Monday, August 14, 2006

The Countdown

One week from tomorrow, I become a student. Next Tuesday is when I have my first classes at Kirkwood Community College, and boy am I ever NERVOUS!! I haven't been in school since 1988, and I don't know if I'll remember how to study. My biggest fear? Falling asleep in class, or while reading one of my textbooks. I've already purchased my textbooks except for one - it just hadn't come into the bookstore yet. I'll probably wait until the first day of school to get my book since I may have to buy a new calculator, too. It depends on what the instructor wants.

Meanwhile, Lou and Boo (the Dynamic Two) start school a week from Thursday. Today we went up to the middle school/high school to register. We were 20 minutes early because I knew there would be a long line at the MS/HS table, and I was right. I was also the first one in line, so I didn't have to wait that long, and I wasn't crowded, either. Hannah got her schedule and a lunch menu (both extremely important items for a 7th grader) and then we went to the Atkins Elementary table and registered Mary. Afterward, I had to explain to Hannah that they do things differently in middle school - there weren't any lists for you to see who you'd be in homeroom with, and there was no "student handbook" like the one they pass out to elementary kids. She was in the "big leagues" now, but the differences between elementary and middle school had her upset until I explained them. She didn't realize just how many kids got mixed together in one building. Fortunately, she understood what I was saying, so she's not quite so upset anymore. Now she's just anxious about having to find her classes.

Next week's school opening festivities wouldn't be complete without a monkey wrench thrown into the works. This year's wrench comes courtesy of Rockwell-Collins, Carl's employer. The bosses decided that next week would be the perfect time to send their engineers to Wichita, KS to meet with the Cessna engineers and do whatever voodoo they do. Carl was planning to take vacation so someone was home with the girls Tuesday and Wednesday, but now that's not possible. However, my Mom (who heard the panic in my voice as I explained the situation to her) is riding to my rescue once again. She'll stay with the girls while I'm at school, and maybe longer if she wants to. I may need help prying Mary out of bed Thursday morning. Hannah is learning how to give Mary her shots, so we've got that covered, too.

But I'm still concerned about being in school again. I did make reservations to go to one of the "adult" student welcome sessions that the college offered, and I have an appointment with a counselor to set up an assistance program for my, well, somewhat weird learning disability. I think I have all the bases covered. I know my schedule - I put it on a spreadsheet and printed it out in colored ink, a different color for each class. I provided one of these schedules to Mary's school so they know where I am in case of emergency. I have my books, a spiral notebook, pens, various drafting tools that the Industrial Technology department said I needed, and a bag to put them all in. All I need now is the ambition necessary to get out of bed at 6:00 AM.

That's gonna be tough.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Textbook advice: get the ISBNs of the books you need (write 'em down at the bookstore or some schools have them online). Then use a website to search out the lowest price (bookfinder.com and bookhq.com are two of many). They will search sites like Amazon, Alibris, Half.com, ebay, etc. and give you the lowest proces on new and used versions of the books.

I saved quite a bit of money at KU after I started doing this.

8:47 PM  

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