Nature, Nurture, and Bacteria

Today. Monday. Today is Monday. The third Monday in August. First day of Fall Semester. First day of my last semester of pre-requisites. I'll be testing for and applying to my program in January.

Yikes!

Today is the first day of Fall Semester and I'm sitting in my living room in my pajamas at 7:43 am. I like first days like this. I would say my real first day is tomorrow, but that wouldn't be entirely true. I'm braving another foray into the world of online learning despite my previous experience, so technically, my first day really is today.

Fall Semester 2012 will be another three class, seven credit hour semester. That might seem like a light load to some, but since two of those three classes are science, it feels like a smart decision.

"Take your sciences by themselves," they said. They being advisement, and anybody -- students and instructors alike -- who has an opinion about the Health Science programs. Gotta keep that 4.0 GPA to help make myself a more attractive candidate for my program. The higher my GPA, the better my shot at acceptance.

Besides, after my ultra-busy summer semester, I needed more time wearing my mom hat again.

 

My first class is the online class. PSYC 2103 Human Development. I've heard good things about this class, although the reports I've heard were for the on-campus class. That's what I would have preferred, but there wasn't an on-campus class available that worked with my schedule.

The instructor has a great reputation and ratings, so that will help. She was one of the teachers I thought about taking for PSYC 1101. After re-reading what some of her former students say about her, I kind of wish I could have found a suitable on-campus time to take her. I think I would have enjoyed her lectures.

Classes two and three are my sciences and they're linked. Introductory Microbiology and its accompanying lab. I think at one time, even though lecture and lab were offered at different times, they were billed as one class. No more. Lecture is a 3 credit course and lab is worth 1 credit. You register for them separately, they're graded separately, and you can have different instructors for each.

I'm pleased with the instructor I have for both lecture and lab. He's the head of the department, and all my resources (including my A&P II teacher) say he's the one to take. They say he "knows his stuff." I had to work hard to get him, though. His lab and lecture classes filled before I was even allowed to register. A couple weeks after registration, perseverance (and extended time mumbling and staring at the registration screen) finally paid off. I managed to snag one of the very few slots that came available during drop/add. 

I've heard mixed reviews on the class -- I guess it depends where your interests reside. Some people love it and call it easy, others hate it. One they thing all agree on is it's a lot of work. I'm not afraid of work. I proved that in Summer Semester.

I'm hoping for a little more breathing room than I had last semester. I'm praying for more time to spend with my kids. Especially since my mother, who was here to help during my summer semester, has gone back home (sniff!). That means I'll be taking the kids to Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, and marching band practice. That means I'll be doing the shopping and cleaning and cooking and laundry. That means I'll have nobody home with me to make faces at when my kids are arguing with each other or with me and are on my last nerve.

I really really really miss my mom.

And thus ends my long, boring, humor-free post. My public statement of my whereabouts for the next 16 weeks. I've been invited to the lifespan while buried in micro. See you in December. Maybe earlier if I'm able to come up for breath.