My Creative Nonfiction class has given us the assignment to write five starting paragraphs to the question, "Why Do You Write?" Ordinarily, I would have found this assignment cool and fascinating to see what I come up with. This may still be the end result, but right now. . .
I am aggravated. How many times have I been asked this question? How many times have I explored it on my own? And now it's become redundant. Irritating, even. Of course, I would probably begin by assigning this as the first topic too. None of my aggravation is directed at the professor, or the class. Just the question. "WHY DO I WRITE?"
It stares at me from the page, so non-threatening, so innocent. It's a valid enough of a question. Usually it's the first one to be asked any author, right ahead of, "Where do you come UP with this sh**?" Or so declares interview upon interview with any of my favorite authors.
So, why DO I write? To tell the truth, outside of class assignments, I can't remember the last time I wrote just for myself (outside of the occasional journal session at night). I can't recall the last time I attempted something fictional (which is first and foremost my true love in writing) or even nonfictional (again, aside from the journal entries, which too have become rare). I know I love writing. Why don't I sit down and do it? Is it a time issue? The amount I spend on Facebook tells me no.
I think it's because I'm lazy. I've gotten into the habit of 'not-writing' so much that it's easier for me to lay down and just think about what I would write instead of actually doing it. This doesn't go well with my "Just Do It, Already!" New Years resolution. So how do I break the chain?
Just do it?
Anyway, here is what the assignment turned out to be:
Why Do I Write?
Friday, January 21, 2011
Ha. . . Or Not.
In reference to this post, 451, Here we come, from TeacherScribe, I couldn't resist sharing a strip from one of my favorite cartoons.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Is it Sci-Fi or Something Else?
Thanks to my Mass Media professor, here is the link to something I find rather disturbing. According to the article, if you haven't clicked to read, Intel is in the process of developing a chip that can harness brain waves to control computers, TVs, and cell phones.
When I was in middle school, I came across the book "Feed" by M.T Anderson. I was trying to pry my fingers off the Harry Potter books at home; the bindings were wearing faster than I could buy them again, so I was perusing the school library.
"Feed," I had thought. "Sounds interesting."
Scary, more like. It's a futuristic story from the point of view of a boy who is a part of a generation with the internet/TV hardwired to their brains. Literally. As babies, a chip is implanted into their brains. The book follows this boy as he meets someone who will try to change his view on the world. This someone (obviously) is a girl. She had the chip planted much later in life, as a teen. This, and having parents who believed in education outside of holograms and whatnot, allowed her to experience the world outside the "Feed." While a great book, it has haunted me ever since. By the end of the book, I vowed that no machine would ever hook into my head, nor to any child of mine I should ever have. My Dad smiled when I told him I was afraid of this future. He said, "Kriss, it's Sci-Fi. We probably won't see that future come to pass. Don't worry."
Ha.
Now, here it is. Thanks, Intel, for making my nightmares come true.
Going back to the article, I want to leave you with one quote that struck me as down right horrifying.
"He also predicted that users will tire of having to manipulate an interface with their fingers." Are you kidding me???? WALL-E ANYONE???
When I was in middle school, I came across the book "Feed" by M.T Anderson. I was trying to pry my fingers off the Harry Potter books at home; the bindings were wearing faster than I could buy them again, so I was perusing the school library.
"Feed," I had thought. "Sounds interesting."
Scary, more like. It's a futuristic story from the point of view of a boy who is a part of a generation with the internet/TV hardwired to their brains. Literally. As babies, a chip is implanted into their brains. The book follows this boy as he meets someone who will try to change his view on the world. This someone (obviously) is a girl. She had the chip planted much later in life, as a teen. This, and having parents who believed in education outside of holograms and whatnot, allowed her to experience the world outside the "Feed." While a great book, it has haunted me ever since. By the end of the book, I vowed that no machine would ever hook into my head, nor to any child of mine I should ever have. My Dad smiled when I told him I was afraid of this future. He said, "Kriss, it's Sci-Fi. We probably won't see that future come to pass. Don't worry."
Ha.
Now, here it is. Thanks, Intel, for making my nightmares come true.
Going back to the article, I want to leave you with one quote that struck me as down right horrifying.
