Divisions and Precisions

First Day of School

I am so tired today, but very very happy. I don't know if I can describe just how good it felt to be sitting in a classroom again. I usually have fairly intellectual discussions with my friends and such, but it was wonderful to have that in a classroom setting, with new people. I also walked my ass off, but that's not a bad thing, I know.

I forgot to take my journal notebook with me to school, but here's what I scribbled between classes, at about 3:00 pm yesterday:

I survived my first class! Government is going to prove much more interesting than I'd hoped. My teacher, Dr. Pyle, is a trip. So far, I like him. he got a bunch of reluctant freshmen to participate in a discussion. Interesting point: he pointed out just how much of our daily lives are regulated by the government, even down to the toilets we use -- then asked why most people aren't interested in it. I expect to have a lot to think about in this class. I suspect he leans more than a touch to the left (he referred to our president-elect as "George the 2nd") and his vaguely radical/irreverent tone reminded me of Mr. Meredith, my high school history teacher. This can only be a good thing.

I'm currently sitting outside my classroom for Lit 101 -- hoping desperately that the professor inside is not my Lit prof. He sounds very dull. I think he's talking about economics anyway. (Note: That could be why he sounded dull...)

I do feel old, but it's not as bad as I feared. I don't feel like I have a sign over my head that flashes "relative senior citizen here!" In fact, it's kind of neat, realizing that I've already learned things that my classmates haven't. I'm looking forward to getting to know them.

I had little to worry about where my lit professor was concerned. He managed to instantly win my approval. I'd seen a poster out in the hallway, advertising some sort of beauty contest Glamour magazine is holding on campus, and rolled my eyes. Then this guy walked into class, probably close to my size, with long hair but bald on top. He walks up to the front of the class, puts down his books, and deadpans, "I just want y'all to know, I plan to be Glamour Magazine's Campus Woman of the Year this year. I know I can do it, because unless those other girls are trained martial arts professionals, I can take 'em." I knew right then it was going to be a fun semester.

Classwork doesn't sound like it will be bad at all. I really didn't expect it to be, since both classes are freshman-level. I did actually have homework yesterday in lit, and yes, I did it already. I plan to be an absolutely sickeningly conscientious student. (Okay, stop laughing.) I have a paper due for each class, and surprisingly few tests. I was surprised how much of both grades are based on class participation. Then again, this isn't a bad thing. They'll have to beat me to shut me up, most likely. At the risk of sounding crotchety, college really has changed in the past ten years, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I'm so excited about this.