Already I have arranged our winter vacation around Reading Week so as not to miss any more classes than are absolutely necessary. Instead of a longer cruise, it's a quick trip to LA and a 7 day cruise into Mexico.
I've had to decline September shifts with Victoria Tourism so as not to fill every day of the week with appointments (see Busy, busy).
And now I need to call the Arts Club in Vancouver to rearrange dates on some of our season's tickets, and I'm still going to have to miss some classes in order to get to the shows.
Maybe I'm overthinking this ...
Maybe I'm just nervous about this new experience ...
Aug 16 - Paid my first semester tuition on Monday.
Yesterday the book lists for first semester classes were released by the Bookstore. With a sense of deja vu, I learned that the coursepack required for PHIL 232 was submitted late by the prof so won't be available for purchase until the first week of classes. Shades of Loyalist College ...
Went to the campus anyway with my friend. She picked up her books. We went to the kiosk in the University Centre and activated our OneCards. Yay! After Aug 20th I can travel on the bus for "free" because my tuition includes $81 for the bus pass.
Checked out a couple of the buildings where we'll have classes, and toured the library.
Everyone was so nice to us! And so patient with our never-ending questions: the Bookstore staff; the folks at the OneCard wicket; the computer guy in the Clearihue Building who helped me set up my UVic WiFi.
Sept 1 - Orientation Day for Mature and Transfer Students.
I made it to the bus stop up the street just as the (earlier) bus was pulling away, which meant waiting another 15 minutes for the bus I had planned to catch. Something about that wait brought all the anxiety I didn't know I was feeling to the surface. I got butterflies in my stomach; I needed to pee; I worried that I had demagnetized my bus pass by holding it too close to my phone; did I have any money if the card didn't work? Finally the bus arrived, and with it, my anxiety started to wane. Then my friend texted me: I'll meet you at the Quad. And again: Oh, I think we're supposed to meet at the University Centre. And again: No, I misread - it is the Quad. Maybe nerves are the norm ...
My friend (who is in her 40's) and I decided that we were old enough to be the parents (grandparents?) of all the other mature students in our group. We also both agreed that it's way less complicated to go to university as a mature adult with a sense of who you are, than to go as an 18 year old who is entering university at the same time as leaving home and leaving the protected environment of high school. I actually heard much of what was said by the various university reps.
And I got swag!
And guess who I ran into on campus?
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| The Grad and the Undergrad. |
Classes start Wednesday ...
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