"He also predicted that users will tire of having to manipulate an interface with their fingers." Are you kidding me???? WALL-E ANYONE???
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Get ready: more thoughts on college
I have stated before that there is a difference between college professors and high school teachers. There is the usual-- high school teachers have to not only keep up with several classes and hundreds of students (though, professors do as well), but they coach, advise the student body, or have some other miscellaneous work on the side. College professors (as far as I know) at most have to do some research and publish something occasionally. Mostly this gives them the time to be out of class and allow a grad student to teach. But there has to be more. I keep talking about how awesome some of my professors are (for many reasons, and tonight I can add that for one class there are no tests, and the final is listed as 'celebration TBA'), but I had some pretty awesome high school teachers too. But were my high school teachers limited because they are high school teachers? Are the professors allowed some kind of 'get out of jail free' card? Because, I'm baffled over how I can have a class without tests or a midterm, and a final that essentially is going to get drinks (or so was the case with a friend who took this professor's class for seniors). I'm pretty sure that would NOT go down in a high school environment, even IF it was legal at that age group.
Then there is freedom of attendance. A minor point, but one I figure is worth addressing. High school is all about the attendance. Well, obviously, not ALL about it. But it was always a part, if not 10% or more depending on the teacher, of our grades. That is the case with some of the professors here. They are sticklers for attendance (as well as showing up on time). Some go so far as to refuse completed assignments if you have been absent for a less than reasonable excuse, or drop you a grade if you are gone more than three days in the semester. And then, some just don't give a damn. They figure, if you really want to be there, then awesome. It's the student spending a massive amount of money to be there. Let them choose if they spend it wisely or not. Now, some may argue, as I may have accidentally implied, that refusing to take attendance means the teacher doesn't give a damn about the students. I don't think that's true. I think they realize they don't have the time to track down all the students who don't care enough to come to class like high school teachers are almost obligated to do. They know it's not fair to waste what precious class time they have taking ten-fifteen minutes of roll in a class close to 200 when there is only 50 minutes to make a point for the day to the ones who bothered to show.
And then there is what I enjoy seeing most in teachers: passion. Passion for their work, passion for the subject itself, and passion through teaching. In my high school, I can name a bucket of teachers who threw themselves into their work, a handful who not only threw themselves, but tackled and mastered the tasks, but only a few who did it all smiling. I think that is the hardest part of all-- loving the career for better or worse. Around here, yes, there are more teachers, but I can't say I am finding the same ratio of ones who were so passionate. I've been lucky so far, I've had a number of professors who made me excited for a subject simply by watching them get worked up and shining just by talking about it. Granted, I'm in my first year, second semester. What do I know? I've had, what, eleven different teachers so far? Four have left a lasting impression. Four have made me so excited for school, I can barely sleep at night. Like waiting for Disneyland when I was really little. Yes, I'm geeky, so shoot me. I love it.
But are they more passionate then that few who impressed me in high school? I don't believe so. Mainly because I don't think it's fair to attempt to judge a person's passion past if it catches and makes me just as excited to read a book, write a paper, study something strange, attempt to master the basics of German, or learn Shakespeare.
I should make the point that there is a difference between a 'good' teacher and a 'passionate' one. For instance, my first impression of the professor for my British and World Drama tells me he is going to be a really good teacher. He had everyone roaring with laughter, gave the classroom a friendly atmosphere, and made me feel comfortable about offering opinions in class discussion in the future. But because we have yet to really dig into our subject matter, he was just a nice guy. Just a professor who enjoys joking with the students. I've talked about my American Lit 1 professor, how just discussing history made her eyes light up and her wrinkles lift and shed 10 years off her face. And while I did like adding to discussion in her class, she wasn't usually cutting it up, making us laugh, making everyone feel comfortable. I still thought of her as a good teacher, but more importantly, a passionate one. I can guess that even when she retires, she will probably do some research now and then, and she will definitely continue to read the books that fuel the fire of her love for history. She will more than likely still travel to places like Walt Whitman's cabin, or to a rosebush that was in a poem about Lincoln.
