Swarm

That’s what I think of when I go to campus now… the word “swarm.”  Because that’s all I see, swarms of students.  I miss the empty streets of summer.

Yesterday, I had my first class and it was divine.  It’s on Cultural Studies in Education and I’m excited about everything on the syllabus and I love the way my advisor (who teaches this class) has an unintimidating way about her.  It’s nice.  Before class, I also had my first meeting with other Ed Tech students.  One of the professors in our program organized it as a way to share our work, get to know each other and discuss things that interest us (plus we get a few credits for it!).  It was good to hear what people were working on and to articulate what I was working on.  It also made me feel good that I already knew almost everyone in the room.  I feel like a veteran.  I still love telling everyone I’m a SECOND YEAR DOCTORAL STUDENT.  Did you hear that?  I have been here for MORE THAN ONE YEAR.  Sweet.

Anyway, today, I had my first class in another department.  It’s in Comparative Studies, where they study things like comparative literature, comparative religion, etc.  I’m taking a course all on a philosopher named Michel Foucault.  He deserves his own post, which is forthcoming.

So, everything sounds good so far, right?  Well, let me set you straight.  So, I leave my lovely comparative studies course, fight through the swarms to get to the library, sit down to take advantage of two hours before I have to teach, open up my computer and… it will not boot up.  I thought macs always worked.  What the heck?  So, I try about 9 times before I call Dan all teary and he figures out some things for me to do, to no avail, the circle just spins and spins under my formerly beloved apple icon.  So, I finally call apple care from the library and they tell me that I need my start up disk, so I have to wait until I get home.  This could be tragic.  I need my computer.  I cannot send it away.  I cannot lose anything on it.  Or (sorry to be crass), I. AM. SCREWED.

But, on a lovely side note, the class I’m teaching went well.  Of course, I only have two students, but they seem pretty cool.  Can you imagine that Heritage teachers?  Two students?  It’s like a tea party instead of a class.  I didn’t even use the projector to present, I just sat at the computer between my two students.  Unbelievable.