January 16, 2008

I've been studying game theory for some time now. I've left Walrasian equilibrium and Edgeworth's Box for tomorrow before class. After class, I will study the principal-agent model (which I duly wish I will never see again). For your information (all ye in microeconomics), the idea of equilibrium is based off Walrasian equilibrium and Edgeworth's Box. It's hard, so be appreciative that all you need to study in AP Microeconomics is how to shift demand and supply... and maybe some stuff about elasticity, marginal cost, average cost, and fixed costs. Anything beyond that requires linear programming.

In all honesty, I'm scared witless for the comprehensive exams for Friday. For one, I have no idea what exactly will be on the exam. Secondly, I felt like even if I studied for everything 50 times more, I still would not have been able to do better. And, thirdly, there's just so much to study for... what if I missed an important topic? Again, when you run into situations like that, prayer is not a bad idea.

I used to get this deranged notion that if you pray, you would do well even if you have not studied. Hah! Does there exist a greater pipe dream? In due time, I learned that prayer is not for personal glory. No, tagging the phrase "all for Your glory" in your prayer does not make the prayer suddenly all for God's glory. We pray not so we do well, but we pray that the Lord may give us to wisdom and strength to prepare well and then survive the exam with a smile on our face.

So I've been praying that the Lord may prepare me adequately enough so that I won't leave the exam in dread and tears. He has been more than gracious, allowing me to study up on some game theory. I don't know if I'll do well or not on the exam, but all I know is this: if I don't pass, I know where I lack. If I do, I know that I was not alone in the passing. You know, we often thank God for academic/athletic honors, but in our hearts, it's easy to accredit that to our own efforts. It's spiritual plagiarism, but only you and God know that. Can we not plagiarize and give credit where it's due?

I'm trying to burn some time now before my long-awaited Economics of Religion class begins. This is probably my most exciting and at the same time, the most difficult class of the semester. Exciting because I'm hugely interested in how capitalist features have seeped into contemporary Christianity. Difficult because Professor Deirdre N. McCloskey (check on wikipedia or UIC.edu) expects A LOT out of her undergraduate students (and this is a graduate class). I almost fainted when I found out we have to read 10 chapters from her book in a week. I checked and was so relieved when each chapter was about 2-4 pages (double sided). That on top of 2 papers (30+ pages double sided each) and a 2-3 paged paper due every Wednesday.