What's the Point

...of blogs?

I haven't updated since before Fall Quarter started. So busy! My first Quarter at the new school and it took some getting used to. I was worried I wouldn't get any books read, but I did. I didn't bother with #NaNoWriMo though. I can't imagine trying to write a poem every day in November when the papers and finals were coming up!

Now that the Quarter is over I have some time to settle and ponder this new college experience.

1. I miss the Semesters schedule, that's the first thing. How I feel about the new school is something I'm still working on.

2. I'm not crazy about the commute. I hate the commute. It's 3 hrs out of my life there & back.I know for many people it's much worse. Folks coming from Stockton or San Jose! Suffice to say when you have to go in for nothing other than office hours or worse: a night class where you aren't actually learning anything, it gives you pause. I'm grateful when the instructors give you a heads up early in the day when they decide they are too sick or need to cancel.

3. Social aspect: it's a commuter school, so again like IUPUI I'm not meeting a lot of people, and a lot of the people I'm meeting so far aren't especially keen to form study groups or hang around campus to socialize. I don't blame them. If I don't need to be there, I'm not. However, if I have classes, I am pretty much stuck on campus all afternoon until my night class. Bonus study time, which isn't bad at all.

4... to be continued.

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Re the commute: I'm going to work hard so I can get into CAL for grad school. I imagine (& I may be wrong) people take history a bit more serious there, (so not just because going to city college had me spoiled to come home for naps!) Too many people going through the motions of learning right now at the new college. I was told that's a city college attribute, but it's more of the same at the upper levels, which I find kind of disappointing. I thought when you become a Junior you find classes with people who love history, love learning. I have my doubts.

But I'll be starting a new quarter in 3 weeks, so it'll be another chance to experience new things and new people. I'm finally getting to take some California stuff as well. I'll be taking a Native California Anthropology class for my "D6" (I think?) one of the random upper levels they require; so I chose that. Also, I am (IMHO) 'retaking'' History of California. I took History 19 with the most amazing prof. back in Spring 2014 but the new school doesn't consider it an upper level, so... *shrug* California (& the West) is my major so why not look at it as a way to have some fun? I may pick up something new?

I have 2 other history classes I am taking as well... No Geography, unfortunately! Hopefully, I will get to take some in the Spring, (I added it as a minor, so I certainly hope so!) The plan is a BA in History, Geography Minor and a Ph.D. in History (and a side MLS/MLIS) if I'm not dead by then. LOLz (Old lady Student joke, there...)

I am enjoying the learning, despite how long I waited to go back. Tip: if you get GI Bill money & quit, don't let it run out on you. Also, the longer you wait to go back, the more culture shock you get. At City Collge, you are more likely to run into people in their 30s and up. Not so much at the commuter campus, (during the day anyway.) I have days where I'm physically exhausted... the commute takes a lot more out of me for some reason.

Like at the City College, I get sad some days because I think I'm the only one excited about learning, and on many days, feel like a fool. I get tired of raising my hand. I get tired of participating. I also get the impression some of the profs hate being there as much as my classmates, which is also depressing. I have days when I don't want to go back, so I have to find the enthusiasm and energy in myself to do it. When I'm there it's the people that still seem happy to share knowledge that get me enthusiastic and motivated. Those people I am so very grateful for and excited to spend my time learning from.