This course is geared toward commercial development and the business side, as I felt. There was nothing really said about personal/residential property. The course topics included an overview of real estate, ways/types of investment, estimation of cash flows for commercial real estate and finance terms associated, providing loans/financing, the roles of a developer, and taxes. The course didn’t have many plain assignments. These were Excel files with attached questions and instructions. If you could follow the instructions you did well, plus the assignments built on each other, except the last one - this one used ARGUS software. The majority of the work was spent on a case competition (go figure lol). Students were put into groups to select a plot of land to develop for some commercial purpose and provide the financials, timeline, and reasoning for the decision. There were several required tasks to be done for this assignment, plus a presentation at the end. There was no final exam, but there were 2 midterms. You could use an excel sheet with notes throughout, tho. The professor was good. He catered to his students and asked questions about how we thought the class was going. A good class to take.
BCHM 421: R For Molecular Biosciences (Pete Pascuzzi)
I took this class because my previous classes had made me really like working in R. I took the class to continue on with that. If you do not have a basic understanding of R, it may be a slight learning curve. The class only met on Wednesday and Friday for 2 hours. There wasn’t a lecture every class, but there was usually some work to be done. All assignments were done through R and could typically be finished in the class period. If this wasn’t possible, it could usually be finished the next class. The class just showed different things in R, from graphics and data wrangling to how to process gene ontology. There were homeworks and labs, with labs being more involved. There was a midterm that was open resource and a project. The project was done at the very end with groups who put together code from previous lectures/labs to create an RShiny document. The class did have a final, again open resource, but any graduating seniors did not have to take the final. There was an opportunity for extra credit by creating an R notebook for all your notes for functions and lines of code. The professor was also nice, helpful, and willing to put in effort to match you.
ANSC 351: Meat Science (Yuan Kim)
This class is basically just biology plus some extra info for meat processing. If you have taken muscle biology (or just bio) you will do well. The class does have some busy work, tho. The first part of the class was solely muscle biology. After this, the class went into meat quality (including analysis, factors affecting quality, etc.), parts of production (packaging, freezing, heating), slaughter and that process, then into meat safety. The content was interesting to learn and easy to take in. The class did have several assignments. After every class was a lecture quiz, each week there was a reflection, and every so often there was a case study. Case studies involved reading a case and providing a response to address the cause of a problem and fix it. The whole semester, there was a project involving some topic in meat science (novel tech, meat in diet, lab-grown meat, alternatives, etc.). Groups got together at the beginning of the semester to make a decision on the topic. Then, throughout the semester, groups met with TAs, wrote drafts of a paper, critiqued other student papers, and made a presentation to show the class. Throughout the semester, you have to work 2 shifts at the butcher block or write a giant essay on a book, too. The class also required 4 exams and a final. If you showed up to every class, you were able to skip the final. Dr. Kim loves the topic and wants you to learn, but most of the grading will be done by TAs.

