Friday, September 11, 2009

Reflections on My First Week of School

I made it through the first week of classes!  Overall, I would have to say I think this semester is going to be ok.  There is definitely a bit of an adjustment to take in, like remembering what homework is, but for the most part, I think I will make it.  It does help that I am taking a really light load, but after working 10 years in the real world and now I am suddenly back to student mode - something that I never thought I would go back to.  I don't know how people work full time and go to school and still have a life?!

Here are some thoughts/observations from my first week:

  1. It's a little lonely.  The classes that I am taking are undergraduate prerequisites, so I am sitting with a lot of younger people.  The lectures are huge, so I don't anticipate becoming close friends with people.  After working at places where I have met some of my closest friends, it does seem strange to go to class and not talk to anyone.  Good thing I have my cute little puppy dog to come home to - he is always excited to see me!
  2.  I am amazed at the patience that my professors have.  Let's be honest, there is such a thing as dumb questions, especially when they have already been answered, or the answers are on the syllabus and we have been told that they are on the syllabus (repeadly).  There are so people that truly love working with college students.  I am not one of those people, which is why I want to work with the little, little kids - that's where I have patience.
  3. After sitting through awful (and we are talking awful) 2 hour staff meetings, pointless webinars and non-productive meetings, 50 minute and 90 minute lectures are a piece of cake!  In fact, time goes by so quickly, I could seriously sit there for longer. I am pretty sure I didn't feel this way when I first went to college. 
  4. I forgot how much walking you do when you are in college. The college campuses I previously went to were a quarter of the size of the U.  I expect that I will be getting back into better shape seeing as how this summer I haven't done much exercising (baby's fault, of course!)
  5. My first order of business, sometimes before even locating my classrooms, is to find the closest bathroom in the building.  I honestly don't remember ever caring about that when I was in college before, but now I find that it's a necessity.
  6. Have I mentioned that I have a really supportive husband?!  He is truly amazing and if it weren't for him, I doubt I would be going back to school in the first place!
I am sure that I have more to say, but my cute little puppy dog that is so happy to see me would like to go for a walk.   And walking the dog sure beats cleaning up the mess he makes when he chews up his bed!

2 comments:

ron said...

What's a syllabus?

Jbird said...

I felt the same way about the length of classes. I would see people falling asleep and think 'really?' However, I know when I was 18 they seemed really long and boring too.

You will do great!