Classroom observations

Ok, I get it. I was a much younger student once. I know how wonderful it can be to roll out of bed and walk to class. Now, however, I take total offense to this practice. Especially when this involves you sitting beside me, far too close thanks to university chair-placement standards, all greasy from the previous night and with the morning breath to match. Ugh. Total ugh. I took the time to have a shower, dress in fresh clothing and make myself not only presentable, but inoffensive to your olfactory glands. I appreciate the same.

While I'm discussing offensive habits, I might as well make two other observations.

You! Smartypants! No one, cares about your input on every topic discussed - this is not a class for discussion like your philosophy classes (yes, we've heard about them already!). We are here to learn and, truth be told, the professor would like to teach, but your interjections make this hard...and you are clearly becoming bothersome.

Same goes for you. I appreciate that you're asking questions and no one would deny you that. However, once you've gotten the answer you don't have to explain your incorrect thought trying to explain why you asked the question in the first place - that confuses all of us and is unnecessary word garbage when we're already trying ever so hard to sort through the words that are actually relevant to our learning.

I suppose that's all. Not directly involved in learning ancient languages, but if my environment is hard to ignore, certainly absorbing any of the knowledge given in class might be a problem.

Day One, Greek

I had my first class today. This semester I will be taking both Latin and Greek. Greek is new to me.

Let's just say, I'm glad I had a grip on the alphabet before I showed up to class (thank you professor #5). That made me feel far more relaxed. While it was nice that I felt relaxed, it wasn't so nice that I felt old. It skipped my mind that in going back to school I'd also be in contact with the questionable-hygiene-far-too-young student body. That said, I'm sure my fellow classmates will have time to shower before the lunch-hour class. I hope.

As is the case with most Classics courses, our classroom was in a science building far from anything we know and love (the Arts buildings). This particular class will be held in the basement of a hallway that connects two buildings. No distracting windows with their natural sunlight here! No sir-ee. Poor professor #2 prepared a makeshift desk out of an overhead projector stand.

Classroom ambiance aside, the first class was as expected: intro, expectations, alphabet basics and so on. I must say, I'm pleasantly pleased by the marking breakdown - makes me feel like I have a fighting chance, you know, when I don't see a lot of 60%'s in any one category. Professor #2 and I had a quick chat after class. He remembers me - I told him not to remember too hard, I'd rather he not recall our first encounter. He was encouraging all the same, which was very sweet of him.

The text book was at my favourite book store - they had a fire this summer, I was worried they wouldn't be operating anymore. But they were. The smell was alarming (think beautiful musty book smell with notes of burnt wood and fresh paint). Thankfully this book is intended for three courses...what a monster in size!

That said, we have been assigned readings and drills to prepare for tomorrow on the alphabet and pronunciation. I also have my first Latin class tomorrow. Fridays, it turns out, will be my busiest day with not one, but two! two whole classes! Now I feel like having a fudgsicle....