It's That Time Again Already

Finals are approaching, registration has begun, course requirements are being released. Book shopping is so much fun! (only a hint of sarcasm) As I am an insanely cheap person I do not enjoy throwing away $150 for a university custom bio book. I loathe it. The resale value is total crap; because let's face it no one outside your university will ever be able to use the book, being that it is custom and all. I opt for rental with the gen ed classes, because when am I ever going to need to go back to reference a music appreciation book? I shop around, I consider the course and if an e-book will work I go for that option. Unfortunately I am not all about trying to read every text book as an e-book so I only have one or two books that I can pull that off with. I am all for rental and used, the custom books burn my bridge as they typically are only available new; because each school year they seem to release a new edition. 

One fun thing that amused me while browsing for books tonight was the rental price for a pocket manual in my english class. This manual is used throughout every english class as it is just a guide for various writing formats. I already have one since I'm taking an english class this semester and have actually opted for an e-version. The rental price on this one caught my attention...

Now, I realize this is a typo of some sort. It just amuses me, and due to financial frustration for this cheapo I needed a good laugh.

On another note I have begun to realize most of my posts are complaining in nature, and for anyone that actually reads this I'd like to say I'm not typically such an unpleasant person; there is just something about school that brings out the grumpy whiner in me. Hence the use of the word grumpier in my blog title.

Now onto another note, I would just like to say that I mistakenly had too much wine the other night then realized I had a paper to write. I had to complete the research for it as well. I got 100% on that paper, which has raised the question; does booze improve my writing skills?

What's Life Without A Little Risk

I've done something that I hope I won't regret, or worse will earn me a bad grade. Every freshman at my university has to take an orientation class their first semester. The point of the class is to help the new students become acclimated to campus life. It's a great idea, in theory. However there are no modifications for students living on campus versus commuters. Nor are there an alternatives for non-traditional students. You know the people who waited a long ass time to go back to school, like your's truly.

Anyway I love my orientation professor, she is one of the professors for the program I am trying to get into; she is the bright light in this somewhat unnecessary class. First off the class requires you to go to two different lectures or watch the videos after and write a paper about the lectures. One lecture is on the risk of alcohol misuse, the other is about money management. Now I'm almost in my 30's, I've been drinking longer than I wish to put in writing and have never blacked out or vomited from alcohol use. I like to think I've got that pretty under control. On the other hand I've owned my own home since I was 20 and run my own business with my husband. I may not be a rich person, but I have a decent idea of budgeting and the importance of saving money. All in all I'm pretty sure I've got this shit. I didn't have time to go to either events, as I had work to do; so I watched the videos. I wasted two hours of my life that I can never get back, all to write a paper so that I would be able to pass the class.

When it came time to write the paper I was to write about the events and what I took away from them. Well I honestly took nothing away from either of them. So now came the decision, do I write this paper honestly or just totally bs it? I choose door number one of course. As I'm writing this paper I write of how I agree that the university does need an orientation class, but write of how there should be more variety for the students, as the needs for traditional fresh out of high school freshmen are not the same of the older non-traditional freshmen. I write of how I honestly wasn't able to take anything from either of the events. Then the part that has me cringing now, I had begun to forget this was an academic paper, I wrote of how one of the speakers seemed to be horribly attempting to imitate Dane Cook. What was I thinking? Now I'm anxiously awaiting the paper to be graded and hoping the whole time my professor who seems to love me won't think I'm the world's biggest asshole.

It won't be that bad, right? Right?!? Oh my gosh I'm going to get an F for eFfing Jerk on that paper. I just know it.

Blah Blah Blah (I really couldn't think of a better title)

Right now I have two major distractions from homework. Well counting this blog, three. First I'm obsessed with finding a better backpack. Not that there is really anything wrong with my current, but for some reason I keep finding myself searching Amazon for backpacks. Not sure if I no longer enjoy the color scheme of my current or if it's just a way to distract myself. One I have found and really love is this one...

Another distraction is getting on Pottermore. Major distraction actually, as it's been months since I had accessed it; plus I get giddy whenever I read something new. Being the completionist that I am I have to complete each chapter before progressing to the next. I became way too excited over the new information JKR released on Umbridge. Like way too excited over a character I hated more than Voldemort. Yeah, that's pretty much it.

Apparently Ain't Nobody Got Time For Blogging....

So it's been like a month. Homework, work, and housework have kept me very busy. First midterms done and I'm acing everything. Dreaded math is almost over for the semester. And on a completely random note I just discovered that Gen Y is now known as Millennials. What's up with that? My parents get Baby Boomers, my older brother gets Gen X, I get stuck will Millennials. Lamest name EVER. If I was just two years older I could consider myself Gen X and be happy with that term. Boo.

The Honest Post...

