Here is the big takeaway message from today. It is HOT in Houston, like miserable, sweltering, entertain-the-idea-of-jumping-in-front-of-a-car-on-the-walk-from-the-parking-lot-because-the-ambulance-that-came-to-get-me-would-have-air-conditioning HOT. 22 record-breaking consecutive days of 100+ weather (that is without adding the heat index), with a forecast of the same for the rest of the week. BLURG. Unfortunately, this semester I did not get a spot in the parking garage, so I had to park in the lot...which is farther away. Walking from the garage last year was far enough for me, because it involved an uphill walk with a bag full of books. The lot is farther, and the walk is even LONGER because they are doing gobs of construction on the streets near the campus. So, the walk over the river (bayou) and through the woods (other parking lots and construction sites) up to the bookstore was long/hot enough. Then I got to walk back down the hill/through the maze with 6 college textbooks in hand, all the way back to the parking lot, before heading back out to the building my class was in. It was miserable. The humidity was oppressive and the wind was non-existent. I think I live in the wrong state! I was born in Alaska and I think my biological thermostat was meant to run a little bit cooler than this.
My first class was Calculus, taught by Dr. Pepper. No joke! My professor's name is Dr. Pepper. He seemed like a nice, even tempered guy with realistic expectations. The homework will NOT be online (hallelujah, I really, really hated the interface for the online PreCal homework last semester) and it will not be graded/mandatory unless we really do badly on the first test, then he'll start taking completion grades. 2-3 exams, 1 final, 5-10 quizzes with the easier questions from the sections. Sounds doable. We took a Algebra review pretest, which I do not think I did awesome on...but it isn't for a grade, so that is okay. After Cal, I walked waaaay up the hill again to the other building for Govt II. The professor reminded me just a wee bit of a leprechaun, and he is definitely a talker. We spent the entire class period going over the syllabus!
After that was over (and after the looong, sweltering walk back to my hot-enough-to-melt-crayons* car), I picked up the kids and headed to Meet the Teacher. We bought their supplies from the PTA, because it is a million times easier than tracking the items down, and dropped them by the classes. BubTar's teacher seems great (and I've heard great things about her), the kids met their new SLP and librarian (who gave the kids books, I think she knows the way to their hearts), talked with the nurse, and visited KayTar's classroom, although her teacher wasn't there due to a family matter. I think we are ALL ready for tomorrow! The good news is that I have no classes tomorrow, so I'll be around to help with any issues that might come up as we work out the first day kinks. I was supposed to be in class tomorrow, but I was taking that section for a specific professor and she emailed me tonight to say she got switched to a different section...so I searched for an online class at Josh's suggestion and found one! Now I'm only in classes 3 days a week. :) I was going to be missing a lot of that class due to KayTar's already scheduled appointments, so it really worked out well in the end. I just hope the professor isn't too demanding, that is always the risk with online classes. Honestly, I'm pretty thrilled not to have to walk to campus in the heat again tomorrow!
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| *Not just a figure of speech. |
Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the 'Tars first day stories...theirs will include cute pictures, too!
11 comments:
First day of classes is always an adventure! We're both in a Calculus course this semester! Mine doesn't start till tomorrow, but I also hope it doesn't have online homework asignments. I HATED them at my other college!Good luck!
I don't understand why we don't get pictures of YOUR first day?!! :)
But uh, yeah...that heat?! No thanks! Walking from the hotel lobby to my parking spot about 100 yards away had me CUSSING. Poor you :(
It's always such a letdown when it's hot on the first day (even though it is ALWAYS hot on the first day). I associate the first day of school with changing leaves and new pairs of jeans! Sounds like a good day except for the weather and all the walking. Good luck this semester!
Dr. Pepper? HAHAHAHAHAH!
School started for me at the end of June, and I walk to school since I live ~10 minutes away. But...I live in Galveston... So I've adopted a "no pants" rule for the hot months/half the year.
Hey, the crayons in my car look just like that!
We had our first week last week. So far, so good.
Stevie flirts with his teachers, too. I don't know what to say about that.
This summer heat in AR has killed me too - luckily we've been having rain the past couple of weeks. I have already started planning a trip with kids to Alaska next July to beat the heat. Never been!
Dr. Pepper - seriously? I would snicker every time I walked into class. At least you have something humorous to think about while studying differential equations (I am SO glad calculus is long behind me - blah).
The heat sounds miserable. We're in sweatshirts around here today - not really that cold, but it is MUCH cooler than it has been! Have a great semester - here's to a lot of great classes!
Ha, love Dr. Pepper! That would make me laugh. I think one of the worst things about heat is over air-conditioning- though in western ny, we do not have the same kind of heat you have!
RE parking, at least you have a built in workout?
Oh gosh, that heat sounds miserable! We've had the hottest summer in history here, but it's still not been as bad as you Houstonians. I feel for you.
On the bright side, you definitely got a good workout on your first day!
And I can't believe you have a professor named Dr Pepper. :oP
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