the wonderful world of veena.

27 August 2011

what i learned this week.

First week of classes are finished!  It was a crazy, hectic week, but it's been interesting as well.  I learned a lot - as I'm sure I will every week - so I thought I could start doing a weekly [or bi-weekly, because we all know I get distracted easily] post about all the various things I learned, both school and non-school related.

Here we go for the first week of school:

1. I've been bitten by the school bug.  For the first time, possibly ever, I am excited about being back in school.  I think it's because even though there is a lot of reading, there is a lot of practical stuff that we will be doing as well.
2. I really like having my week stacked at the beginning - with the way my schedule has worked out, I have 2 classes on Monday and none on Thursday, save for a few workshops.  I know a lot of people enjoy having one class every day, but I love finishing Practicum on Tuesday and knowing that I am over halfway done with my week.
3. My time management skills are going to be tested more than ever before.  Along with classes, we have speakers most nights [some of which I write the blog posts for], I'm baby-sitting 3 afternoons a week, I want to volunteer at the Clinton Presidential Center and Arkansas Children's Hospital one Saturday a month, and we have kickball every Sunday.  College football starts next weekend.  And I already know of 2 potential weekends I might not be in town.
4. I don't think I'll ever get used to how small Little Rock is.  After hour-and-a-half commutes to and from the Boys' Home these last 3 years, I still can't get over the fact that I have a 12-minute commute to school.  It's amazing, and something I hope I never take for granted.
5. We get some awesome speakers.  Through the first week alone, we had Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on Monday, anti-bullying activist Rick Phillips on Tuesday, and a panel about the West Memphis Three - including all 3 defense attorneys and the prosecuting attorney who agreed to the plea bargain - on Thursday.  I'm well on my way to beating Fernando's record.  Wish me luck.
6. I need more clothes for school.  I'm currently on a rotation of 3 dresses, 2 skirts, and various tops.  It's still too hot to wear dress slacks, and will continue to be for a while, so I guess it's time to go shopping.
7. Time for reading for fun has been seriously scaled back.  I'll be lucky to finish 2 books this entire semester.
8. I think I'm going to become a library-goer.  The main branch of the public library - although only open until 8pm - has a cafe and fountain on the 5th floor, which makes it feel more like a quiet bookstore than a library.  Right up my alley.
9. Living with fellow students is going to be good for keeping me on task.  The other night I sat in the dining room and read while Taylor and her classmate Cassie were studying in the den for their med school test, and I got so much done.
10. I have resigned myself to the fact that many Friday nights are going to be spent studying at home.  If it's what I have to do to keep Saturdays free for football, then that's just what I have to do.

That's all for this week.  If I learn a super lot again next week, we'll have another post.
Happy Weekend!  Think of me writing critiques for Practicum while you're out partying.
xx

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