This will be the most honest and grossest post you will read from me. I have not washed my hair in over a week. A week. How has this happened you ask? In the mornings I have just enough time to shower, I don't even have enough time to eat. So each day I think when I get home I'm going to wash my hair. Then I get home and homework happens. Store work happens. Sleep sometimes happens. And I totally forget. Until the morning.

Messy buns, dry shampoo, and hairspray have become my best friend. It takes an hour. A freaking hour to dry my hair and straighten it. Or else I look like this....

On the bright side, since the semester began I've saved a ton of money on shampoo! And I don't have oily hair; so I've got that going for me, which is nice. With that being said, I think I'm going to go wash my hair before my husband hoses it down!

Sleep Or Lack Of....

You know what really grinds my gears? Parents who think they corner the market on sleep deprivation. And this isn't stemming from any recent conversations I've held. Just an overall childfree opinion I've developed over the years. You know who else doesn't get any sleep? A person who runs her household, goes to school, spends hours upon hours doing homework, and co-runs the family business. This past weekend we had a booth set up at a festival. Mind you this was only for one day, but due to other weekend obligations and trying to maintain a shadow of a social life, I only managed to get 13 hours of sleep on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights combined. Waking up at 5am on Friday and Saturday wasn't very enjoyable. I think waking up before 10am is a crime. I managed to drink 7-8 cups of coffee over the course of two days, and several caffeinated diet sodas. Then come Sunday night I worked on homework until 2am, THEN my stupid body wouldn't fall asleep until 4am.

I'm a person that loves sleep. If sleep were a person I'd marry it (sorry hubs). When I was younger, I'd get home from school at 3:30pm, take a nap until 7:30pm then go to bed from 12:30am-7:30am. Now I consider it a good nights sleep if I get 5 uninterrupted hours. I miss the days of naps, now it's caffeine and nicotine to keep me going. Alright end grumpy, sleepy rant!

To Psych or Not to Psych

That is the question. Psychology 200 is one of my core classes for my degree. When I met with an adviser, she wanted me to take the class this semester; while I wanted to wait. I'd like to add she wasn't my actual adviser, but one that met with me and another student at the same time. I wanted to get acclimated to college life before taking one of the four core classes I need to get an A in for my degree. However since I'm new to this, I listened to her. There weren't many professors left to choose from since my orientation group was one of the last to schedule classes. I picked from the limited choices I had, checked ratemyprofessor.com and went with what I thought was the best choice.

The first day of my psych class comes, the book still isn't ready. And it's not just any book, but one specific for my university. So no go on finding it elsewhere. I arrive at my class 20 minutes early, the professor is writing information on the white board while she speaks to herself. She writes something, then mumbles to herself, erases it, then writes pretty much the same thing again. Is she trying to psych the class out? (Pun intended). Then she stops and stares at the room. Just stares doesn't say anything. She doesn't actually speak until 2 minutes after the class should have begun. At this point, I'm thinking she's quirky and this could be fun/interesting. She takes roll then begins on the syllabus. As she goes over the exam dates, the class notices she scheduled one for Thanksgiving. There is no class on Thanksgiving. She seems to have forgotten this. She tells the class she will change the date, and let us know the new exam date. She acknowledges that the book is supposed to be ready any day now. As well we will need the access code in the book to complete our homework online.

She then begins with that day's lesson by passing out slides she created off the book. The first page of the slides has the cover of the book printed on it. Keep this in mind. The lesson goes off without a hitch, a bit dry; but the professor is very knowledgeable in her subject. I'm overall excited about this class.

The book comes in before the next time the class is scheduled to meet, happy day! I open my brand new book and pull out the activation code. I follow the steps, but alas the code isn't working. I have the right code for the right book, but the website shows the class needing a different book. It appears the professor may have still had the old book in there instead of the new. The cover doesn't match mine or anyone else's. So I email the professor, letting her know the site is requiring an activation code for a different book; how I am positive I have the correct book since it's the right ISBN number, says my university name on the book, and matches the slides she had printed for the class in our previous lesson. She replies back very quickly, which I am impressed with. She asks if I have the right book. Wait didn't I just give her a list of reasons why I had the right book? I explain that I do, she replies back again quickly that the campus bookstore doesn't have the book. I explain to her that I didn't go to the bookstore on campus and described the location and name of the bookstore I did. She replies back with a response from someone who works; suggesting that I return the book and come in to purchase it from them. I'm sorry, but I refuse to return a book that I have opened when it is the right book. I refuse to pay more just to have the same issue.

At this point I've lost all confidence in this professor. Other people taking psych 200 with different professors have the same book as I do. The psych department has the same requirements for all their classes. There is no way I have the wrong book. After much thinking and realizing that I know what is best for me, I go with my gut. I drop the class and see what other psych 200 classes have openings. None that fit my schedule. I decide to go a different route instead. I take an introductory class to my degree instead, this makes more sense for me and is what I wanted to begin with. I have received several other professor recommendations and will add the class next semester. After all I have the right book.

