Ok, so here's a quick rundown of the first week of my last semester at UT:
Wednesday - I arrive to work at 8am, strangely not feeling sleepy at all despite waking up at 6:15. It felt good to see all my coworkers that didn't work during the Summer. It was also kinda weird sitting at the Laptop Help Desk and not at the regular staff desk where I'm used to working. It was a pretty slow morning so I went online and ran an IDA (Interactive Degree Audit) to make sure I'll be able to graduate this semester. After 15 mins the audit was ready and I checked my results. I start scrolling down the list of YES's indicating that I have met the requirements for that specific part of my degree plan. Just as I was getting to the last bit of YES's, I noticed one NO. All I could think was oh crap. As it turns out, with the three classes I had been registered for (Photography, EvoPsych, and Computers & Writing) I was still 3 hours short on Upper Division credit. Great, that's just what I want to hear. I didn't feel like stressing over finding another class, so I just ignored it for the time being and enjoyed the dead morning at work. It was so dead, in fact, that only one person came to the Help Desk, and all she needed was an airport card, so we sent her to the Campus Computer Store. So after 2 hours of basically sitting there, I went to my first class: Computers & Writing. It was kind of a small class and apparently the focus is on accessibility and websites. I've never cared much about accessibility, so this class may teach me a thing or two. Plus, Minh is in it too, so it won't be too crappy. So after that class I went to see my advisor to make sure there wasn't anything extra I needed to do to graduate. She just told me I need to go by the Main building some time and apply to graduate and I'll be set. It was really weird just talking about graduation. I've been at UT far too long and now I don't want to leave. After that I went to have lunch then went back to work. Soon it was time to go to photography class so Ting and I headed all the way over to the communications building only to find out that there was no class that day since it was a lab and it's the first week of classes. It was pretty hot and humid outside, so that was kind of a lame walk. Anyway, Ting and I headed back to work after stopping by Gregory Gym so she could get a locker for the semester. Once at work I tried to get into cart room to deliver a cart, but for some reason it wouldn't read my ID card. Somehow between Gregory and work my card got demagnetized. It was kinda sad because I've had that ID for the past 5 years and had no problems. Suddenly it dies the first day of my last semester. It was very bizarre and surely must be an omen of some sort. After that the day kinda flew by and I sped home to play round 2 of our TFC match. It was a title match, so I was very eager to play. We (my clan) ended up winning the title for our division, which was pretty awesome. After that I passed out pretty early thanks to my early morning and long day. That was all just Wednesday.
Thursday was rather uneventful. I don't even remember it really. I went to EvoPsych and the professor was this little old man who turned out to be quite funny and I'm sure I'll enjoy his class, even if it is a writing class. 3 6 page papers, 2 take home tests, and a book review are what I have to look forward to in there. After more work, it was time for Photography class. It sounds pretty fun, but in class I came to realize how expensive it will be. $200 to $500 just for the materials. That's not counting the film processing fees. After that I was kinda worried because I'm pretty broke now after the tuition bomb dropped. I'm gonna have to work a lot now to be able to afford stuff. I think I'm gonna stick with the class anyway though. It sounds like a lot of fun despite the robbery. That night I ended up adding another psych class, Perception. That was about all that happened Thusday.
Friday flew by. We talked more about accesibility in C&W class. After that I ran over to my newly added Perception class. It turns out the professor is pretty cool and is big on all kinds of music. I just hope it's an easy class. The strictly multiple choice tests leads me to believe so. After that I hauled ass to the opposite end of campus for work where my day just kinda blew by. After such a crazy week I came home and passed out at around 10:15, the earliest I've gone to sleep in a long, long time. I don't know what this coming week will bring, but given that it's now 1:40am and I have to get up at 6:30, I can guess it's gonna be another exhausting week. I can't wait.
It's kinda bizarre that my ID died the first day of my last semester. It has to be some sort of sign. I guess someone is trying to tell me it's time I moved along. When I was in 7th grade I got this stylish calculator watch. Over the years the band broke and I kept replacing it, but finally it broke to where it could no longer hold a band, so I would keep it in my pocket. I used it from 7th grade all the way through high school. For 5 years it worked without fail (aside from the bands breaking). Then on graduation day I was in the parking lot at Burger Center (the place where our graduation was held) and I pulled out my watch to check the time. Sadly, it was dead. It had kept time for me (and phone numbers) loyally for 5 years, only to die on graduation day. It was really kinda weird. So when my ID stopped working Wednesday, it was really a bizarre feeling. Strange coincidence perhaps, but weird nonetheless.
Anyway... the Olympic closing ceremony just ended so I should probably get to bed. I was a little disappointed with the Olympics this time around. Not nearly enough Japan coverage. About the only cool part was having the shotput at the original Olympic site as well as I think some relays. The Winter Olympics are where it's at anyway. That's what I'm waiting for. The next Olympic games will be held in Beijing, as is being balatantly advertised by all the Chinese dancing and singing in this particular portion of the closing ceremony. I can't wait for that. It's gonna be hot! RED HOT!
