Monday, September 6, 2010

Coulda, Shoulda...Didn't...Won't

I had such plans for my "back to school" blogpost. I was going to put a "first day of school" picture from my childhood and take one on August 23rd to commemorate my return to scholarly pursuits. Then I would discuss (as a well-educated college girl) the similarities and differences of my first day of grade school and the one I've just experienced, perhaps a venn diagram would be involved, there's no telling. Sounds positively insightful doesn't it? There are some significant problems with this idea: First, the lack of an easily accessible picture from my "first" day of school. (The use of quotations is significant only to the middle child in me who thinks it bears noting that my traditional "First Day of School" picture actually depicts my first day of first grade, not kindergarten.) I know its in the box of photos somewhere but that's a rabbit hole that always takes you a while to find your way out of. Secondly, I did not take a picture of my first day back to school because I was FREAKING OUT!! The level of anxiety about returning to school may, or may not, have been a little overly dramatic. Also, my mother mocked my anxiety and I can not imagine what asking her to take said photo would have given her in the way of mocking material not to mention what would have happened had my brother and/or father found out. Finally--I did not have the time or energy to do that post justice. It just wouldn't be fair of me to start such an amazing venture only to finish it half-assed because I forgot how EXHAUSTING school can be. Lets discuss that point for a second, shall we? I remember in high school going to school from 8-3 and then doing theatre and debate and showchoir and working and staying up late. Occasionally an early morning seminary attendance was thrown in there. For the last several years I have worked. --Ten-hour shifts at the hospital, more with privacy calls. In OP: 7:30am-1 with 3 girls under the age of three and then 1:30-5:30 in an office of men who acted under the age of 3 --and again, stayed up late on a regular basis. I have, apparently, aged 97 years in the last couple of months. I get up at 6, start class at 8, done by 3/3:30 but am falling asleep by 9:30pm. Aren't college kids supposed to be resilient? Aren't we supposed to be pulling all nighters and out partying til 3in the morning? I really need to be working but I can't imagine where I would get the energy to do so...so I guess its good nobody's hired me? I am obviously not a college kid any longer. I am reminded of this fact each and every morning at 8am when I join the ELEVEN-year-old college kid in my music theory class. Alex is a double major in piano performance and biology. So not only is he mega young, but he's a DOUBLE major...one of which is BIOLOGY. I apologize for the excessive (?) use of capitalization but I feel these points bear stressing as much as possible.

Other than that, school is good. Two weeks in and Halley's pulling Straight A's! WHAT?! yeah! Also I made both the small ensembles I auditioned for (one of which has me singing alto--yikes). I haven't quite reached the panicked-overwhelmed-feel-like-committing hari kari-stress yet so I'm looking forward to that! I am in percussion techniques where I learn how to play/teach percussion and, it turns out, my family was right--Halley is not a good drummer. Good call, Sagengs, Good call. I'm also in string techniques (I bet you can figure out what that class is for) and so far it's fun but I have to keep my fingernails short because Ms. Giray says they aren't just mine anymore--they're hers. At least the four that I place on the strings. She says I can keep the others long, So I'm considering that as my next fashion look.

I'm glad to be back in school and am adjusting back to student life. I've realized how vastly different the music program is from theatre and feeling like I may, actually, be prepared for my life beyond. Here's hoping!