One of the lessons my first week of class taught me is this; to have the confidence to do what is right for my education. To not always listen to others, but go with what I know is right. I am the one earning my degree; not the adviser, not the professor, not my friends or family. I must have control over my education decisions. I can take the advice of others, but I must only take it when I feel it is actually what is needed. These next 6 years, I will have so much advice and opinions coming my way. It will be impossible to go with everything everyone tells me. I have to take out of it what works for me and what I feel will actually help my educational experience.

Back to School, Back to School

For weeks before school I constantly had this vision of Billy Madison, waiting for the school bus and singing. One of my favorite movies. Granted I'm not trying to prove anything or earn my inheritance, but instead create a future for my family. Nonetheless, still I had that tune stuck in my head for weeks.

The first day left me feeling nervous, excited, and intimidated. Lucky me I'd have a first day of class five times, then five turned into six (but that within itself is an entirely different story still to come).

Monday afternoon, nutrition; left me praising God that I was going into this class knowing someone! Not just anyone but my husband's aunt who wonderfully is an older student like me and a freshman! I knew going into this I wouldn't be alone. The teacher was late, and nervous. So so so sweet, but nervous. She had never taught a class our size before. The first thing I notice is my short legs are too long for this desk, as well I'm not the weight I was in high school. How the heck are you supposed to fit in these tiny desks? All those nerves and my only class of the day, my 3 hour class lasted not even 45 minutes. Day one done and in the books.

The syllabus was straight forward, I loved it. Knowing all my assignments, so much better than I remembered high school.

Lessons learned from day one: lose weight, get even shorter legs, don't bring a backpack when you only have one class that day, and realize that others are just as new at this as you are.

This won't be so hard, will it?

Where to start?

At this point I am entering my third week of college; the first two weeks were interesting as were the ones leading up to it....

Let me start off by saying there is no orientation for the older student who doesn't need mommy or daddy. There is no orientation for the married student who wants to know what she should expect financially. There is no orientation for the commuter who doesn't care about housing costs and meal plans. Instead there is the orientation for the 90% (or more) traditional-living on campus-fresh out of high school freshman. That's the orientation I went to; the one where I knew the first time someone asked where my kid was I would punch them. Luckily there were no scenes caused by my paranoia. Or sadly depending on if this story would have been more interested if it ended with an arrest and explaining how I was banned from the campus.

The orientation is basically herding fresh faced 18 year olds from room to room. First you must print out your degree plan and activate your email. Being the prepared adult I am, I had already done these. Next the herd is moved to building number two where you must pose for your ID picture. Sadly this day I had woke up late and had no time for coffee or hair doing. I had managed the makeup on the drive over so not all was lost. While waiting in line, this bubbly blonde starts talking to me. To summarize the conversation I learn she is 17 and had to get her parents to sign a permission slip. Needless to say the look on her face was precious when I told her I was 28 years old.

At least for me, in high school I thought being in your 30's was ancient; and when you hit your 40's that was when life surely ended. Now as I approach my 30's, I feel that 90ish is about the right age to consider ancient and anything younger than that is young. This way I can ensure I spend majority of my life feeling young, and on the off chance I make it to 90 I can allow myself to be the grumpy old cat lady I deserve to be.

By the looks of my ID picture, the amused look was still on my face. Now I will spend the next six years looking amused on my student ID.

After IDs are completed the herd gets moved back to building one where sitting in an auditorium with parents who look more like the people I'd hang out with, I get to hear all about parent loans and housing. As well don't forget the meal plans or ways for students to control what the parents can and cannot see regarding grades. I took absolutely nothing away from this, accept that if I have a child and I pay for their college I will be sure to always have access to their grades. Sorry, but I consider paying for an education an investment. I must admit majority of this time was spent looking around and whispering my amazement to how young these kids looked to my husband.

What felt like 10 hours, but was more like 5 hours into this shindig; the herd was separated into smaller groups. At this point an older student, who I was at least 5 years older than; pointed out some of the buildings and discussed our specific college within the university. During this I felt a mild wonderful relief when someone in the group turned out to be only 2 years younger than me! And in my degree! Finally after weeks of having family and friends reassure me that I wouldn't be the oldest person on campus, I met someone! And before the first day!

After more touring and information that didn't really pertain to me, and I say this in all seriousness and not for dramatic effect; scheduling could finally be done! This is the one thing, the one reason I had even willingly attended the mandatory orientation. Scheduling is locked out completely until your orientation. This I disagree with on so many levels. As an adult who is surrounded by college graduates, I could have easily had my schedule completely weeks before this dreaded orientation if they would have made the exception and allowed it!

Once scheduling was done I bailed! My mission was complete. My schedule was done! I was happy with the results. Now to get class started......