Anyway. How about level of education? Granted, to become a professor I believe you need your doctorate, at least a masters. Most high school teachers may stop at bachelors. Assuming that the rate of education value isn't going up (say, because more and more people go into teaching, more and more need higher education like Masters just to compete to get their starting job), are college professors more intelligent simply because they have their masters or doctorates? Well, a number of my high school teachers earned their masters degrees, and maybe some are even thinking of doctorates, but have no desire to teach at the college level. Again, I have to say no, I don't think they are necessarily more intelligent. Mostly because of a question that lined the top of one high school teacher's white board; "How are you smart?" I thought this was brilliant. "How smart are you" has become an outdated query. Our world has become so specialized, so specific (can YOU count how many job titles under 'technician' or 'biologist' there are?) that we are no longer attempting to know everything in school, rather just one thing, or one area of a thing. For example, my Anglo Saxon professor (who was also my Myth professor) was telling us today that he runs the Humanities department, but he specializes in something so specific that they don't even have a class for it here anymore. And my British and World Drama professor specializes in how Latin was used throughout time. I saw a joke once about how a man was hired to fix a computer. He took it all apart and was about to leave, but before he could he was asked, "well, won't you put it back together??" And he replied, "No, there will be a guy coming to do that next week."
So, high school teachers then. As with any job, they learn as they go. I don't think in any career, especially one in education, people ever stop learning. New advancements happen every day, English is a mess to keep up with from the proper works cited format to if a title of something is italicized or in quotation marks. My dad, even as a mechanic, goes to classes all the time to keep up with new equipment, new technology. So again, are college professors more intelligent? Granted, I've met some pretty stunningly smart teachers here, but there is always that odd duck. So, the answer is unabashedly no.
Lastly, something occurred to me tonight while I was sitting listening to my Anglo Saxon teacher introduce the class, what we will be doing, and most importantly, how each of our various majors will bring different and interesting points of view to the topics. That something was this: You can't pick your students. Well, duh, you say. But can you? The professor for this class asked me to join, and the more he talked about being excited how many different majors we had in the class, I started to wonder how many more of the 20 or so of us he recruited. He doesn't care for a group of one type of person, say, just English majors or just history majors or just art history majors. When he asked me to join the class, it was because he wanted my point of view as an English major. He was gleeful to discover we had a bio-chem major and a psych major as well. The rest of us are scatterings of history and English majors, though I think someone is a literary geography major or something along those lines. Now, I may be wrong, but I think as far as high school goes, you get what you're given. Another point to college professors.
I think my overall point is this: are high school teachers held back? Are they getting the short end of the stick compared to college professors?
Perhaps. They tend to worry more about students showing up, they have to take attendance, make sure to get papers back on time (whereas some college professors never give them back, I just ended up with grades), they have to deal with parents more, they are required to have some kind of coaching/advising/other job on the side, and they aren't strongly encouraged to hand off their classes to a graduate student so they can go research for a year or two. They also don't get to type 'celebration TBA' in the place where the word 'final' should go on the syllabus. And it seems they don't have to explain where their grading comes into play. My Astronomy professor BSed most of the what our grade was supposed to be made up of, mainly because it was a lecture class of 100+ students. Again, who is going to take attendance of 100+ students?
So maybe college professors have it alright in comparison. But let me tell you, if I had a job offer from each area of teaching, I would go for the high school kids every time. Some high school teachers (I know of one in particular) will laugh at me and beg me to choose otherwise. Maybe I'm thinking too optimistically here. But of the professors around here that haven't impressed me, haven't made me want to get up to go to class in the morning, there is a level of desperation/depression/lack of emotion that registers on their faces more so than high school teachers who wail that they are going to give up, going to quit. And that scares me. Because the way I see it, those teachers howling with anger over 'obstinate' teens, those who are fuming at the end of the day, haven't actually given in yet. They are still kicking and fighting and trying to do their best in class and for the students. It's why they are so frustrated. Because they still care. It's the professors here that are mellow, monotone, and have a dull look in their eyes that scare the hell out of me. Because they gave up a long time ago, and it looks like something gave up along with their determination. They look like the living dead (which reminds me of Prof. Binns in Harry Potter. He got up and walked away from his body one day, still teaching, unaware he is a ghost. That's what these people remind me of). I'd rather be wailing at the end of the day, smoke coming from my ears than to be one of them. At least I'll still know I'm alive.