EDIT: In response to a comment that there's "something I'm not telling you", I decided to add a section prior to C202 explaining how I used the time after orientation to help me prepare. Contrary to the person's assumptions/accusations, I did not engage in pre-writing, nor did I solicit rubrics, pre-written papers, etc., but I did make use of the time in relevant ways that I will describe further below.
Hi all,
I started my MBA on 4/1 officially, got my capstone final task approved on 4/29, and have successfully filed for my diploma and graduation. I wanted to thank all of the folks on this Reddit, along with those on Facebook (the WGU Business page, as well as the WGU accelerators page) for the information and the support that they've provided, which were a big help in me finishing when I could. Below is a summary of my experience, a couple of tips, and a small description of how I approached each course.
Overall notes
I loved my program mentor overall. One thing I did need to get used to was that she opened C200, C202, and C204 to start, and wouldn't really open courses for me until I finished all of the courses. This was annoying because there were a couple of times early that I needed to wait (it was really like a day or so, but at my pace I didn't want to lose days). So, I needed to establish a pace where I let her know ahead when I finished one course, and she would accelerate the next one while I finished the other (after the first set of three, I pretty much had two at a time open). She did let me choose my sequence after the first 3, so I was strategic on my choices based on what I knew (OA vs Performance Assessment, how I did on the pre-assessment, existing knowledge, etc.). Below are some details on my experience with each, and how I made decisions within each course that ultimately led to my success.
Edit: Added this paragraph below since I remembered it while rewriting the other things.
Tip for the OAs: Sometimes the proctor's aren't available right at the time (e.g., sometimes it's 8:07 for an 8:00 PM and the proceed button isn't available). If it takes too long (which happened to me a couple of times, but some people complained about it a ton on Facebook), I would just use the chat feature on the bottom right and let them know. The couple of times I did this (literally 2 times), they were able to get me started within about 5minutes or so. As a generally rule, I'd plan for about 15-20 minutes longer than your anticipated start time and completion time when you are scheduling your tests. This seemed to piss a lot of people off, but my feeling is if you plan on it being 15-20 minutes longer, then just be patient (you'll be fine waiting a bit, no big deal). I do get that some people are REALLY constrained for time, so I get it, but plan for it and you'll generally be fine with the proctors as long as you follow the rules (in my experience, at least).
Orientation - Completed on 3/15
This was quite easy - just complete all of the required tasks. Was more than I expected to need to do, but was my first experience in seeing the rubrics, the submission system, etc. Was not a big deal.
EDIT: Paragraphs below have been added to describe my use of pre-launch time, a critical phase to my final completion time.
Pre-Launch - 16 days (3/15-3/31)
An important part of my MBA time was some of the work I did during the pre-launch time. I want to emphasize that I used solely information available on the "Class Preview" versions of the site (which allows access to the pre-assessments and the course resource pages, I think). I took all the pre-assessments, passing all of them except for Financial Management, which I failed bit just a little bit. The pre-assessments let me know what areas I was weakest in, which were relevant in helping me determine which areas to focus on. Another thing that I did was be aware of what textbooks were used for the courses (using Reddit, primarily). While I was not able to obtain most of the books (e.g., those posted on 3rd party online sources such as Accounting), I was able to find similar books/older editions that I could use. There isn't really enough time to read all of the textbooks, but I did use some of this time to studying an older version of the book for C202 (a Human Resources book). Because this topic was new to me, I did read more or less the entire book (and because I did not have access to a lot of other stuff). That was the main book I read ahead of time (the other book I read completely was Accounting, another area completely new to me, but I did in fact do that during the term). Other than that reading, the other thing I did was curate all of the resources I could from the course websites about each of the tasks. Reddit provided some info, and the website constructed some info. Note that not all classes have slides/tips on the resources, so for some tasks I was more or less left in the dark (although I could determine from the Reddit posts of others generally what they are. I engaged a lot in "brainstorming" about each of the papers (e.g., if a paper was talking about an individual, I thought about who I would write about and what I would write). I did not, however, prep any materials ahead of time, partially due to the fact that you cannot view any of the rubrics, and it is generally suggested to write to the rubric (which I think is solid advice). One thing I did do that was helpful was copy and paste the instructions into the assignments and fill out my papers kind of like a worksheet (Section A - response for Section A. Section B - responses for Section B... etc.). This helped with ensuring that I met all of the rubric requirements and helped the evaluators find information (I did require a handful of revisions throughout, which I will generally note). The revisions tended not to waste too much time, as I tried to always have a second course open so that I could work on that while I waited for revisions to be approved for the other (you need mentor support in making sure things are open when you need them, and my mentor wouldn't allow me to have more than 2 open at a time, other than at the beginning when I had the first 3 open).
I want to reiterate that I did not have the rubrics ahead of time, write a single page ahead of time, or read through/copy/receive any assignments from anyone else. Every single thing I wrote was my own work, and inspired only by the textbooks and papers I read (in a few small cases). In any case, I used the time to scour the site for any and all information I could use to help me be mentally prepared for the tasks. When 4/1 hit (in fact, several hours into it, because materials don't really launch until noon on the first day typically, which I didn't know ahead of time), I was good to begin my work on the first 3 courses.
C202 - Managing Human Capital (1 OA) - 1 day (4/1)
This was my first OA. I took the pre-assessment and passed, so I felt confident going in. To prep for this course, I read through the whole textbook at a light skim, picked up some things I didn't know before, and focused on particular points I recognized from the PA that I wanted to focus more on (and read more thoroughly in those sections). I took this test on the first evening after my skim/lighter reading and was all set. I could not open other courses at this point, so I continued with C200, which was already open, but would require more time (as it was a PA course).
C200 - Managing Organizations and Leading People (2 PA tasks, both papers) - 4 days from open (4/4)
This course required two performance assessments, as well as a leadership assessment (CliftonStrengths) as part of one of the tasks. These were both very manageable tasks. I spent the most time in this class reading through a couple of papers to find good sources (this was actually one of the few that I had to/bothered to do this in). These look me a bit longer than average to complete compared to the others, so it took me a couple of days to get it done. In terms of reading, I looked at the materials related to the tasks (and the relevant papers). I did not look at any of the other course materials. After finishing this, I had C211 opened.
C211 - Global Economics for Managers (1 OA) - 2 days (4/6)
I passed this pre-assessment as well (although more marginally), so I wanted to take this one out. Apparently, a lot of people do find this test hard, but I did take Economics in college, and have made some efforts to learn some of these things on my own in the past. I focused on a read/skim approach on my areas of weakness from the pre-assessment, and was able to pass this pretty quickly (2 days after opening it). Test was absolutely fine, but my light approach to reading (only reading a couple of small areas) led to only a marginal improvement from the pre-assessment to the OA, but it was a solid pass, so it was good enough. With this done, I focused on C204 (my last remaining class). I think I was slowed down a bit, as my mentor made me wait until finishing C204 before I could continue (which annoyed me a bit, but forced me to focused on that next).
C204 - Management Communication (2 tasks - 1 paper, and 1 presentation/video/executive summary) - 8 days (4/8)
This one took me a bit longer because the work was a bit more extensive. I also was traveling on 4/2-4/4, and on 4/5, so I was only able to do this on 4/8 after I was done traveling (as I needed to make a video presentation). These tasks were more extensive, so there was a lot more work involved. I relied on the textbook only, and focused exclusively on the sections related to the tasks. I maybe BARELY did a light skim on other materials, but honestly skipped a lot of it, as it was not relevant to what I needed to do. The tasks ultimately went down pretty easily (once I sat down to do them). I had to slow down a lot because of all the traveling and needing to shoot the video, but things sped up a bit from here for a while. This allowed me to open up C215.
C215 - Operations Management (1 OA) - 1 day (4/9)
For this one, I BARELY touched the book (except for some last minute skimming the last hour before the exam). I passed the pre-assessment (barely), so I felt ok, but I focused on watching Dr. Haywood's videos on youtube (which tons of people recommended). Watching these boosted my knowledge about the area quite a bit (although he doesn't really touch any of the math, which isn't needed anyways). I was able to pass this OA immediately pretty much because I had watched all the videos. With that knowledge, it was pretty easy. The videos are very easy to understand and help with the OA a lot, so I HIGHLY recommend watching them (and use the book as a supplement too, if you need/want to). After this, I had C206 opened, and C207 opened (I was able to get two courses at a time by this point, which allowed me some flexibility in working on tasks)
C206 - Ethical Leadership (3 PAs - all papers) - 4 days (4/13, including revision time)
This one required a LOT of writing, as it is three papers! That said, a lot is based on other materials (case study, ethical leadership inventory, code of ethics), and so I barely touched the course text materials at all. I just diligently wrote and got everything done. I had to do a couple of revisions here because there was a lot to write and I missed a couple of things here and there, but it was easy once I knew what was missing to fill in the gaps. Revisions took me an extra day or so (one happened on day 3 for a task I submitted earlier, and another happened on day 4, which was what moved me to 4 days for the course. After this, I went to C207, which I already had open.
C207 - Data-Driven Decision Making (1 OA, 2 PAs) - 5 days after open (4/14, including revision time)
I have a lot of expertise and experience and did well on the pre-assessment, so I looked at pretty much nothing here. I was able to do the two PAs pretty quickly, but also quickly realized that I didn't know what they were asking for in places (I felt the wording was strange). I had to resubmit both of these, and even had to do one of them a total of 3 times to pass. These also, for some reason, required getting instructor approval. This was the one course I worked with the prof but I did take advantage of it by asking them to look at the work. They gave me some tips that were helpful in terms of understanding what they wanted and I was able to pass (although it took more revisions across the board than any other course). Without studying, I took the OA, and was able to pass that (although I scored about the same as the pre-assessment, which makes sense). The OA was harder than I Was expecting, so I was a bit disappointed. Nevertheless, I finished this and was able to move on to C212.
C212 - Marketing (1 PA) - 1 day (4/15)
This class required one pretty long paper. I looked at only the materials related to the paper and nothing else. I wrote the paper in about 4 hours, I think (ignoring my actual job that day...oops). I passed quite easily in one attempt (just was a lot of writing). This allowed me to move on to C213
C213 - Accounting for Decision-makers (1 OA) - 7 days (4/22)
I was a bit concerned about this course, as it was pretty much all brand new to me, and because I knew it was considered one of the two hardest classes (behind Financial management). For this one, I read the book cover to cover. I had passed the pre-assessment marginally using prior knowledge, but reading the book helped a ton, and I passed the OA fairly easily after all the studying. I had gone out of town for a few days again, so it took some time before I could sit for the exam. I used a few days to read all of the book pages, and then used the rest of the time to focus on C214 before sitting for this exam.
C214 - Financial Management (1 OA) - 1 day (4/23)
This was the one pre-assessment I failed (barely), and I knew this was a hard course. After opening the course, I learned that the videos provided on the site (rather than the book) were the most useful materials. I basically read through a few chapters while working through the accounting, and then switched to the videos after learning about them. The videos (posted on the course site) were about 4.5 hours or so, and were all I studied other than those few chapters I read before. I did not watch the additional 1 hour calculations video that was also available because I felt I knew enough. That said, there was a LOT of math on the OA, and I honestly didn't know how to get the calculator (I had the TI BA II recommended calculator). That all said, I passed with a pretty good score (I think I may have guessed well in a few places where I couldn't figure out the calculator as well. I sat for this exam one day after C213, and was done with this course. This test took me like 1 hour and 40 minutes total (far longer than any other exam, which generally ranged from 30-60 minutes for me). But I passed and moved forward, leaving only the capstone.
C216 - MBA Capstone (3 PAs) - 4 days (4/27)
For this, there was a business simulation and two associated tasks, as well as a profession portfolio PA. I had pretty much everything I needed for the portfolio, so this took a couple of hours to knock out and prepare for submission. However, I did need to finish the simulation and the two tasks first. Task 2 must be completed after Task 1 is passed, so I did task 1's simulation part and finished the task, and had to wait a day before getting to Task 2. After that, I finished the simulation (which I thought was an AMAZING way to integrate all that I studied and learned), and then completed Task 2. Both of these tasks passed within one attempt, and I submitted Task 2 simultaneously with Task 3, and my last days just involved waiting for approval, which happened yesterday (4/29).
After all this, I filled out the graduation paperwork and am waiting on that. With all that, I completed my work within 27 days, and am slated for graduated after 29. It was quite a road, and a lovely experience. I'd love to study more if it wouldn't cost another 5k, and am eager to see what's next.
I'm happy to share this with all of you, and am also happy to answer any questions that anyone might have! I would highly recommend this process, especially for motivated folks who can work well independently, and hope that I can use what I've learned for my work in the near future!

