Tales of a broke college student with evil French classes

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004 at 3:11 p.m.

I really didn't want to be intimidated by Intermediate French I. I really didn't. I did so well in high school (we're talking 100's or near that in EVERY thing) for the 5 or so years I took it, so I figurd this would be a breeze... Until I got into the class. And the professor, a native French-speaking woman, opened her mouth and after some miserable attempts at soliciting responses about summer vaca in french from her students, proceeded to say just enough for me to catch that the entire class would be taught in French.

I sat there for about 5 minutes, until I had the courage to get up and run out the door while her back was turned away to collect papers about our French speaking background.

I feel like this makes me kind of look bad. And normally, I won't back down from a challenge - especially if I've had a previous good experience with said challenge. But between all the books I have to read (I have 5 each for 3 classes, then 1 or 2 for the rest), plus the papers (a few research papers and a few essays) not to mention the writing intensive I want to take to be done with everything... Yeah. I'm already going to be stressed out ENOUGH this semseter I think, without having to worry about trying to study and comprehend another language. Call me ignorant if you want, but my plate is just too full to accomodate that kind of brute, self-inflicted torture.

So I did what any red-blooded college student would do - I promptly dropped my foreign, 4-credit class and instead picked up a 1-credit something-or-other to take it's place. I don't know too much about this other class, Com 399, except that there's something about speeches, public speaking, and debates. But even that is not so frightening as trying to listen to French for almost 2 hours twice a week.

And I think I got my financial aid sitch straightened out as well. I went and talked to one of the people down there, and what she did (hopefully) is took the loan I was going to get for Spring semester (which I don't need now at UAlbany), and put it for Fall semester instead... so instead of $1000-something, I'll have $2000-something. Which should take care of the $450 deficit I owe, hopefully. Although I have this sinking feeling that something is just bound to go wrong. At any rate, it doesn't help me get the $500 worth of textbooks that I need, but they have this thing where you can get credited by the school for up to $350 towards books, so maybe I'll do that, and if/when my refund check comes, I can just pay them off then. I'll have to talk to Mom and see what she thinks, but I think that's the best alternative right now... Wish me luck!!

Anyhow, my second Anthropology course, Growth and Development, seems like it's going to be good. The professor is a young, very energetic and engaging man who's very interested in what we're going to be talking about, so we'll have to see how that pans out. I only need 2 books for his class, so right away I like him better already. Heheh. =)

So that's the scoop on classes and such. I don't have my Com 399 class 'til Thursday (Oh shit! I won't be here!) so.. yeah. Next Thursday I'll let you know how it goes. =)

I think I need a nap. All this is very exhausting. Whew!

Much Love,
YjaxieY

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