Then there is freedom of attendance. A minor point, but one I figure is worth addressing. High school is all about the attendance. Well, obviously, not ALL about it. But it was always a part, if not 10% or more depending on the teacher, of our grades. That is the case with some of the professors here. They are sticklers for attendance (as well as showing up on time). Some go so far as to refuse completed assignments if you have been absent for a less than reasonable excuse, or drop you a grade if you are gone more than three days in the semester. And then, some just don't give a damn. They figure, if you really want to be there, then awesome. It's the student spending a massive amount of money to be there. Let them choose if they spend it wisely or not. Now, some may argue, as I may have accidentally implied, that refusing to take attendance means the teacher doesn't give a damn about the students. I don't think that's true. I think they realize they don't have the time to track down all the students who don't care enough to come to class like high school teachers are almost obligated to do. They know it's not fair to waste what precious class time they have taking ten-fifteen minutes of roll in a class close to 200 when there is only 50 minutes to make a point for the day to the ones who bothered to show.
And then there is what I enjoy seeing most in teachers: passion. Passion for their work, passion for the subject itself, and passion through teaching. In my high school, I can name a bucket of teachers who threw themselves into their work, a handful who not only threw themselves, but tackled and mastered the tasks, but only a few who did it all smiling. I think that is the hardest part of all-- loving the career for better or worse. Around here, yes, there are more teachers, but I can't say I am finding the same ratio of ones who were so passionate. I've been lucky so far, I've had a number of professors who made me excited for a subject simply by watching them get worked up and shining just by talking about it. Granted, I'm in my first year, second semester. What do I know? I've had, what, eleven different teachers so far? Four have left a lasting impression. Four have made me so excited for school, I can barely sleep at night. Like waiting for Disneyland when I was really little. Yes, I'm geeky, so shoot me. I love it.
But are they more passionate then that few who impressed me in high school? I don't believe so. Mainly because I don't think it's fair to attempt to judge a person's passion past if it catches and makes me just as excited to read a book, write a paper, study something strange, attempt to master the basics of German, or learn Shakespeare.
I should make the point that there is a difference between a 'good' teacher and a 'passionate' one. For instance, my first impression of the professor for my British and World Drama tells me he is going to be a really good teacher. He had everyone roaring with laughter, gave the classroom a friendly atmosphere, and made me feel comfortable about offering opinions in class discussion in the future. But because we have yet to really dig into our subject matter, he was just a nice guy. Just a professor who enjoys joking with the students. I've talked about my American Lit 1 professor, how just discussing history made her eyes light up and her wrinkles lift and shed 10 years off her face. And while I did like adding to discussion in her class, she wasn't usually cutting it up, making us laugh, making everyone feel comfortable. I still thought of her as a good teacher, but more importantly, a passionate one. I can guess that even when she retires, she will probably do some research now and then, and she will definitely continue to read the books that fuel the fire of her love for history. She will more than likely still travel to places like Walt Whitman's cabin, or to a rosebush that was in a poem about Lincoln.
Anyway. How about level of education? Granted, to become a professor I believe you need your doctorate, at least a masters. Most high school teachers may stop at bachelors. Assuming that the rate of education value isn't going up (say, because more and more people go into teaching, more and more need higher education like Masters just to compete to get their starting job), are college professors more intelligent simply because they have their masters or doctorates? Well, a number of my high school teachers earned their masters degrees, and maybe some are even thinking of doctorates, but have no desire to teach at the college level. Again, I have to say no, I don't think they are necessarily more intelligent. Mostly because of a question that lined the top of one high school teacher's white board; "How are you smart?" I thought this was brilliant. "How smart are you" has become an outdated query. Our world has become so specialized, so specific (can YOU count how many job titles under 'technician' or 'biologist' there are?) that we are no longer attempting to know everything in school, rather just one thing, or one area of a thing. For example, my Anglo Saxon professor (who was also my Myth professor) was telling us today that he runs the Humanities department, but he specializes in something so specific that they don't even have a class for it here anymore. And my British and World Drama professor specializes in how Latin was used throughout time. I saw a joke once about how a man was hired to fix a computer. He took it all apart and was about to leave, but before he could he was asked, "well, won't you put it back together??" And he replied, "No, there will be a guy coming to do that next week."