For my company we have a report that tracks the status of a project on a numerical scale, say 1-40. I have a formula where it’s =if(previouscell>40, " ", else previouscell + 1) all on the same row. When the project first starts I manually highlight the original end date so we can see if we’re behind or ahead of schedule. Not we also have a tracker line as each column corresponds to a weekly date, and to the right of the line we keep the formatting coloring the same for the active projects, but to the left we highlight all the same color to show it’s in the past, except for blank cells on projects that haven’t started yet but are upcoming. I hope that makes sense
Now here’s the issue, I have a formula that automatically highlights the cells to the left the correct color but when I apply a blank cells conditional formatting with no colofill to the sheet, it removes the formatting coloring on the projects ahead of schedule since they’re technically blank. The backwards workaround I’ve made work is manually select the projects, clear conditional formatting, and then re-add the range on the conditional formatting rules (except the blank one) to include those cells. I’ve tried going to current selection in manage rules and deleting the conditional format on blanks for that selection of active projects cells for some reason that deletes the rule for the entire sheet
Open to any suggestions and happy to provide examples if the above doesn’t make sense. Currently I’m having to manually highlight to the left of the line every week when it moves and I’m trying to automate it since it gets tedious doing that for 100 tabs x many rows
Here's some examples of how it looks in the end
https://preview.redd.it/rmsepfi1gmxc1.png?width=1420&format=png&auto=webp&s=239ebd24a5981a0bb66dc00e85aa217e97d080c6
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Example before the workaround formatting

Had asked a similar question but I confused everyone by asking for social studies :-)
Kiddo is a 2nd grader. Looking for

• spelling practice - in particular, papepencil activities
• grammar - online is preferable
• writing - it must to be papepencil activities
• literature

The main issue is finding a balance between using papepencil and a computer. For example, when kids just click check boxes, they don't learn how to spell. So I prefer writing activities or spelling worksheets/games. Ditto writing. (However, grammar rules are more easily learned on a computer.)
Currently using IXL but it's all online.

The War Scroll, also known as the "War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness," is a unique text within the Dead Sea Scrolls that portrays an apocalyptic battle between the forces of good (Sons of Light) and evil (Sons of Darkness). This scroll provides insight into both historical and symbolic elements.
Historical Accuracy:
The War Scroll, while containing detailed military tactics and an epic narrative of the ultimate confrontation, doesn't explicitly reference any specific historical event or timeframe. Some scholars believe it could be a product of the community's anticipation of a future messianic conflict or a reflection of their own community's struggles against opposing forces during their time. Interpreting the historical accuracy of the scroll often involves exploring the context of the Qumran community and the turbulent times in which they lived.
Symbolism and Esoteric Wisdom:
The War Scroll goes beyond a mere description of a physical battle. It portrays a cosmic conflict between the forces of light and darkness, reflecting not just a literal warfare but also a symbolic and spiritual struggle. The text emphasizes righteousness, divine intervention, and the victory of good over evil.
Within the study guide, activities and exercises could involve dissecting the symbolic elements present in the War Scroll, exploring the deeper meanings behind the battle tactics and the metaphysical implications of the conflict. Understanding the symbolism could involve group discussions, comparative analysis with other ancient texts with similar themes, and exploring the impact of this symbolic representation on the community's beliefs and practices.
Here are a few activities and exercises to explore the symbolism and historical context of the War Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls:

1. Symbolism Analysis:

Provide excerpts from the War Scroll and encourage participants to identify and discuss the symbolic meanings behind elements like the "Sons of Light" and the "Sons of Darkness," various weapons, and the strategies outlined for battle. Group discussions or written reflections can help participants explore the deeper layers of meaning.

1. Comparative Analysis:

Compare the War Scroll's themes with similar apocalyptic or eschatological texts from different cultures or religions, such as apocalyptic passages in the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible or apocalyptic texts from other ancient traditions. Create worksheets or discussion prompts to highlight similarities and differences in themes, symbols, and beliefs about cosmic battles.

1. Historical Context Exploration:

Present historical information about the era when the Dead Sea Scrolls were written. Discuss the political, social, and religious climate of that time, including the turmoil in the region, to understand how these factors might have influenced the composition of the War Scroll. Encourage participants to consider the possible motivations behind the text's creation.

1. Creative Interpretation:

Encourage creative expression by asking participants to create artwork, poems, or short stories inspired by the themes and imagery found in the War Scroll. This exercise allows individuals to engage more deeply with the symbolic elements and interpret them in their own unique ways.

1. Role-playing or Debates:
   Organize a role-playing activity where participants take on the roles of "Sons of Light" and "Sons of Darkness," debating their ideologies, motivations, and strategies for the ultimate battle. This exercise helps in understanding differing perspectives and interpreting the conflicts presented in the scroll.
   

Interpretative variations regarding the river's crossing in different ancient texts reflect the unique religious, philosophical, and cultural perspectives embedded within these narratives. These differences in interpretation offer insights into diverse worldviews and varying theological frameworks present in ancient texts:

1. Mesopotamian Context:

• In Mesopotamian mythology and literature, the Euphrates River often held symbolic significance as a boundary between the known civilized world and the wild, unknown realms. The crossing of the Euphrates could symbolize journeys into unexplored territories or transitions between order and chaos. This perspective reflects a worldview rooted in the physical and geographical division of lands.

1. Biblical Context:

• In biblical texts, such as those in the Book of Revelation or Old Testament prophecies, the crossing of the Euphrates carries eschatological significance. It may represent a divine intervention or a decisive moment in God's plan, marking the commencement of apocalyptic events. This interpretation aligns with the biblical narrative of divine judgment and the unfolding of God's ultimate purpose in history.

1. Gnostic or Apocryphal Context:

• Gnostic or apocryphal texts often interpret the river's crossing as a symbolic liberation or awakening. It might signify the release of spiritual forces or the ascent to higher consciousness, reflecting a philosophical perspective emphasizing spiritual enlightenment and liberation from material constraints.

1. Greco-Roman Interpretation:

• In Greco-Roman literature, crossings of rivers were often associated with mythological journeys or transitions between realms. The crossing of the Euphrates might symbolize a transition from mundane existence to a realm of mystery or spiritual significance, reflecting a cultural perspective rooted in mythology and cosmology.

These varied interpretations highlight the richness and diversity of religious, philosophical, and cultural frameworks present in ancient texts. The river's crossing serves as a flexible symbol that adapts to different narratives, conveying themes of transition, judgment, liberation, or cosmic transformation based on the unique perspectives of each tradition.
Exploring these interpretative variations allows participants to appreciate the complexity of symbolism within ancient texts and provides insights into how different cultures and belief systems interpreted common motifs like the river Euphrates. It showcases the intricate interplay between religious, philosophical, and cultural elements shaping the symbolism and theological implications embedded in these narratives.
The river Euphrates, a prominent geographic feature in ancient texts, embodies universal themes that transcend specific cultural contexts. Identifying these universal themes helps reveal shared human concepts of transition, boundaries, and transformative events across diverse ancient traditions:

1. Threshold and Transition:

• The Euphrates often symbolizes a boundary between known and unknown territories. Its crossing represents a transition from one state to another, signifying a pivotal moment of change or passage. This theme of crossing a threshold echoes the human experience of transitions in life, moving from familiar to unfamiliar realms.

1. Boundary and Separation:

• As a geographical boundary, the Euphrates signifies separation between distinct territories or civilizations. This concept of demarcation resonates with universal human experiences of setting boundaries, delineating spaces, or marking divisions between different aspects of life.

1. Transformative Events:

• Crossing the Euphrates is often associated with cosmic or transformative events in ancient texts. This universal theme reflects the human fascination with the concept of epochal change, cosmic upheavals, or moments of divine intervention that reshape the course of history.

1. Symbol of Power and Control:

• The river might represent a symbol of power, control, or geopolitical significance. Crossing it could signify shifts in dominance, challenges to established authority, or the assertion of influence. This theme resonates with human narratives of power struggles and shifts in societal dynamics.

