Big Day

Last semester I was so jealous because my friends, Ellen and Kristen, went back to college. I've been thinking about it for a long, long time now but I've just never seemed motivated enough to go through with it.

Until now.

And I don't really know if it was motivation so much as, I had to poop or get off the pot (so to speak) because today is the last day I can officially register (there's Saturday but not only will it be a living hell for those who wait until then, I have plans for Saturday). But anyway, I made a snap decision I raced over to the college before I could change my mind...or think about it too much.

Anyway, I get to the college where I'm handed a number (475) and told to wait until my number is called. I whip out a book (Erica Spindler's Copy Cat) and start reading. I don't get very far when they call me back (well, along with a gazillion other people). We are directed to sit at some tables until our number is called (still 475). I pull out the book again. Again, didn't get too far until we're all called again, where we go sit at some different tables.

A man asks us all if any of us need to fill out an application or filled it out before they got there. A half dozen people raise their hands. He tells them that it doesn't matter what number they have, they can go straight to the back of the room for help. I mutter under my breath, "well that bites". The man then says to the group "before you get all upset, that's not the direction you want to go in. Those people are going to be here all night!"

Then he says, "is there anyone here who has not taken a class at this college in the last year?" Well, it's been four years since I took a class so I raised my hand. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I'm positive," was my reply.

He handed me an application and told me to fill it out. Now, normally I'm pretty quiet and say nothing but sometimes, things just come out. "Does this mean I'm going to be sent to the 'crappy, all night' line?"

"Yeah, probably shouldn't have mentioned that part yet," he said.

Crap!

So, I fill out the paperwork and head back to the "crappy" line, which only had two or three people waiting in line. Really not that bad.

Well, until I got my turn. First there was a problem with the computer and then with my file. I was there a good twenty to thirty minutes. I was then sent to another line where someone could tell me where the next line I needed to stand in was. Only the person wasn't there. Fortunately there was only one person in front of me. I was asked what I wanted to sign up for and I told her so she told me to head to "scheduling".

Hmm, I wanted to go to counseling to be sure I was signing up for what I really needed. But, like a good girl, I headed to scheduling (passing the parking pass guy and the cashier along the way). When I get there I tell someone that I really want to talk to a counselor first, so they send me to counseling, which is past the cashier and parking pass guy (PPG). The PPG asks me if I want to get my parking pass as I go by. I tell him I'm not quite ready for that yet...I'll be back.

I get to counseling where they give me a number (15) and tell me to have a seat until they call my number. Then they called out 3. I pulled out my book and started reading again. A good thirty minutes later, I was finally called back. I told the counselor that I wanted to confirm what I needed to transfer. Long story short, the requirements have changed. I do still need the two sciences and history but now I need another government, philosophy and possibly a computer competency class. UGH!

I look at the schedule and decide on environmental science, history and introduction to world religions (philosophy). She gives me the numbers and sends me back to scheduling. I go back past the PPG and the cashier to scheduling. I have help inputting the classes to register myself and get in the science and philosophy class but am told the history class is full. I'm going to need approval from the head of that department to be able to get in. K. Where are they?

I'm sent back to the lobby, past the cashier and PPG (who tries to give me a parking pass again but I tell him...not yet...soon though). I find where I'm going, only to have the department head not there. So I wait until he returns. Turns out it's an instructor I had a hundred years ago for government. I LOVED this guy. Anyway, we chatted for a few minutes and he okay'd me to take the class.

I head back to scheduling (past the cashier and the PPG) and have the full classification overridden. Yea! So I leave there and head for the cashier. I get in line and I'm looking at my schedule.

You know the history class that I had to get special permission to get in? It was the wrong class! It wasn't the one I meant to sign up for!

I get out of line and head back to scheduling. The helpers in there by this time are no doubt thinking I'm too stupid to be in college or figure I started taking classes right out of high school and it's taken me this long to get this far. And even if they don't, I feel like an idiot.

I confirm that I can change the schedule (so soon?) and cancel the first history class that I registered for and sign up for the one I meant to sign up for.

I head back to the cashier (who asks me if I'd cancelled a class or something? Uh, yeah.) and pay for my classes before I visit with PPG and get my parking pass and then going back to my old government teacher and letting him know that I don't need the exception for the original class after all.

I got back into my car and headed home. Only three hours after I'd gotten out of it to start this process. Classes start Monday and I'm wondering...did I do the right thing? LOL