So, high school teachers then. As with any job, they learn as they go. I don't think in any career, especially one in education, people ever stop learning. New advancements happen every day, English is a mess to keep up with from the proper works cited format to if a title of something is italicized or in quotation marks. My dad, even as a mechanic, goes to classes all the time to keep up with new equipment, new technology. So again, are college professors more intelligent? Granted, I've met some pretty stunningly smart teachers here, but there is always that odd duck. So, the answer is unabashedly no.
Lastly, something occurred to me tonight while I was sitting listening to my Anglo Saxon teacher introduce the class, what we will be doing, and most importantly, how each of our various majors will bring different and interesting points of view to the topics. That something was this: You can't pick your students. Well, duh, you say. But can you? The professor for this class asked me to join, and the more he talked about being excited how many different majors we had in the class, I started to wonder how many more of the 20 or so of us he recruited. He doesn't care for a group of one type of person, say, just English majors or just history majors or just art history majors. When he asked me to join the class, it was because he wanted my point of view as an English major. He was gleeful to discover we had a bio-chem major and a psych major as well. The rest of us are scatterings of history and English majors, though I think someone is a literary geography major or something along those lines. Now, I may be wrong, but I think as far as high school goes, you get what you're given. Another point to college professors.
I think my overall point is this: are high school teachers held back? Are they getting the short end of the stick compared to college professors?
Perhaps. They tend to worry more about students showing up, they have to take attendance, make sure to get papers back on time (whereas some college professors never give them back, I just ended up with grades), they have to deal with parents more, they are required to have some kind of coaching/advising/other job on the side, and they aren't strongly encouraged to hand off their classes to a graduate student so they can go research for a year or two. They also don't get to type 'celebration TBA' in the place where the word 'final' should go on the syllabus. And it seems they don't have to explain where their grading comes into play. My Astronomy professor BSed most of the what our grade was supposed to be made up of, mainly because it was a lecture class of 100+ students. Again, who is going to take attendance of 100+ students?
So maybe college professors have it alright in comparison. But let me tell you, if I had a job offer from each area of teaching, I would go for the high school kids every time. Some high school teachers (I know of one in particular) will laugh at me and beg me to choose otherwise. Maybe I'm thinking too optimistically here. But of the professors around here that haven't impressed me, haven't made me want to get up to go to class in the morning, there is a level of desperation/depression/lack of emotion that registers on their faces more so than high school teachers who wail that they are going to give up, going to quit. And that scares me. Because the way I see it, those teachers howling with anger over 'obstinate' teens, those who are fuming at the end of the day, haven't actually given in yet. They are still kicking and fighting and trying to do their best in class and for the students. It's why they are so frustrated. Because they still care. It's the professors here that are mellow, monotone, and have a dull look in their eyes that scare the hell out of me. Because they gave up a long time ago, and it looks like something gave up along with their determination. They look like the living dead (which reminds me of Prof. Binns in Harry Potter. He got up and walked away from his body one day, still teaching, unaware he is a ghost. That's what these people remind me of). I'd rather be wailing at the end of the day, smoke coming from my ears than to be one of them. At least I'll still know I'm alive.
Monday, January 10, 2011
High Expectations
I'm one of those people with high expectations. Not just for myself, but in many aspects of life. Movies, books, classes, ect. This tends to lead me on, ending (usually) in disappointment. So when my adviser told me, in regards to my Mass Media and Society class, to "just do what you can and get out," I knew not to expect as much of it as I would have. Which is probably why I was so impressed by the end of the class period.
He began by showing us the blog our class has--forget D2L, forget paper syllabus. He made us a blog so he can post videos and google docs for us. And then he began to tell us the main point behind the first book we will read. The medium of our information. He is adamant that getting our information from a book or newspaper is better for us on some very deep level than from a screen. Not that the information is better ("SCREW the information!"), but the paper, the act of reading a book is better than reading from a screen (like an e-reader, thus making us subscribe to the New York Times newspaper). I've never thought about that before. I just prefer the feel of a book, the pages, and yes, the smell of a book better than drawing my finger across a screen to read. He also told us a rather funny story about deleting his Facebook account (which is another goal-- to get at least some of us to delete our Facebook accounts). I am amazed at how difficult it is. You actually have to go to an outside source to learn how to do it. Anyway, he deleted it because he enjoyed it too much. It had become an addiction. If it weren't for being connected to my family through Facebook, I might just do it. Though. . . whatever happened to snail mail? I used to write to my aunt all the time. Am I making excuses?