1. Metaphor for Spiritual Journeys:

• Across cultures, rivers are often used metaphorically to represent spiritual journeys or quests. The crossing of the Euphrates might symbolize the pursuit of enlightenment, the passage to higher realms of understanding, or the quest for spiritual transformation.

These universal themes associated with the river Euphrates highlight fundamental aspects of the human experience—transitions, boundaries, transformative events, power dynamics, and spiritual journeys. The river's symbolism in ancient texts speaks to shared human aspirations, struggles, and beliefs that transcend cultural boundaries and resonate across different epochs and civilizations.
By identifying and discussing these universal themes, participants gain a deeper appreciation for the profound symbolism embedded in ancient texts and recognize the timeless relevance of concepts such as transition, boundaries, and transformative events in shaping human narratives and aspirations.

1. Historical Context:

• What historical events or societal conditions might have influenced the composition of the War Scroll?
  
• How does the historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery contribute to our understanding of this text's significance?
  

1. Symbolism and Esoteric Wisdom:

• How does the War Scroll use symbolism to convey spiritual or cosmic themes?
  
• What esoteric wisdom or deeper spiritual insights can be derived from the portrayal of cosmic conflict and divine intervention within the text?
  

1. Comparative Analysis:

• Compare the themes and symbolism of the War Scroll with other apocalyptic texts from different cultures (e.g., Book of Revelation, The Book of Daniel). What common motifs or differences in interpretation do you observe?

1. Parallelism in Biblical Texts:

• Explore connections between the War Scroll and other biblical texts. How does the language, imagery, or themes in the War Scroll intersect with passages from the Hebrew Bible or New Testament?

1. Community Beliefs and Practices:

• How might the apocalyptic expectations depicted in the War Scroll have influenced the beliefs and practices of the community that produced it?
  
• Discuss the impact of such intense anticipation of cosmic conflict on communal life and religious rituals within the community.
  

1. Cultural Significance of Cosmic Battles:

• Across various ancient cultures, why do you think depictions of cosmic battles and eschatological events were significant? What might these narratives represent in a broader cultural context?

1. Interpretive Variations and Unique Perspectives:

• Explore the diverse interpretations of specific passages or symbols within the War Scroll. How do different scholars or traditions interpret these elements, and what underlying factors might influence their interpretations?

1. Personal Reflection and Modern Relevance:

• Reflect on how the themes of cosmic conflict, righteousness, and spiritual warfare in the War Scroll might resonate in contemporary society or personal belief systems.

1. Theological and Philosophical Implications:

• Discuss the theological and philosophical implications of a cosmic battle between forces of light and darkness. How does this theme intersect with broader philosophical inquiries or theological doctrines?

1. Literary and Symbolic Analysis:

- Analyze the narrative structure and symbolic elements present in specific passages of the War Scroll. How do these elements contribute to the text's overarching themes and meanings? 

These study questions aim to provoke critical thinking, promote in-depth exploration of themes, encourage comparative analysis, and stimulate discussions on the multifaceted nature of the War Scroll's content and its significance within ancient and contemporary contexts.

1. Archaeological and Linguistic Analysis:

- How does the physical condition of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the War Scroll, impact our understanding of their preservation and historical context? - Discuss the linguistic peculiarities or unique textual features found within the War Scroll and their implications for translation and interpretation. 

1. Apocalyptic Expectations and Messianic Concepts:

- Explore the portrayal of messianic figures or anticipated saviors within the War Scroll. How do these concepts align with or diverge from contemporary expectations of a messianic figure in other ancient texts or religious traditions? 

1. Impact of Apocalyptic Literature:

- Analyze the enduring influence of apocalyptic literature, such as the War Scroll, on subsequent religious, literary, or cultural traditions. How have these texts shaped later beliefs or inspired artistic and literary works? 

1. Ethical and Moral Frameworks:

- Discuss the ethical or moral implications of the cosmic conflict depicted in the War Scroll. How do the themes of righteousness and wickedness contribute to the text's underlying moral framework? 

1. Role of Prophecy and Revelation:

- Explore the role of prophecy and revelation within the War Scroll. How do the prophetic elements contribute to the text's portrayal of future events and cosmic justice? 

1. Experiential and Ritualistic Elements:

- Investigate potential ritualistic or experiential dimensions associated with the teachings or beliefs conveyed in the War Scroll. How might the community have engaged with these teachings in their religious practices or communal activities? 

1. Literary Genre and Interpretation:

- Discuss the classification of the War Scroll within the broader genre of apocalyptic literature. How does its classification influence our understanding and interpretation of its themes and symbolic elements? 

1. Relevance in Modern Scholarship:

- Reflect on the ongoing scholarly debates or discoveries related to the War Scroll. How have modern interpretations evolved, and what implications do these new perspectives have on our understanding of the text? 

1. Intersection of Faith and Scholarship:

- Consider the interplay between faith-based interpretations and scholarly analyses of the War Scroll. How might religious convictions or theological frameworks influence academic research and vice versa? 

1. Future Research and Interpretative Avenues:

- Propose potential avenues for future research or areas of exploration concerning the War Scroll. What unanswered questions or unexplored aspects merit further investigation? 

The composition of the War Scroll, along with other Dead Sea Scrolls, was likely influenced by several historical events and societal conditions prevalent during the time of its writing, which is estimated to be between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE:

1. Hellenistic Rule and Cultural Influence:

• The region where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found was under Hellenistic influence due to the conquests of Alexander the Great and the subsequent control by the Seleucid Empire. This era saw a clash between Hellenistic culture and Jewish traditions, leading to cultural tensions and a desire to preserve religious and cultural heritage.

1. Political Turmoil and Resistance Movements:

• The Jewish people experienced political unrest, particularly during the Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid rule. This period was characterized by resistance movements, attempts to preserve Jewish identity, and fervent anticipation of a messianic figure to deliver them from foreign oppression.

1. Religious Sects and Spiritual Expectations:

• Various religious sects existed within Judaism, each with its own interpretations and expectations of messianic redemption, purity laws, and theological doctrines. The community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls, often believed to be the Essenes, likely had distinctive theological beliefs and a strong apocalyptic worldview.

1. Anticipation of Cosmic Redemption:

• There was a widespread belief in the imminent arrival of a messianic figure or a divine intervention that would bring about cosmic redemption, ushering in an era of righteousness and divine rule. This anticipation of apocalyptic events and a cosmic battle between forces of light and darkness is reflected in the War Scroll's themes.

Regarding the historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery, its significance lies in multiple facets:

1. Preservation of Ancient Texts:

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the War Scroll, provided an invaluable collection of ancient manuscripts that significantly expanded our understanding of ancient Jewish texts, religious beliefs, and the diversity of Jewish thought during the Second Temple period.

1. Insights into Jewish Sectarianism:

• The scrolls shed light on the diversity of beliefs and practices among Jewish sects during that time. Understanding the beliefs and expectations of the community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls helps contextualize the theological and apocalyptic themes present in the War Scroll.

1. Confirmation of Scriptural Accuracy:

• The Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery contributed to confirming the accuracy and preservation of certain biblical texts, highlighting the continuity of textual transmission across centuries and supporting the authenticity of biblical manuscripts.

1. Impact on Biblical Studies and Scholarship:

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls revolutionized biblical studies, providing scholars with invaluable primary sources for studying ancient Judaism, the development of biblical texts, and the context in which these texts were composed.

The historical context of political upheaval, religious expectations, and the preservation of texts within the Dead Sea Scrolls contributes significantly to understanding the milieu in which the War Scroll was written. It provides a backdrop against which the themes of cosmic conflict, eschatological anticipation, and religious fervor within the War Scroll can be comprehended.

