No matter how many first days of school you have it is still nerve racking walking into a classroom at a university, where you more than likely don't know a single person. That is even more so the case if it is a gen ed class or something along those lines. That awkward pause, especially when you are late to class, when you walk in the door. There are usually a few people who look back and then comes trying to find a seat. This is even more a pain if you arrive late to class for various reasons. If you are in a small class you have to find a seat that is between the girl with her books, backpack and other class utensils strewn all over the floor and her tiny desk and the guy who smells like he just left the gym and is always making the "I'm the funny guy" kind of jokes. Personally I prefer to sit next to the quietest, and cleanest people in class it makes it much nicer and less smelly. The alternative it is the big auditorium where everyone is elbow to elbow and trying not to hit there neighbor whenever they try to take notes. This is the most awkward class to be late in because well about a hundred students or more sometimes are packed in like sardines and it is hot and stuffy and add you to the equation people tend to get a little pissy. I don't blame them, I hate it when someone is squeezing into the aisles hitting me with their bag or putting there butt or other unmentionables in my face to try to get to the middle seat of the aisle because someone they think they know is sitting there, or its the only empty seat. I mean seriously just sit on the ground in the back or on an empty aisle seat. And this goes for the people who come early, sit in the middle of the aisle and move out so the people who are late have a seat and I don't' have to see their butt crack as the squeeze past me!!! And then there is those people who are too lazy to go around so they squeeze down the entire row to get to the empty seat on the other end of the aisle!!
Among the annoying seat squeezing people there is the endless jabber about the syllabus. One after another, the same thing over and over! Its enough to drive you crazy, but I suppose a few weeks in I will wish I was still only worried about the syllabus. And then there are the teachers who try to teach the first day. Personally I like these teachers because in reality the beginning if the semester is when I usually pay the most attention so the more we learn in the beginning the better off I am. This year I plan to try all year and work hard so really it shouldn't matter but that has been the case in previous years.
After class comes the fun part though. BUYING BOOKS!!!! you go the the bookstore or online and buy hundreds of dollars worth or textbooks that you may crack open twice the entire semester. Then when you try to sell it back at the end of the year you get five dollars for a two hundred dollar book. Buying the books is the hardest part though. First you actually have to get into the book store and fight the crowds or maybe even fight someone for the last WileyPlus access code. Then you wait in a line that is wrapped around the store. The best part is seeing the people who pre-ordered books and get to just walk out the door with a snide look that makes you want to go all high school bully and push their books out of their hands. You silently curse yourself, the sneering person, and the bookstore then continue to wait in line and tell yourself you will pre-order books next semester.
Aside from all the bookstore madness, the syllabus reading, and the seat squeezing I am actually really happy to be back. I missed my friends, campus and actually learning. I know I will regret that statement in a few weeks but at the moment I missed it. So here is to a new semester hopefully full of success and lots of A's. Happy learning everyone!
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