Did I mention he is the youngest professor I've seen so far on this campus?
Okay, so what if he is supposed to be a big liberal? I've been around that before, and he doesn't seem the type to just ignore other people's opinions. But that's just my first impression. Besides, who cares what political stance he takes if he is already making me think more about his introduction to the class than I have for any class previously? I'm more excited for this class then I could have imagined.
His stance on using technology is probably what interests me the most. I've had teachers who are trying to do everything possible to integrate technology of all kinds into the classroom, from iPods to blogs. I always figured this would be a good idea, perhaps kids will relate to a class more when being taught through a medium they understand best. I'm not sure yet the extent my professor is for or against this. He doesn't 'believe in' PowerPoint, makes all (close to) 200 of us subscribe to the New York Times (and forbids us to read it online), and he strongly believes print is better for us than virtual anything. But he isn't even attempting to get us to give up the internet all together.
This class is going to be awesome.
Hopefully. Side note, he has a funny thing about using loose leaf paper. He said if he tells us to take out a piece of paper and he hears a riiiiiip noise, he is going to throw up all over the counter. So DON'T DO IT. Like I said, this is going to be interesting.
As for my other classes today; my first hour (Understanding Short Story) is canceled until next Wednesday. My professor is going to be gone. Which leaves my four o'clock class, Writing Creative Nonfiction 1. The teacher is from warmer climates, so she was quizzing us on what is the coldest it gets here, how long does it last, and what about the bugs? I have a few friends in that class that I met in Advanced Writing, and there is a guy from Alaska that is pretty funny; he was wearing shorts because our zero degree weather is a heat wave to him. I'm a little wary about this class; the teacher gave the impression of treating the subject almost formally, talking to us like she was briefing us on a (dare I say) five-paragraph essay that CAN NOT go wrong. She seemed nice too, though, so perhaps this was 'first day jitters.'
Tomorrow I have the next round of new classes. I'm looking forward to my British and World Drama class. I can't wait! It's been a long time since I've been this excited about going to class every day. . .
He began by showing us the blog our class has--forget D2L, forget paper syllabus. He made us a blog so he can post videos and google docs for us. And then he began to tell us the main point behind the first book we will read. The medium of our information. He is adamant that getting our information from a book or newspaper is better for us on some very deep level than from a screen. Not that the information is better ("SCREW the information!"), but the paper, the act of reading a book is better than reading from a screen (like an e-reader, thus making us subscribe to the New York Times newspaper). I've never thought about that before. I just prefer the feel of a book, the pages, and yes, the smell of a book better than drawing my finger across a screen to read. He also told us a rather funny story about deleting his Facebook account (which is another goal-- to get at least some of us to delete our Facebook accounts). I am amazed at how difficult it is. You actually have to go to an outside source to learn how to do it. Anyway, he deleted it because he enjoyed it too much. It had become an addiction. If it weren't for being connected to my family through Facebook, I might just do it. Though. . . whatever happened to snail mail? I used to write to my aunt all the time. Am I making excuses?
Did I mention he is the youngest professor I've seen so far on this campus?
Okay, so what if he is supposed to be a big liberal? I've been around that before, and he doesn't seem the type to just ignore other people's opinions. But that's just my first impression. Besides, who cares what political stance he takes if he is already making me think more about his introduction to the class than I have for any class previously? I'm more excited for this class then I could have imagined.
His stance on using technology is probably what interests me the most. I've had teachers who are trying to do everything possible to integrate technology of all kinds into the classroom, from iPods to blogs. I always figured this would be a good idea, perhaps kids will relate to a class more when being taught through a medium they understand best. I'm not sure yet the extent my professor is for or against this. He doesn't 'believe in' PowerPoint, makes all (close to) 200 of us subscribe to the New York Times (and forbids us to read it online), and he strongly believes print is better for us than virtual anything. But he isn't even attempting to get us to give up the internet all together.