I come from a school with terrible admin, horrendous student behavior that admin enables, and heavy workload. For me, the number 1 thing that made me quit was the violent and rude students. Admin does nothing about them and leaves teachers to deal with the mess.
Now that I have resigned, I've slackened the rules in class and allow them to use their phones as they act like pacifiers for the violent students. Less violent behaviors among the males students and the chances of me getting hurt lessens since the number of times I have to pull them off each other has lessened. Admin frequently goes around to look in on class and sometimes catches my class on their phones but I just don't care anymore. I just make up some BS excuse.
I also decreased working on prepping my lessons. Worksheets all the way. I'm tired of standing in front of the class trying to teach through the chaos in class.
I only have a few weeks left, so I'm trying to get through this crap as best as I can.
What about you?
If you resigned, how has your attitude and behavior changed towards students and your work as the end of the academic year approaches?

I come from a school with terrible admin, horrendous student behavior that admin enables, and heavy workload. For me, the number 1 thing that made me quit was the violent and rude students. Admin does nothing about them and leaves teachers to deal with the mess.
Now that I have resigned, I've slackened the rules in class and allow them to use their phones as they act like pacifiers for the violent students. Less violent behaviors among the males students and the chances of me getting hurt lessens since the number of times I have to pull them off each other has lessened. Admin frequently goes around to look in on class and sometimes catches my class on their phones but I just don't care anymore. I just make up some BS excuse.
I also decreased working on prepping my lessons. Worksheets all the way. I'm tired of standing in front of the class trying to teach through the chaos in class.
I only have a few weeks left, so I'm trying to get through this crap as best as I can.
What about you?
If you resigned, how has your attitude and behavior changed as the end of the academic year approaches?

I come from a school with terrible admin, horrendous student behavior that admin enables, and heavy workload. For me, the number 1 thing that made me quit was the violent and rude students. Admin does nothing about them and leaves teachers to deal with the mess.
Now that I have resigned, I've slackened the rules in class and allow them to use their phones as they act like pacifiers for the violent students. Less violent behaviors among the males students and the chances of me getting hurt lessens since the number of times I have to pull them off each other has lessened. Admin frequently goes around to look in on class and sometimes catches my class on their phones but I just don't care anymore. I just make up some BS excuse.
I also decreased working on prepping my lessons. Worksheets all the way. I'm tired of standing in front of the class trying to teach through the chaos in class.
I only have a few weeks left, so I'm trying to get through this crap as best as I can.
What about you?
If you resigned, how has your attitude and behavior changed as the end of the academic year approaches?

I was doing a worksheet from the national geographic website and I cant find the answer to the following question in the text:
Which statement is true?
a) Babies’ brains can’t recognise different sound patterns. b) The pattern ‘A-B-B’ is easier to understand than A-B-C’. c) The pattern ‘A-B-C’ is easier to understand than A-B-B’.
The answer key shows B) as the correct answer but I don't understand why and from which sentence in the text we understood B) is correct. Can someone please explain.
​
The first year of life
A newborn baby can see, hear and feel. By the age of five, a child can talk and ride a bike. How does this development happen? We don’t really understand the way language and thinking develop in the brain. Now scientists are using new technology to help them in their studies. They are discovering new information about the way a baby’s brain develops.
A study in 2010 showed that the experiences a child has in their first few years are important. These experiences affect the development of the brain. The study showed when children receive more attention, they often have higher IQs. Babies receive information when they see, hear and feel things. This information makes connections between different parts of the brain. There are a hundred trillion connections in the brain of a three-year-old child.
One experiment studied how newborn babies’ brains react to different sounds. The sounds were in different patterns. For example, the sounds mu-ba-ba make the pattern ‘A-B-B’. And the sounds mu-ba-ge make the pattern ‘A-B-C’. The results of the study showed that babies know the two patterns are different. Patterns are important in language. The order of words is important to grammar and meaning. For example, ‘John killed the bear’ doesn’t mean the same as ‘The bear killed John.’ Both sentences have the same words, but they are in a different order. The experiment shows that babies start to learn grammar rules from the beginning of their life.
Language is important for child development. Babies can hear language in various ways: listening to television, audio books or the Internet and interacting with people. A scientist, Patricia Kuhl, compared two groups of nine-month-old American babies. Both groups heard Mandarin Chinese sounds. The first group watched videos. In the second group, people spoke the same sounds to the babies. Then they tested the babies. The second group recognised the different sounds. The first group learned nothing. Patricia Kuhl said this result was very surprising. It shows that social interaction is important to successful brain development in babies.
​
The text and exercises are taken from: https://www.ngllife.com/first-year-life

I am an experienced English teacher from the UK. I came to South Korea just before Coronavirus started, and I have been here ever since.
I spent a large part of that time at a large hagwon (language school), teaching 5-7 year-olds in the mornings, and some older kids in the afternoon. I gained some satisfaction from that job, although there were occasionally issues.
That job ended. Now, I am at a different kindergarten. I am teaching 9-5, whereas, I taught from 9 to 6 before. In some ways, it is a lot easier at the new place. However, sometimes, rules are less clear.
The question I have is about the age groups. Previously, I taught 6-7 year-olds at an English language kindergarten. Now, the main focus is on 3-5 year-olds. Some of my classes have a story book chosen by the Korean teacher, and nothing else. But I have to find materials to go with that. I am starting to do so. I look at Cocomelon, Super Simple Songs, and the Singing Walrus, for songs. But I rejected some for being too difficult.
I understand that these classes need to be more physical and interactive. But can you recommend websites for songs related to 5 years old and under? Also, can you tell me where I can get worksheets I can use with those younger kids. Too many worksheets assume some literacy. I am teaching classes based on themes, not phonics. Thank you for your assistance.

I had to use another online tax filing program because Wealthsimple new 2 free tax return rule caught me this year.
Cloudtax. Lots of basic mistakes. UI looks slick but it becomes unintuitive because it doesn't automatically add the correct forms after you auto fill. It also didn't add up the correct amounts on the T1. It recalculates some boxes on T3 instead of filling it in exactly like the T3 slips. T1135 can't do capital loss.
BetterTax. Not as slick looking but if you know how to use WS Tax, you can easily use BetterTax. Every slip links to the correct form and deductions. Only 1 small rounding error I found was line 30000 calculation on the federal worksheet step 8, that cost me $0.01 on my return. You can't do negative (capital loss) on T1135 simplified, but detailed is no problem.
Links via CRA website.

