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No, I have not been kidnapped by aliens from the 10th planet (bigger than Pluto, you say?) or silenced by our First Amendment-bashing dictatorship government. I've just been busy dealing, in my own hyper-charged and oversensitive way, with various stresses that have arisen, both expected and butt-kicking. But #1 on my list of character traits: I deal with shit. Guess that makes me a good shit-dealer. There's something for my resume!
Yesterday I became a graduate student, entering and sniffing out a university classroom for the first time in nearly a decade. All day I felt a certain excitement, as if I were returning to a chapter in my life left unfinished years ago, while at the same time beginning a brand-new chapter. It was unexpectedly exhilirating. Kind of like the high you get when you're walking down the street and smell that delicious exhaust from the clothes dryer in some building's basement.
Then I got the syllabus. This harmless-looking, two-page document includes a) horrifyingly expensive textbook requirements and b) a list of assignments that must be completed, week-by-week and ON TIME. In my rather alarmingly youthful professor's words, "Five minutes late is the same as one week late." Ummm... not exactly, Professor Doogie. I've been out of the edumacation world for a while, but I'm pretty sure you'll want to check the math on that.
Still, hearing my professor say things like, "You can order the books from Amazon.com" and "Before we begin, please turn off all cell phones" stunned my late-blooming ass into the shuddering reality that I'm not in the Kansas of my undergrad days anymore. Gone are those technology-limited days when papers were typed on typewriters and cell phones only existed in "is that a giant phone in your pocket or are you just REALLY happy to see me?" form. (Yes, I'm that old!)
Posted by ayelet at February 1, 2006 02:34 PMHey, good luck on classes. I have never used this method, but I've heard that it's available. Most professors must have their textbooks on reserve in the library. You can avoid the cost of the textbooks if you check out the book, read your assignment and then return it. It may prove problematic, but I know people who swear by this method to keep costs down.
Later,
Moe
Posted by: Maureen at February 2, 2006 09:19 PMholy shit... my first discovery of an Ayelet spelling error; exhilarating.. not exhilirating.
:)
Congratulations on the new class... that is too funny about the cell phones, definitely was NOT an issue in college for me either!