The First Day Of School: Part One

NOTE: This is part one of a three-part blog series. Today, I talk about August 20, 2007--the first day of school.

I've been doing this going on four years, you would think I'd be ready for it. But for the first time, I felt as if I was unprepared for the first day of school. It was a strange feeling to say the least. I just felt as if I was not ready (mentally) for school to start.

This weekend didn't help much either. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Friday night was a waste, thanks to Lt. Dan's Legs a.k.a. the worst cover band in the history of Pinch Penny Pub. They had me wishing I was back in Wrigleyville, especially after paying a $4 cover.

LTDL was a band of white guys, a hot white girl (that couldn't sing) and a token black guy (whose lone highlight was his rendition of The Way You Move by Outkast's Big Boi.) Even with that highlight, it couldn't overshadow him being unable to hit the JT high note on My Love, practically ruining the night before it even started. Saturday's Cubs victory over the Cards was the highlight of a day I spent mostly in bed.

The weekend came and went, but I still felt as if I could use another few days for rest and preparation, instead the show must go on.

And it did.

I had four classes today and was on campus from 10 a.m. 'til nearly 3 p.m., and I was definitely not prepared to do that. I did most of it on an empty stomach (something I will try to avoid) because I'd love to avoid eating junk food and McDonald's (save the grilled chicken sandwiches) at all costs.

At the end of the day, I felt like I usually do after the first day: overwhelmed. Call it the first day jitters, but during each class I thought to myself the following:

• I can't believe I'm in this class
  
• How am I gonna escape with at least a C in this class
• This is going to be impossible. I can't do this. I'm over my head.

But as Jay-Z says, "Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week." But that's how I always feel after the first day of class, it's inexplicable really. I just feel overwhelmed...and to think, I still have 4 more days of classes this week...and then 14 more weeks of class. If you think about that all at once, you can't help but to feel the gloom and doom.

But that's why I've decided to follow the cliche "take things one day at a time." It keeps me focused on short term goals, while keeping in line with my long term aspirations.

Overall, I can't complain about my first day of classes. My JRNL 335 (Graphic Communications) class seems interesting, potentially giving me a different point of view of my potential career in journalism. It helps knowing a few of my classmates from previous encounters. It also helps knowing my teacher is a Cubs fan (lol).

My poetry class worries me a little bit. I know you're thinking, "poetry shouldn't give you any issues" but as of now, I'm a bit worried. My concerns are as follows:

• What will the writing guidelines be.
• How will I be critiqued by a class of 10 students?
• How will the class be carried out in comparison to my previous poetry classes?
• How does the "new & improved Lu" top the poetry from the last two semesters?
• When will my writer's block end?

I guess those questions will have to answer themselves eventually.

My JRNL 332 (Journalism Law) class worries me the most. It seems as if that class has the heaviest work load, and case law can be difficult (from what I remember from high school.) I've heard great things about the class, but as much as I value a great learning experience I'd like to graduate within a year and a half (or so.)

That's it for now, good night from Carbondale.

Coming tomorrow: Part two covers the second day of classes.
Coming Wednesday: Goals for this semester.