So if your favorite shoppe isn't there in full force, or you are seeing a distinct lack of enthusiasm this year - now you know why.
TL;DR - Shop owners are now expected to dedicate 2 additional months of On-prem time. Shops, and workers, are expected to completely adhere to the same rules as cast, and Owners & Workers are expected to attend every training weekend (on their dime) or the shop will be fined $500 per incident.
Below is copied verbatim from the email they sent:
```
Hello everyone,
I hope you all are having a good week!!
TRF is reinstating Renaissance University classes for all participants this season. Participants are expected to attend as many sessions as possible. Weekly and year end prizes will be awarded in multiple categories for outstanding performance this season!!
Participation is mandatory.
See below for important dates and more information concerning 2024 Renaissance University and TRF Participant Rewards.
Please respond to this email with which dates you and your employees will be attending.
Renaissance University This training program is provided at no cost.
Texas Renaissance Festival presents a sixteenth century village, with several fantasy elements. This unique event creates a need for all participants to view themselves as performers, and their workspace, the stage on which they perform.
The Renaissance University training program will provide the participant, both new and returning, tools that will teach and refine the specific performance skills needed by TRF.
It is our belief that the Owners/Managers should be able to exhibit the skills needed, to work any position in their organization, and subsequently help tutor their employees in the refinement of these skills.

TRF defines Participants as... Anyone who comes in contact with our audience
Expectations of Participants

• Appropriate use of the King's English • Use of appropriate Dialect – Standard British, Cockney, Spanish, French, Scottish, German, Eastern European • Demonstrable Patron contact skills – Greeting, Reverence, Trade Knowledge, Parting • Enter into and exit from any non-scripted association with a Patron. • Appear comfortable in the environment, and make others feel comfortable as well • Develop and use an effective, entertaining hawk to gather Patrons • Ability to deal with situations that do not happen as planned during Patron interactions. • Creating a memorable and entertaining character using vocal, physical and costume tools, while staying within the parameters set by TRF

All TRF Owners/Vendors/Employees will be assessed on the following criteria:
As a Participant at TRF you are expected to demonstrate the following performance skills and have them observed and tested prior to dress rehearsal and observed and tested continually on performance days.
Performance Skill Assessment
• King's English • Dialects • Costumes • Contact Skills • Knowledge of Trade • Effective Hawk • Character History Worksheets • Rehearsal Participation • Daily Performance
Lack of participation during rehearsals and inadequate demonstration of these skills during performance, will result in the OwneManager being fined $500.00
Rehearsal/Workshop Schedule
Think of this as if we are rehearsing and performing in a theatrical play, which is what we are doing. Numerous hours of rehearsal are needed to achieve anything that is presentable to the audience. I encourage all participants to participate in as many sessions as possible. One rehearsal is not enough! Homework is required!
• Booth Owners / Managers - Rehearsals/Workshops Saturday – August 10 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – August 17 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – August 24 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – August 31 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Employee - Rehearsal/Workshops Saturday – September 7 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – September 8 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Saturday – September 14 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – September 15 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Saturday – September 21 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – September 22 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Saturday – September 28 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday – September 29 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Dress Rehearsal Saturday – October 5 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Performance Maintenance Saturdays and Sundays October 12 – December 1 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Instructors
• Ben Hamby • Brandi Baldwin
2024 TRF Participant Awards - Categories Categories o Best Hawker Awarded to the actoemployee that successfully engages the patrons in a focus drawing performance that urges the patrons into their shoppe/booth/stage that they inhabit. Must be performed in character using the King's English, appropriate dialect and in appropriate costume for what they are hawking. Use of props is acceptable if they are non-anachronistic and not a hazard to the actoemployee or attending patrons. The "hawk" must also be mindful not to disrupt scheduled events or shows or distract from other businesses that share the same area. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Costume Awarded to the actoemployee that displays the best use of period appropriate clothing, hair style and makeup that helps support their character and the shoppe/booth/stage that they inhabit. All costumes must comply with the 2024 Participant Handbook guidelines, must be appropriate for all audiences and non-anachronistic. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Character Awarded to the actoemployee that exhibits a fully developed, engaging and entertaining personae. Must be appropriately costumed, with items that support the character, shoppe/booth/stage that they inhabit. Actoemployee must have a complete character history, and the ability to convey their history to the audience/patrons. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Audience Interaction Awarded to the actoemployee or actors/employees (10 maximum) that engage the audience in full character, dialect, and use of the King's English according to their festival function. Interaction need not promote shop/booth/stage but must reflect TRF's overall theme in a positive manner. The interaction must fully involve the patron/patrons and leave a lasting impression. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Customer Service Awarded to either onstage costumed actoemployees, or backstage non-costumed employees that exhibit outstanding service given to a patron or patrons. Service must be observed firsthand or represented in a verifiable transcription such as a letter, email, or message. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Dialect Awarded to the actoemployee that exhibits a mastery of a foreign dialect, and use of the King's English. Extra points will be given for use of the actual foreign language. Skills must be demonstrated on-stage in full costume and character and within full view of audience. Dialect must reflect their station and support and promote their festival function. Dialects must be representative of TRF's themes, and non-anachronistic. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Group Hawking Awarded to the actoemployee or actors/employees (10 maximum) using dialogue, song, dance, props, or other non-anachronistic devices successfully engages the patrons in a focus drawing performance that urges the patrons into their shoppe/booth/stage that they inhabit. Must be performed in character using the King's English, appropriate dialect and in appropriate costume for what they are hawking. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
o Best Use of Props Awarded to the actoemployee or actors/employees (10 maximum) for outstanding use of a non-anachronistic prop as an attention getting device that draws focus to their shoppe/booth/stage. The prop must be safe for both the actoemployee and patrons viewing. Props may be used in conjunction with other props and other attention drawing devices. Weekly Prize Year End Prize o Best Parade Line Awarded to the actoemployee or actors/employees (10 maximum) that demonstrates the best non-anachronistic focus drawing line, phrase, or joke during participation of the noon parade. "Line"' must be delivered in full character, dialect and in the King's. It must be appropriate for all audiences, void of any inappropriate inuendo and effective multiple times throughout the duration of the parade. Weekly Prize Year End Prize o Best Parade Participation Awarded to the actoemployee or actors/employees (10 maximum) that demonstrate the best non-anachronistic participation in the noon parade. Participation must be in character, dialect and use the King's English. Participation must be appropriate for all audiences, void of any inappropriate inuendo and effective multiple times throughout the duration of the parade. Participation must also support TRF's themes and the shoppe/booth/stage that is represented. Weekly Prize Year End Prize
```

hello! I'm planning on creating supplemental English comprehension materials to sell online. I create all my social media posts on canva, however, I'm wondering if I'm allowed to sell worksheets I've created online or if it's not allowed.
alternatively- is this an option if i follow certain rules, pay for a certain plan, or give credit to canva?
thanks!

Hello all.
Im trying to do kinda a checklist in Excel. So for example:
I have 7 process, from 1 to 7. But 4 depends if 2 works, and 2 depends if 1 works. 4 works (or not) independently. And 6 and 7 depends if 5 works. So:
1 -> 2 -> 4
3
5 -> 6 & 7
The worksheet would have a column for the process name and a checklist (ok or error), and each line would be different processes.
I cant use the =IF formula. Because, for example, if 1 doesnt work, process 2 and 3 would automatically write down "ERROR" as well, so =IF formula would work here. But sometimes, 1 and 2 can work (so i have to write "OK", erasing the formula) and 4 doesnt work (so i have to write error), in this case =IF formula is not efficient, since ill need to write down the code again next day.
Is there a way to make this an invisible and "permanent" rule for process 2, like:
IF ( Process1 == ERROR ):
write "ERROR"
else:
nothing
So i can continue the checklist inserting OK or ERROR (but the error occurred NOT because of 1)?
Sorry for bad English and thanks in advance

The War Scroll, also known as the "War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness," is a unique text within the Dead Sea Scrolls that portrays an apocalyptic battle between the forces of good (Sons of Light) and evil (Sons of Darkness). This scroll provides insight into both historical and symbolic elements.
Historical Accuracy:
The War Scroll, while containing detailed military tactics and an epic narrative of the ultimate confrontation, doesn't explicitly reference any specific historical event or timeframe. Some scholars believe it could be a product of the community's anticipation of a future messianic conflict or a reflection of their own community's struggles against opposing forces during their time. Interpreting the historical accuracy of the scroll often involves exploring the context of the Qumran community and the turbulent times in which they lived.
Symbolism and Esoteric Wisdom:
The War Scroll goes beyond a mere description of a physical battle. It portrays a cosmic conflict between the forces of light and darkness, reflecting not just a literal warfare but also a symbolic and spiritual struggle. The text emphasizes righteousness, divine intervention, and the victory of good over evil.
Within the study guide, activities and exercises could involve dissecting the symbolic elements present in the War Scroll, exploring the deeper meanings behind the battle tactics and the metaphysical implications of the conflict. Understanding the symbolism could involve group discussions, comparative analysis with other ancient texts with similar themes, and exploring the impact of this symbolic representation on the community's beliefs and practices.
Here are a few activities and exercises to explore the symbolism and historical context of the War Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls:

1. Symbolism Analysis:

Provide excerpts from the War Scroll and encourage participants to identify and discuss the symbolic meanings behind elements like the "Sons of Light" and the "Sons of Darkness," various weapons, and the strategies outlined for battle. Group discussions or written reflections can help participants explore the deeper layers of meaning.