This class is going to be awesome.
Hopefully. Side note, he has a funny thing about using loose leaf paper. He said if he tells us to take out a piece of paper and he hears a riiiiiip noise, he is going to throw up all over the counter. So DON'T DO IT. Like I said, this is going to be interesting.
As for my other classes today; my first hour (Understanding Short Story) is canceled until next Wednesday. My professor is going to be gone. Which leaves my four o'clock class, Writing Creative Nonfiction 1. The teacher is from warmer climates, so she was quizzing us on what is the coldest it gets here, how long does it last, and what about the bugs? I have a few friends in that class that I met in Advanced Writing, and there is a guy from Alaska that is pretty funny; he was wearing shorts because our zero degree weather is a heat wave to him. I'm a little wary about this class; the teacher gave the impression of treating the subject almost formally, talking to us like she was briefing us on a (dare I say) five-paragraph essay that CAN NOT go wrong. She seemed nice too, though, so perhaps this was 'first day jitters.'
Tomorrow I have the next round of new classes. I'm looking forward to my British and World Drama class. I can't wait! It's been a long time since I've been this excited about going to class every day. . .
Friday, January 7, 2011
Going Back
Sunday is my last day at home before the second semester begins at BSU. And now that I'm on the other side of my month of freedom and brain-dead vegetation, I am reluctant to return. Yes, just a few posts ago I was complaining of boredom, but, for one, it means actually being goal oriented again. It was nice being able to just spend time sleeping, day dreaming, and not worrying over what time it is. And playing with my niece (who, at just the beginning of her seventh month is standing up on her own!!!!! Yes, I am a proud aunt). And reading books that had nothing to do with school, but instead everything to do with Jeremy Clarkson's nonsense (which turns into sense after reading article after article after article). Now I have to start with the lists again. For instance, tomorrow I hope to achieve: Seeing my niece and sister-in-law, watching the second Narnia movie with my BFF, cleaning my room, going grocery shopping, finishing things I made to decorate my dorm, and beginning the final rounds of laundry. The day after I need to make sure everything is packed, do Thank You's to scholarships and family, and send the Times my grades so I can actually receive my scholarship. It's an exhausting thought after doing next to nothing for the last few weeks.
But I can't help my excitement, either. New classes! Most of which are for my majors, not lib. eds (mainly because the ones I would have taken aren't offered this semester and because IF I attend Eurospring next year, I need to have lib eds to take while I'm there). I have twelve books (for a total of six classes) this semester, a mind blowing amount compared to the five I had last semester. While this means I'll be forced to make my way though a million more pages of required reading before ever reading another book for pleasure, that's okay. Because I've found that the required reading includes books I've been meaning to get to, but substitute for Swan Song by Robert McCannon or another round with Harry Potter. Or one of the many other books I have been given for Christmas, my birthday, ect. I am bringing back a thousand more books to my dorm than I took home. I might even be drowning in books by the time I unpack everything. But what a way to go!
Anyway, I still have to pack and finish gathering all my laundry, and stop myself from being distracted by two new books I just got in the mail as Christmas presents: Alex Rider's newest thrilling tale, and A Clockwork Orange. I am not sure I can keep my hands off of them. . .
But I can't help my excitement, either. New classes! Most of which are for my majors, not lib. eds (mainly because the ones I would have taken aren't offered this semester and because IF I attend Eurospring next year, I need to have lib eds to take while I'm there). I have twelve books (for a total of six classes) this semester, a mind blowing amount compared to the five I had last semester. While this means I'll be forced to make my way though a million more pages of required reading before ever reading another book for pleasure, that's okay. Because I've found that the required reading includes books I've been meaning to get to, but substitute for Swan Song by Robert McCannon or another round with Harry Potter. Or one of the many other books I have been given for Christmas, my birthday, ect. I am bringing back a thousand more books to my dorm than I took home. I might even be drowning in books by the time I unpack everything. But what a way to go!
Anyway, I still have to pack and finish gathering all my laundry, and stop myself from being distracted by two new books I just got in the mail as Christmas presents: Alex Rider's newest thrilling tale, and A Clockwork Orange. I am not sure I can keep my hands off of them. . .
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