C's get degrees

It's the final countdown!! (dun nuh nuh nuh....duh nuh nuh nuh nuh....duh nuh...ok this could go on for awhile)

Last semester of college began today. For some reason during my last semester, the semester I'm supposed to just screw around, I have to take 5 classes. We won't get into that, but rather quietly accept it in exchange for being allowed to graduate on time. I'll just leave you with this word of advice, make sure you know EXACTLY what your schools course load requirement is when you go abroad, otherwise you're in for a fun e-mail around July. 

I'm going to preface talking about my classes by saying that my three classes today were fantastic. So if any of my profs stumble upon this, I truly mean I am excited for these classes. That didn't stop them from being hilarious.

My first class is at 8:30 in the morning. I haven't had an 8:30 class since high school. I haven't gotten up at 8:30 without being paid to do so since....God knows when. I woke up this morning and trudged down to the science building, a building I haven't taken a class in since freshman year, to learn about GIS, a computer program for mapping. While OMP told me it wasn't possible, I will actually be graduating with a skill. One would think that a computer class would have a very straight laced, to the point professor. Our professor instead began class by giving us all brightly colored pencils "just because they're fun" before handing out the syllabus. The syllabus began with the sentence "we are about to embark on a journey together". I smiled, this class was a bit daunting at first with all the technology, but I'm getting a good feeling about it. The second half of the syllabus is blank, we are supposed to "fill that out together". This is going to be a wild ride. In an effort to get us to understand "place and space" the professor had us tell the person next to us where we were from. That person was then supposed to blurt out the first three things that come to their mind. The Michael Scott approach to mapping. The inauguration clearly weighed in on everyones thoughts.

My Partner: I'm from outside Washington DC

Me: Barack Obama.

Girl behind me: I'm from Nairobi, Kenya

Girl's partner: Barack Obama.

We were let out early to go enjoy the inauguration festivities. I returned to my room to find that most people were just getting up to shower. That was freaky. I flip on the inauguration and am quickly sucked in. As my friend Nicky would later tell me, "It's like the Golden Globes, only with politicians". LOVED the arrivals. Loved the angry looks on some people and the others that were just bouncing up and down the stairs. Was surprised at how well the ex-presidents are looking. Bush Sr. Was moving slowly, but looked fantastic. Shaking hands with everyone, hugging Bill Clinton, like a giant party. Definitely thought Gerald Ford was still alive, apparently I was wrong, very wrong. I think that Dick Cheney and Joe Biden should have a sitcom together. While I don't want to make fun on Cheney in a wheelchair, there was nothing funnier than Biden getting a little too excited and moving a bit too quickly then looking back and realizing that he was at least 5 steps ahead of Cheney. I was dying. Also have drunk the Joe Biden Kool-Aid, the man is hilarious. He should have a song and dance variety show. Basically I would like for all TV networks to form Joe Biden related television shows. Variety shows, sitcoms, crime dramas, game shows (he would either host or be the star panelist that comes back every week a la Charles Nelson Reilly in Match Game). Also the Obama girls are without a doubt the best thing that has ever happened to this country. 

I had to catch the bus to Haverford at 12:35. I began to worry as the clock began to tick closer and closer and Obama still hadn't been sworn in. He finally appeared at 11:55. I was banging my hand on my desk to get them to move faster. Benediction, introduction, Aretha Franklin, my man Joe Biden, Obam....no wait, musical interlude (loud cursing from me, clock ticking) finally he gets out there. Come on, come on, come on! I'm shouting. As he's pronounced president I look at the clock, 12:10. I do some quick math and decide I can listen to 15 minutes of his speech before I have to get ready and go. I quickly Google "How long will Obama speak for". 15 minutes, replied WikiAnswers. Perfect. I watch in silence, I didn't want to go to that damn celebration the school was having where people would cheer and offer their own commentary, just a moment of me and my president, mano y mano (did I spell that right?), tell me what you are going to do for the country that I am about leave my protected little college world for. Good speech, enjoyed the quote that everyone else enjoyed "You will be remembered for what you build, not for what you destroy". Really, really enjoy that quote. 15 minutes come and go, and he's still talking. crap, crap, crap, I can't leave him now. He's probably going to go for some big finish, I can't miss the big finish! I hang on for three more minutes and am disappointed with the lack of a big finish. I was nearly late for the bus for that? I grab my backpack and book it to the bus. When it gets warmer I'll walk to H-ford, but it's damn cold now. 

I'm taking a history class on the west at the 'ford. I am not a history major nor have I ever been to the west, but I felt I couldn't leave the Bi-Co without ever taking a class over at the 'ford. After booking it to the bus and fretting about missing all of the inauguration fun, the professor holds a class that lasts no more than 15 minutes than dismisses us. Now I have to book it back to the bus or else I'm stuck there or walking home. I'm not a fan of running on the first day back. 

I returned to my room to watch the parade. The parade was lame. Maybe I missed....everything...but it was lame. I was disappointed. Again, I had to book it to the train station for my class at Penn. Where do I go to school? Bryn Mawr? oh well, I'll take classes wherever. The train to Philly seemed shorter than usual. Maybe it was because I was tired and had a great playlist going on the iPod, but I was almost disappointed to reach the city. As we pulled into 30th I saw news vans surrounding the station. This is usually not a good thing in Philadelphia. "Oh crap" I thought "Someone's been shot". Turns out they were waiting for people returning from Washington on the busses and trains. Oh. Well then. I skipped up to Penn, cursed Drexel out for shutting down the sidewalk in between the schools making me take the long way around. It.was.cold. Very, very cold. I raced into the Au Bon Pain to join my friend Ari for a bowl of soup. It did not warm me up, at all. I noticed I was getting funny looks from people that boardered on angry and disgusted. I looked down and realized that under my jacket I was wearing a Princeton sweatshirt. I'm sorry, it's warm, I'm cold, deal with it. I still took it off, I'm against offending people on their own campuses, one of my trivial rules for life. 

The class itself was a bit...odd. Looks good, I think. The professor was very vague and spoke in "and_______" terms. As in: 

Prof: "So of course we're looking at short term AND________" 

*Class looks around, confused*

Brave Soul: "Long...term..?"

Prof: "Exactly"

Try this for EVERY sentence. He was funny though, so we'll stick with him. He didn't say much about himself, such as his qualifications, degrees, etc. He did casually mention that he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild...so I plan on exploring that for the rest of the semester. He also didn't realize that there were Bryn Mawr students in the class and completely went off on how we are an inadequate college.

Prof: "You can have a college in the country. Those sister places. Sisters, sisters, seven of them I think, like that Bryn Mawr place. Great school, great academics, but no resources! No medical school! This is why we need cities"

He was saying this sarcastically, but the rest of the class (all Penn students) were nodding eagerly as if they completely agreed. Ari and I just surpressed our laughter. 

A cold walk back to 30th St ended my first day of classes for me. I have been spending the rest of the night. exploring possible spring break plans. I'll say this....a road trip to Dinosaur Land is not out of the question. 

Links of the week:

Christmas 2009 comes early as Caroline makes a fool out of herself in the Washington Times

People from Arizona are idiots (Megan and her friends and family excluded)