1. Comparative Analysis:

Compare the War Scroll's themes with similar apocalyptic or eschatological texts from different cultures or religions, such as apocalyptic passages in the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible or apocalyptic texts from other ancient traditions. Create worksheets or discussion prompts to highlight similarities and differences in themes, symbols, and beliefs about cosmic battles.

1. Historical Context Exploration:

Present historical information about the era when the Dead Sea Scrolls were written. Discuss the political, social, and religious climate of that time, including the turmoil in the region, to understand how these factors might have influenced the composition of the War Scroll. Encourage participants to consider the possible motivations behind the text's creation.

1. Creative Interpretation:

Encourage creative expression by asking participants to create artwork, poems, or short stories inspired by the themes and imagery found in the War Scroll. This exercise allows individuals to engage more deeply with the symbolic elements and interpret them in their own unique ways.

1. Role-playing or Debates:
   Organize a role-playing activity where participants take on the roles of "Sons of Light" and "Sons of Darkness," debating their ideologies, motivations, and strategies for the ultimate battle. This exercise helps in understanding differing perspectives and interpreting the conflicts presented in the scroll.
   

Interpretative variations regarding the river's crossing in different ancient texts reflect the unique religious, philosophical, and cultural perspectives embedded within these narratives. These differences in interpretation offer insights into diverse worldviews and varying theological frameworks present in ancient texts:

1. Mesopotamian Context:

• In Mesopotamian mythology and literature, the Euphrates River often held symbolic significance as a boundary between the known civilized world and the wild, unknown realms. The crossing of the Euphrates could symbolize journeys into unexplored territories or transitions between order and chaos. This perspective reflects a worldview rooted in the physical and geographical division of lands.

1. Biblical Context:

• In biblical texts, such as those in the Book of Revelation or Old Testament prophecies, the crossing of the Euphrates carries eschatological significance. It may represent a divine intervention or a decisive moment in God's plan, marking the commencement of apocalyptic events. This interpretation aligns with the biblical narrative of divine judgment and the unfolding of God's ultimate purpose in history.

1. Gnostic or Apocryphal Context:

• Gnostic or apocryphal texts often interpret the river's crossing as a symbolic liberation or awakening. It might signify the release of spiritual forces or the ascent to higher consciousness, reflecting a philosophical perspective emphasizing spiritual enlightenment and liberation from material constraints.

1. Greco-Roman Interpretation:

• In Greco-Roman literature, crossings of rivers were often associated with mythological journeys or transitions between realms. The crossing of the Euphrates might symbolize a transition from mundane existence to a realm of mystery or spiritual significance, reflecting a cultural perspective rooted in mythology and cosmology.

These varied interpretations highlight the richness and diversity of religious, philosophical, and cultural frameworks present in ancient texts. The river's crossing serves as a flexible symbol that adapts to different narratives, conveying themes of transition, judgment, liberation, or cosmic transformation based on the unique perspectives of each tradition.
Exploring these interpretative variations allows participants to appreciate the complexity of symbolism within ancient texts and provides insights into how different cultures and belief systems interpreted common motifs like the river Euphrates. It showcases the intricate interplay between religious, philosophical, and cultural elements shaping the symbolism and theological implications embedded in these narratives.
The river Euphrates, a prominent geographic feature in ancient texts, embodies universal themes that transcend specific cultural contexts. Identifying these universal themes helps reveal shared human concepts of transition, boundaries, and transformative events across diverse ancient traditions:

1. Threshold and Transition:

• The Euphrates often symbolizes a boundary between known and unknown territories. Its crossing represents a transition from one state to another, signifying a pivotal moment of change or passage. This theme of crossing a threshold echoes the human experience of transitions in life, moving from familiar to unfamiliar realms.

1. Boundary and Separation:

• As a geographical boundary, the Euphrates signifies separation between distinct territories or civilizations. This concept of demarcation resonates with universal human experiences of setting boundaries, delineating spaces, or marking divisions between different aspects of life.

1. Transformative Events:

• Crossing the Euphrates is often associated with cosmic or transformative events in ancient texts. This universal theme reflects the human fascination with the concept of epochal change, cosmic upheavals, or moments of divine intervention that reshape the course of history.

1. Symbol of Power and Control:

• The river might represent a symbol of power, control, or geopolitical significance. Crossing it could signify shifts in dominance, challenges to established authority, or the assertion of influence. This theme resonates with human narratives of power struggles and shifts in societal dynamics.

1. Metaphor for Spiritual Journeys:

• Across cultures, rivers are often used metaphorically to represent spiritual journeys or quests. The crossing of the Euphrates might symbolize the pursuit of enlightenment, the passage to higher realms of understanding, or the quest for spiritual transformation.

These universal themes associated with the river Euphrates highlight fundamental aspects of the human experience—transitions, boundaries, transformative events, power dynamics, and spiritual journeys. The river's symbolism in ancient texts speaks to shared human aspirations, struggles, and beliefs that transcend cultural boundaries and resonate across different epochs and civilizations.
By identifying and discussing these universal themes, participants gain a deeper appreciation for the profound symbolism embedded in ancient texts and recognize the timeless relevance of concepts such as transition, boundaries, and transformative events in shaping human narratives and aspirations.

1. Historical Context:

• What historical events or societal conditions might have influenced the composition of the War Scroll?
  
• How does the historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery contribute to our understanding of this text's significance?
  

1. Symbolism and Esoteric Wisdom:

• How does the War Scroll use symbolism to convey spiritual or cosmic themes?
  
• What esoteric wisdom or deeper spiritual insights can be derived from the portrayal of cosmic conflict and divine intervention within the text?
  

1. Comparative Analysis:

• Compare the themes and symbolism of the War Scroll with other apocalyptic texts from different cultures (e.g., Book of Revelation, The Book of Daniel). What common motifs or differences in interpretation do you observe?

1. Parallelism in Biblical Texts:

• Explore connections between the War Scroll and other biblical texts. How does the language, imagery, or themes in the War Scroll intersect with passages from the Hebrew Bible or New Testament?

1. Community Beliefs and Practices:

• How might the apocalyptic expectations depicted in the War Scroll have influenced the beliefs and practices of the community that produced it?
  
• Discuss the impact of such intense anticipation of cosmic conflict on communal life and religious rituals within the community.
  

1. Cultural Significance of Cosmic Battles:

• Across various ancient cultures, why do you think depictions of cosmic battles and eschatological events were significant? What might these narratives represent in a broader cultural context?

1. Interpretive Variations and Unique Perspectives:

• Explore the diverse interpretations of specific passages or symbols within the War Scroll. How do different scholars or traditions interpret these elements, and what underlying factors might influence their interpretations?

1. Personal Reflection and Modern Relevance:

• Reflect on how the themes of cosmic conflict, righteousness, and spiritual warfare in the War Scroll might resonate in contemporary society or personal belief systems.

1. Theological and Philosophical Implications:

• Discuss the theological and philosophical implications of a cosmic battle between forces of light and darkness. How does this theme intersect with broader philosophical inquiries or theological doctrines?

1. Literary and Symbolic Analysis:

- Analyze the narrative structure and symbolic elements present in specific passages of the War Scroll. How do these elements contribute to the text's overarching themes and meanings? 

These study questions aim to provoke critical thinking, promote in-depth exploration of themes, encourage comparative analysis, and stimulate discussions on the multifaceted nature of the War Scroll's content and its significance within ancient and contemporary contexts.

1. Archaeological and Linguistic Analysis:

- How does the physical condition of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the War Scroll, impact our understanding of their preservation and historical context? - Discuss the linguistic peculiarities or unique textual features found within the War Scroll and their implications for translation and interpretation. 

