Diary of a mature student - Chapter 7

Oct 31 - Side effects

I expected there to be some adjustments related to my student status, but there are some things I didn't anticipate.  For example:

Multi-gender washrooms - I have been advocating for unisex washrooms for years (after all, how many times have I been in a huge lineups for the women's washroom while the men move immediately into and out of theirs?) but, let me tell you, it's quite unexpected to exit the stall to find a man washing his hands at the sink.

Cafeteria food - I seem to have lost my taste for cafeteria food.  Not a single french fry or plate of chicken pot pie has crossed my lips these seven weeks.  My go-to lunch is now fruit and cheese.  How the mighty have fallen. 

Backpacks - My backpack is heavy.  And on the days when I take my laptop to school to do my assignments, I feel like I'm carrying another person on my back.  Backpacks are not the answer.  Carrying fewer items is the answer.

Environmental activism - There are recycling stations everywhere on campus and we are expected to separate our waste and put it in the appropriate bins.  We are encouraged to forgo one-use paper cups and bring our own re-usable cups (see overloaded backpack).  They even give discounts if you bring your own ...

 

And ... I love the early mornings on campus.

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 6

Oct 10 - Talk to me

Mine was the first name the prof learned and remembered.  That's because I talk all the time.   I actually have to force myself not to say anything to give others in the class a chance to speak.   Sometimes I wish I was the only one in the class so the prof would answer all of the questions that run through my mind during the 50-minute period.

Oct 11 - First test

I can't believe I'm saying this:  I actually enjoyed writing  today's test.  Not to say that I was actually looking forward to the test, you understand, but writing it helped me realize that I've been learning and understanding a lot of stuff these last six weeks.  And I could write about it ...  And make sense of it ...  Cool.

Aphorismic journey

I wish I was a glowworm, 'cause a glowworm's never glum.  For how can you be sad when the sun shines out your bum?  - McLennan's Island Meat & Seafood


People who think the glass is half empty, or half full, are missing the point.  The glass is refillable.  - The Irish Times Pub


It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.  - Bilbo Baggins


Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.  - Suzanne McMinn


Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain.  - Kathryn Janeway


Because it's 2015.  - Justin Trudeau


"Do it yourself" doesn’t mean do it alone.  - Home Hardware


More wag, less bark.  - bumper sticker


Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.  - Philo of Alexandria  

Diary of a mature student - Chapter 5

Sept 27 - Group work

Met with some of my Group this afternoon to plan our attack on The Project.  I must admit that the whole thing felt kind of woolly to me, ill-defined.  Chris, who as it turns out is a 4th year PoliSci major, sorted the whole thing out in a manner that made sense to me.  So I sent our attack plan on to the prof to see if it made sense to him, too ...  O. M G.  He said it looked great; there was no need to check with him; it was clear that we were doing this well.  Then, he added, would we be willing to share our model with the rest of the class?  I am in heaven!!!

Tom and I were talking tonight about how the whole university experience has so exceeded my expectations.  The class subject matter is so thought-provoking that it makes my head spin (explode?) at times.  I am really enjoying being on campus, despite having said, many times, that I wish I had one 3-hour class a week, rather than three 1-hour classes.  And the relationships that I'm developing with my classmates is totally unexpected.  Now, if I could only work it around the rest of my life ...

Oct 4 - A Helen Keller moment 

When I registered for this class, I kind of thought we would sit around and debate the various positions on controversial issues and come up with the right answer. Not happening.  

Today it finally made sense to me: There is no definitively right answer.  What there is, is an informed argument that you make to support your position on an issue.  "That", said the prof, "is education."

Wow.