Do you remember that scene in Finding Nemo? It's where we first meet Nemo. He's unbelievably excited to attend his first day of school. So much so that he pummels his dad (Marlin) awake and somehow gets stuck in a tube. Don't remember? Here's a refresher:
If I try and look back on the first time I was ever that excited for school, it would have to be before I started school. Before preschool. Pre-preschool if you will. And don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy school up until fifth grade. (Yech, the awkward years.) And I guess in some ways I still enjoy school.
I enjoyed it enough to get a bachelors degree, and it must not have been so horrible because I've applied and been accepted to several masters programs. Heck, I even took one of them up on the offer!
It's been quite a while though since I've had a true "first day." Actually, it's been almost two years. I was in the Czech Republic, starting a study abroad program at the Czech University of Life Sciences. Now, two years later, I'm at it again.
Tuesday was my first day of classes at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater Oklahoma. I'm starting a masters of science program in Agricultural Communications. This semester, I'm taking eight credit hours (Media Ethics, New Media, and Statistics) and working part time as an assistant to a professor. I'll be helping teach a class, and also writing some research articles. Fortunately, I've scheduled my classes so they are all on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Over the last few days, there has been a lot of "new" in my life. New home, new city to name a couple. I was shown my new work space (a small office I share with five other graduate students) with my "new" personal Mac computer, with my new computer programs (Adobe, Microsoft.. you know, the works), a new campus to figure out, new professors, new graduate students to meet, and new classes to take.
I don't think I realized how difficult this would be until I was sitting in my first class. It was Media Ethics, with about ten other students and I was "this" close to a panic attack. If you've been reading my blog, you know how much I love meeting new people. Starting the class didn't help because the professor walked through every. single. tiny. little. thing. we would ever have to do for the rest of the semester. Needless to say, I was more than a little overwhelmed. (So what do I do? I write a blog post. Naturally.)
I had another class on Tuesday called New Media, and it sounds like a lot of work, but it sounds interesting. We'll be talking about social networking, building a brand online, and learning how to interview people. Since I've been interviewing women and writing about them for another project, that should be a great asset.
I'm helping to TA a professional development class that takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so that's what I'm hanging around campus for between 2:30 and 3:30 now. Plus, I have to figure out how the heck to work a Mac. I'll keep you posted on that because I feel like it might be a struggle.
The other graduate students in the office with me seem really nice. I've already been invited to watch the Bachelor on Monday nights, and exchanged a couple phone numbers. Here's to hoping I'll make some lifelong friends with these lovely ladies. :)
On Wednesday, I attended my most-feared class: elementary statistics. I feel like the name is a little oxymoronic because there is nothing "elementary" about statistics. Admittedly, the first class was easy, but we'll see how the semester develops. I was a little miffed because right before class I went to the student union to buy my book (that the instructor posted online that we needed) and in class she said we don't need that version of the book--that we could use an older (and $100 cheaper) version of the book for the class... guess who's going to the bookstore later to return the book.
On a brighter note, I've already discovered my favorite place on campus. It's a series of ponds with a walking trail and some very lively geese. It kind of reminds me of the pond in the middle of campus at Czech University of Life Sciences. Makes me miss it.
The hardest part about being a grad student is not being in Denver with Tucker. For two weeks, I slept in the hospital room next to him, helped him play It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Netflix, and bought him Arby's. Now, I'm nine hours away and I feel totally powerless to help at all. I'm glad I have four-day-weekends to make the trip there to help. People keep telling me I'm in the right place, and maybe physically I am, but my mind and heart are split between Tucker in Denver and Ty in Nashville. All I can do, though, is keep praying and hope they know how much I love them.
Overall, it's been a long week, and it's not even Friday yet. Hopefully I'll be able to relax at home and take a nice long nap... I'm sure Papi will appreciate a cuddle buddy.
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