1. Apocalyptic Expectations and Messianic Concepts:

- Explore the portrayal of messianic figures or anticipated saviors within the War Scroll. How do these concepts align with or diverge from contemporary expectations of a messianic figure in other ancient texts or religious traditions? 

1. Impact of Apocalyptic Literature:

- Analyze the enduring influence of apocalyptic literature, such as the War Scroll, on subsequent religious, literary, or cultural traditions. How have these texts shaped later beliefs or inspired artistic and literary works? 

1. Ethical and Moral Frameworks:

- Discuss the ethical or moral implications of the cosmic conflict depicted in the War Scroll. How do the themes of righteousness and wickedness contribute to the text's underlying moral framework? 

1. Role of Prophecy and Revelation:

- Explore the role of prophecy and revelation within the War Scroll. How do the prophetic elements contribute to the text's portrayal of future events and cosmic justice? 

1. Experiential and Ritualistic Elements:

- Investigate potential ritualistic or experiential dimensions associated with the teachings or beliefs conveyed in the War Scroll. How might the community have engaged with these teachings in their religious practices or communal activities? 

1. Literary Genre and Interpretation:

- Discuss the classification of the War Scroll within the broader genre of apocalyptic literature. How does its classification influence our understanding and interpretation of its themes and symbolic elements? 

1. Relevance in Modern Scholarship:

- Reflect on the ongoing scholarly debates or discoveries related to the War Scroll. How have modern interpretations evolved, and what implications do these new perspectives have on our understanding of the text? 

1. Intersection of Faith and Scholarship:

- Consider the interplay between faith-based interpretations and scholarly analyses of the War Scroll. How might religious convictions or theological frameworks influence academic research and vice versa? 

1. Future Research and Interpretative Avenues:

- Propose potential avenues for future research or areas of exploration concerning the War Scroll. What unanswered questions or unexplored aspects merit further investigation? 

The composition of the War Scroll, along with other Dead Sea Scrolls, was likely influenced by several historical events and societal conditions prevalent during the time of its writing, which is estimated to be between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE:

1. Hellenistic Rule and Cultural Influence:

• The region where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found was under Hellenistic influence due to the conquests of Alexander the Great and the subsequent control by the Seleucid Empire. This era saw a clash between Hellenistic culture and Jewish traditions, leading to cultural tensions and a desire to preserve religious and cultural heritage.

1. Political Turmoil and Resistance Movements:

• The Jewish people experienced political unrest, particularly during the Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid rule. This period was characterized by resistance movements, attempts to preserve Jewish identity, and fervent anticipation of a messianic figure to deliver them from foreign oppression.

1. Religious Sects and Spiritual Expectations:

• Various religious sects existed within Judaism, each with its own interpretations and expectations of messianic redemption, purity laws, and theological doctrines. The community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls, often believed to be the Essenes, likely had distinctive theological beliefs and a strong apocalyptic worldview.

1. Anticipation of Cosmic Redemption:

• There was a widespread belief in the imminent arrival of a messianic figure or a divine intervention that would bring about cosmic redemption, ushering in an era of righteousness and divine rule. This anticipation of apocalyptic events and a cosmic battle between forces of light and darkness is reflected in the War Scroll's themes.

Regarding the historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery, its significance lies in multiple facets:

1. Preservation of Ancient Texts:

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the War Scroll, provided an invaluable collection of ancient manuscripts that significantly expanded our understanding of ancient Jewish texts, religious beliefs, and the diversity of Jewish thought during the Second Temple period.

1. Insights into Jewish Sectarianism:

• The scrolls shed light on the diversity of beliefs and practices among Jewish sects during that time. Understanding the beliefs and expectations of the community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls helps contextualize the theological and apocalyptic themes present in the War Scroll.

1. Confirmation of Scriptural Accuracy:

• The Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery contributed to confirming the accuracy and preservation of certain biblical texts, highlighting the continuity of textual transmission across centuries and supporting the authenticity of biblical manuscripts.

1. Impact on Biblical Studies and Scholarship:

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls revolutionized biblical studies, providing scholars with invaluable primary sources for studying ancient Judaism, the development of biblical texts, and the context in which these texts were composed.

The historical context of political upheaval, religious expectations, and the preservation of texts within the Dead Sea Scrolls contributes significantly to understanding the milieu in which the War Scroll was written. It provides a backdrop against which the themes of cosmic conflict, eschatological anticipation, and religious fervor within the War Scroll can be comprehended.

This is about primarily seniors with share of cost. I used to volunteer with HICAP and one of the things we would help people do was reduce or eliminate their share of cost. I remembered that but until recently could not remember how it worked, so I did some searching. It works because by paying for a small medical or dental or similar policy it qualifies you for “Aged and Disabled Federal Poverty Level Program.”
If your share of cost is huge this may not work, but it worked for a lot of people.
I couldn’t process the actual link but under the website “Disability Rights California” search for
Worksheets for Determining Eligibility Under the Aged & Disabled Federal Poverty Level (A&D FPL) Medi-Cal Program
Hope that is helpful and I haven’t violated any rules.

I downloaded this gantt chart template from Vertex42 and I'm adding some modifications to it. The worksheet came with most of the CF rules. The ones I need help understanding are the ones that fill the cell gray, fill it purple and fill it red. The sheet came with the gray and purple and those are working just fine.
The purple rule looks at the start and end dates and fills in the dates that color. The gray takes the progress percentage and colors that portion of the purple to show progress. What I am trying to do is tack red cells onto the end of the purple to display the days that the task has been delayed. So to do this I added a "Days Delayed" column and the rule that fills the cell red.
Can you explain to me how the purple and gray cells work so I can understand better how to modify the purple one to make the cell red when I want to? The rule for the red cells I added isn't working right and I've stared at the other rules for way too long without fully grasping how they work LOL.
https://preview.redd.it/wvq2nn0vxhvc1.png?width=2172&format=png&auto=webp&s=eb76db209cff38f336a9638ca245157740a30049
EDIT: I changed the picture to show the column letters so you can identify what cell K5 is referencing. Also, "task_end" is a named range that refers to "4/16/24" in that first row. "task_start" is a named range that refers to "4/9/24", in this case.

My ex partner and I had a hearing for child support a few weeks ago. During the hearing my ex-partner had presented a response to my initial filing, challenging the worksheet my lawyer and I presented and requesting a lower percentage of child support and non-covered medical expenses. The judge made a ruling for a small change in the other parent’s favor. The judge said that even though the other parent was technically “the prevailing party” they asked my lawyer to “prepare the order.” That day after the hearing, my lawyer made the changes and sent the orders, signed by me and my lawyer to my ex-partner’s lawyer. It has been a couple weeks and I hadn’t heard anything. Today my lawyer emailed me— there is another hearing in three weeks. On the Notice of Hearing paperwork, on the ‘purpose of this hearing’ line it states “Presentation of Child Support and Worksheets.” Can anyone clarify what the hearing is for?
It is incredibly hard to reach my lawyer, who technically has stopped taking clients in my county. There is a serious shortage of available representation where I live. I am hoping to avoid racking up more legal fees just asking simple procedural questions. I am guessing this kind of hearing would normally not be a regular part of the process, but my lawyer has to do this because the other lawyer has failed to respond or file the order?
I am really nervous because my ex partner’s lawyer is kind of no-holds-barred, anything-goes, and unpredictable. This whole custody and child support has been a brutal years-long process. During a recess at the last hearing, I could not help but overhear every word of what they discussed between them in the empty courtroom, despite the fact that they were technically ‘whispering’ or at least talking with lowered voices. (My lawyer appeared remotely.) They are displeased by both the child support situation and established parenting plan, and of course, me. I am unsure if it is more hot air and empty threats/intimidation or if they will continue to fight things for the sake of being difficult, despite consistently not getting favorable results. Can the other lawyer try and present anything new or make further objections at this next hearing?
Thank you in advance for your help.