First days of Class

Well, I’ve survived all of my classes so far. Here’s the breakdown, in order:

I start with Social Dance. Social Dance is going to be pretty easy, I think. I need to remember to pack sunday shoes (and might need to get real shoes instead of use my marching band shoes that look like sunday shoes but are more comfortable), and there are a number of dance events I need to attend in the semester, but other than that it’s going to be pretty chill.

Philosophy is going to be freaking sweet. We’re studying Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher that sounds a lot like CS Lewis. We have pretty hefty reading assignments to digest, but Ms. Shelley’s reading class prepped me for that. I’m clearing through assigned reading very very quickly.

Physics was funny yesterday. Christie considered switching to 105 instead of taking 101. 105 is much more valuable, especially if you’re doing an engineering major. I had had the same idea, but figured a 101 course couldn’t hurt in getting me up to speed on concepts (and I could challenge the 105 course if I really had to after a 101 course). She decided to 30 minutes before 105 started, we both made the switch, and then I had to get another textbook, throwing the old text onto a pile of about $200 of refunds. Pretty crazy stuff. The actual class seemed very manageable. I have to keep on top of quizzes, reading, and homework, but it’s going to be very doable.

I have Honors Writing that’s going to be a little on the time-consuming side. Reading/writing assignments to tackle, a field trip, and about 100 pages of writing to nail down of varying difficulty. It’s a good thing I got my inkjet cartridges refilled today. It was funny how she started class though, putting in a CD of Synthesis, a campus Jazz group, playing a Jazz arrangement of the Sesame street theme. And we started with a prayer. It was awesome.

Mission Prep is awesome. That class will probably be my favorite this semester. The guy teaching it is a poli-sci major specializing in national security and intelligence, but he likes to teach it because it makes him “feel good”. The funny thing is that it’s the same course material that I had for mission prep earlier this year and last year, so I think I’ll be in good shape that way.

Next is Chemistry. It’s going to be time consuming, but doable. Lots of reading, a lab, homework, etc. But the teacher is a goof and I share the class with Brittany Jesse and Kristi Vogelsburg, so it’s not completely terrible. I do have to put in a note on this class: he totally used the Joseph Smith story as an analogy for the Scientific Method (Observations, Hypothesis, Experimentation, etc.) That was totally amazing, especially since his slides had the references and everything. Wow.

So, chem is directly followed by Book of Mormon. I’ve heard hard things about that class, but it’s going to be pretty manageable. About 7 chapters between classes, a couple papers, classroom discussion, and a final. I think I’ll be okay. 

I’m starting to think that running a business and having a job on the side will be very doable, even if I’m taking 17 credits, have an estimated 200 pages of writing this semester, taking honors courses, and have about 3000 pages of reading to devour. First, however, I have to go get groceries from Macey’s for the next few days, finish my Physics homework, and get started on that Book of Mormon reading. All in the next 1.5 hours. It’ll work though.

EDIT: The one thing about me doing all this is that I feel so much more motivated to succeed. I’m basically here because I want to be. There are no real restrictions on if I want to stay or go, drop out, or whatever. It’s up to me to make this work, and since I have that responsibility there’s no way it can fail. My hardest classes in high school were the ones that I didn’t care about. Classes I had an interest in just worked for me. Likewise, in college, I’m here because it’s important to me and I want to be here. I’ll be able to squeeze everything in because I have a passion for it all, not because I’m asked to or demanded to. I am beginning to wonder about that RB job, though. First off, they haven’t replied to any of my calls or emails. Secondly, if I’m able to get a quick app up on iTunes then I’ll be covered in terms of money-making. It’s a great way to pay for college, methinks. And there’s a competition down here at the Y for iPhone apps, so maybe I’ll win that and a couple iPods as well. Who knows? Either way, I can do this. I’m happy, comfortable, and think it’s wonderful to be so close to my friends.