Simpson's Rule

This was a time when my student life would not allow me to have a social life. To be in college and taking seven classes in a pre-engineering program was not a walk in a park. In my first year, I was also working on the weekends at McDonald’s.  

In this second semester, I was taking a calculus class, chemistry, and physics, among my core courses. I needed to be alert, focused and ace those classes so I get a chance to get admitted in engineering. A department that had limited seats because of its high demand. Mathematics was always one of my favorite classes since I was a kid. I enjoyed calculus and statistics in my years after high school. Incredible what calculus can achieve in real world problems.

At my University, the final end of semester exams could be held at three possible time slots. It could be at 9 AM, 2PM or 7 PM. It was always three hours in duration. My final exam for calculus was at 9 AM. I had slept in the afternoon through mid evening till 10 PM on the eve. I felt great. I took a shower and I was headed to my school’s library to study. 

I made sure my school bag was packed with all I needed. My text book, notes, calculator, pencil, pen, eraser, ruler, etc. I decided to take my car. It was almost midnight when I got to the campus. I was able to find a free parking. Then, walk five minutes to get to the library.

As I am going up the stairs to the library, a security guard is standing at the door. During the final exams, the school is strict. Only students attending the school can enter the library. Otherwise, it gets full and no place to sit to study. Thank God… I did not forget my student ID card.

Security lets me in after checking my ID. I enter the library. So quiet… that it feels like a ghost town. However, I love this environment for study time. It feels like a temple for knowledge.

I have been walking around for ten minutes! Holy smoke! The library is packed at 99% on a Thursday night! Unbelievable. Finally, a spot! As I am walking towards the desk, I check if someone has left their jacket, coat, or books. Lot of times, students will take a break from study time to leave the premises. For some reason, it is an unwritten rule that if you leave your school bag, coat, jacket, or some text book with notes, binder, etc., that means that the desk is reserved. You don’t lose your spot. The funny thing also, is that no one steals your belongings. I have done it many times in the past.

Here I am, lucky, free desk to study for the next eight hours. As I am unpacking my stuff, I see this beautiful lovely blonde woman with blue eyes. She stared at me for a quarter of a second then went back to her studying. These desks, they have a blocked frontal view, and adjacent sides were partially blocked so you could not see easily what the person to your left and to your right are doing, unless you back off your chair or stand up.

By the time I was settled, and that I started studying, it was almost 12:30 AM. Let me review each chapter and go over the sample final exam of last year’s. Honestly, I think I am ready. If the exam was conducted at this moment, I think I would get 80%. I want to go get a 95%. I always set high standards. If I am aiming for 95%, I will get 85%. If I aim for 80%, I will end up with 70%. Also, to study in the library, ready or not for the exam in question, it always gave me a boost of confidence. Like some kind of a placebo effect. 

It is 3 AM. I think I will go take a break. Leave my stuff on the desk. Well, not a break. I need to see if I can meet up with Paulo. He is in my calculus class. He told me he would be in the library. As, I am leaving, the blonde woman looks at me, with a smile. She sees that I am holding some notes and she saw that it was about integrals using Simpson’s rules. I saw that she was studying for linear algebra. My guess, she is one semester ahead of me. 

“Are you in pre-engineering program?’’

‘’I am not. I am taking this class so I can pursue astronomy later on.’’

‘’Ah I see. Interesting…’’

‘’Where are you going with these notes now? I believe I do understand Simpson’s rule for approximating definite integrals.’’

‘’Oh wow! Did you take that class last semester? I am pretty much done with my review but I am stuck on this topic.’’

‘’I can help you if you wish. I have an hour of free time. After that, I must return to my linear algebra.’’

‘’I was going to ask a friend and look for him in the library but his cell phone is off.’’

She invited to pull the chair and bring it close to hers. My God…she smelled so good…I am not sure if I am going to be able to concentrate on Simpson’s rule. She took the time to explain in details from the first step till the last one. When to use this method or if the questions is asking to use with this method, then to know how to proceed. To be sure, she then asks me to go over a new problem she picked out from my text book, to show it to me. She gave me fifteen minutes to do it.

‘’Here it is. I am done.’’

‘’Let me go over with you and see if the numbers add up as well. From looking at it at a glance, it seems you got it,’’ as she smiles at me.

After going over this particular material, I was confident for my final exam this morning.

‘’By the way, I am Rajesh. Friends call me Raj.’’

‘’I am Catherine. Nice to meet you Raj. I will call you Rajesh. It is a unique name.’’

‘’Unique here, not in India,’’ as I start laughing.’’

She starts laughing also. I think we got some stares from a few students who heard us giggle. 

I went moved back my chair to my desk to continue my review. I told her that if I had done linear algebra that maybe I could have helped her. She was really nice to me to show me a to z, how it works. I told her after my exam, and hers, which was at the same time, we could go for lunch somewhere. She agreed. Now, I was looking forward to crush this final. Get a 95% or more. And…a date with the lovely Catherine blue eyes…