Day One: Mission accomplished. I made it through the day without any of my fellow students suspecting that I have become one of the dreaded "non-trads."
Being a married, 26-year-old student who has already earned one degree, that's my new label. Last time I was in a classroom, I was 21 and I couldn't wait to get that stupid piece of paper that said I was smart and get outta there.
I hoped no one could guess that I had my backpack all inventoried and ready the night before school. I sat in the back of the class and didn't look too eager. And I never raised my hand.
In other words, I did my best to be the exact opposite of the native non-traditional student at Mesa State College. Heck, I still get carded at the movies, so I figured it would be a breeze.
My newly defined "peers" rolled their little wheeled suitcases around Houston Hall, clunking them up the stairs and running over people's feet. They sat in the front of class and tried to butter up the professor by mentioning things only baby boomers would have lived through. And they asked if there were any extra-credit projects they could do. Ugh.
There was one small thing I didn't anticipate that could have blown my cover: Wooden pencils. Apparently no one uses those anymore. Finding a pencil sharpener on campus was as hard as spotting a phone booth around town these days. And then, finding one that actually worked was worse. One sharpener held fast to the remains of the last victim in its rusty jaws - a dangerous stake was jammed in the heart of the ancient gnawing beast.
Those early-20-something whippersnappers pulled out their hip little clicky pencils with the stick lead and kept on writing while I stared at my pathetic, splintered No. 2.
How old school.
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5 comments:
How quickly you forget. Just a few years ago you were one of those whipper-snappers. Happy schooling!
BTW, did you get the p/t job at Borders?
Bill
I'm glad you kept the No. 2 on the DL. That definitely would have been a clue as to your alter-ego. Ugh, non trads can be really so annoying. I'm glad you aren't going to be one of them. But honestly, I wasn't worried. And, big sigh of relief that your backpack doesn't have wheels. lol. I never really understood that. Are you going to class? Or are you going to Tahiti? I always wanted to ask someone that.
Answer to Bill's question: No, Borders sucks. For various reasons I called them and told them not to bother. Maybe I'll write about that next.
I got a job at the college writing center helping people write papers, etc. It actually pays more than Borders. And the boss is much cooler.
Great to have you on campus. Stop by when you get a chance and say hi.
Don't feel too embarrassed. I was 15 minutes late to my classes on Thursday and then 20 minutes late to a class today.
What a week.
ACK! Total nerd alert!! How dare you be related to me...HAHA
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