Last Wednesday I had two anthropology exams; bam, bam, right after each other. Yikes. I got my grade for the ANTH101 exam; an A. I do however, know that I missed an important component of answering the last essay question. All I can hope is that the professor will be merciful.

After the exams yesterday, I wandered to the next classroom. I waited outside the class, along with another classmate. After we sat there for a while, she asked how I was doing on my paper.

PAPER?!

Oh crap, crap, crap. I forgot entirely about a paper due this Friday at 5:00PM.

I've already requested an extension--for the first time ever--and hope to be able to turn it in next Tuesday. *eep*

In the Midst

Just checked the mid-term grades; three As and a B. I'm pretty chuffed.

I've got tests in both of my anthropology classes this Wednesday. Eek. Tomorrow I've got a meeting with my adviser to plan my spring term classes.

Exam I: Anthropology 330

A week ago Monday was the first anthropology exam. It was in the more advanced class (300-level) and is taught by a working archaeologist. I studied. I panicked. Pored over notes. Freaked out. Studied some more. Last Monday, I walked into class, loins metaphorically girded, and took the test.

Today we got them back. The professor said that scores ranged from 10/60 to 56/60. Guess who got 56? Yep. Me.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Whoops!

Who knew that studying and reading and writing would take up all my time? Harrumph. You mean I can't just put the books under my bed and suck up the knowledge by osmosis? Like damn and how.

I wrote my first paper for the Latin American history class. That was scary, going mad and trying to remember how to do citations MLA-style, as well as how to form a coherent bit of discussion, and get it on paper. It came back today, I got 13/15. It kind of disappointed me, not to get a perfect score. (Yeah, I'm one of those nerds.) This was my first academic paper in about five years. This was the first paper for this professor. Hell, 13/15 is pretty fucking awesome.

Besides, now I have a better idea of what the professor wants in his papers.

Tomorrow I get to write my very first precis. First, I have to figure out what the hell that is. Then I've got to write it. It's due Friday at 17:00. It will happen. Oh yes. It. Will. Happen.

Hoorah!

Today was the scary, scary geography test. We had 10 categories each containing eight items of which we had to choose five from each category to place on the map. Fifty items to place on the blind map of Latin America. Yawp.

Imagine, the last test I took in school was five years ago. Scary. I had a list of 160 items to study, and did my damndest. There are big maps of North, South, and Central America hanging in my hall. Thank goodness for the educational supply store near the house. There may be two or three that I got wrong, but that's pretty good.

Hooray for surviving the first test. Next week, my first official paper is due. Paper, schmaper; I can write a dang paper.

:D

Shoveling Information

While all of the classes are interesting, none has overwhelmed me with new information. Except for the Latin American culture and history class. There is a list of about 160 countries, rivers, geological formations, cultural and historical locations, as well as historical divisions of Latin America that we're being tested on the day after tomorrow.

That's all of Latin America; including the Caribbean, and other sites of historical interest in the southern United States. My brain, she is whimpering.

Nice thing is that there are a lot of study aids on-line. They have proven to be valuable, really testing my knowledge. Quizzing myself on-line doesn't allow me to cheat myself. Creating an arbitrary number of times I have to ace a quiz before moving on is helping the memorization. A bit. *laughter* I probably won't get a perfect grade, but it's okay.

While memorizing all 160 (or so) places is driving me mad, it is nice to finally know exactly where Suriname is.

In other news, my 101-level anthropology class had an announcement requesting volunteers for data entry from a dig site in the American Southwest. Of course I sent an e-mail right away, volunteering my time. Fingers are crossed.

It's Been a Week

I got everything signed that needed to be signed.
I've got all of my books. My tuition is paid. My parking for the year is paid. I got my Cougar card.

Tee hee.

Hell, I've even got a Washington State t-shirt. I may break my rule of only one school shirt from each school. Owning a Cougars! t-shirt is almost imperative.

When I got home, I started reading. Catching up is fun. I am lucky, I am a speedy reader with decent retention of information. I also went to the local library and got some picture books about some of the stuff I'm studying. Last Monday was Labor Day, so no classes. This past Wednesday was my first, regular, day of school. It was brilliant.

I noticed how much we humans stink. I don't mean in a bad way--it's just very noticeable. Yeah, I've spent the last three years around smaller groups of people and at home--and not smoking anymore has made me more aware of smells. I hear it might have something to do with menopause as well. All those wonky hormones. We humans, gathered in groups, have a distinctive scent.

Being back in school is great. It's also interesting to go in with this new, more centered sense of self that I've discovered over the past three years. I'm there to learn--and I'm okay with being wrong. Even being wrong in front of the whole class. That's really freeing.

The field of anthropology is fascinating. I haven't decided in which area I'll be concentrating. After taking the broad, survey course--ANTH 101--perhaps I'll have a better idea.

Here's to doing more awesome readings and (finally) being smart enough to start all my projects early. Yay!