New Term or Same Old, Same Old?
Term three started with little fuss or muss. No threat of being kicked out for missing the first day (or any day) of classes. We all know the score by now. No grand introductions of students to one another. Most of us were in class together last term. No stern lectures on the virtues of following the rules. I found myself automatically pulling my nose ring and covering my ink before walking into the lab. Nope - just a brief intro by the main instructor to the term, an overview of what we can expect for the next 12 weeks, and several videos on new lab skills. All-in-all, not too bad. I got to school a little early, felt like I was organized and prepared, took notes where I needed to, and did pretty well at paying attention when it was required.
What I noticed, when I finally took a moment to look around, was that we were down to 20 students from the original 32 we started with in term one. That last term, in particular, was fairly brutal. There was a point at which I was doubting my own ability to pass. So, half-way through the program, we're down a third of our class. A more observant student would've checked out the composite pictures hanging in the halls and counted how many students graduate each term and compared notes. Apparently I was not that person today. My class isn't the only one to have left students behind. In addition to the ones we've lost, we gained 2 or 3 people from the class ahead of us who didn't make the cut. I feel bad for them because I know how expensive it is and how hard we work to make it through. The thought of repeating a term gives me chills.
After taking a look at what's expected this term, I think I'm going to be OK. I'll be in the classroom less because we have more clinicals, but I'm also taking Composition and Psychology. I'm actually looking forward to both classes. Hopefully the instructors will be as interesting as the subjects. Either way, I expect I'll do well enough. I have made some changes for this term and hope to make a couple more.
The first is that I think I've eliminated the need for my daughter to be in childcare before school. This will be a wonderful thing because it saves money and should make for a more relaxing week for both of us. Change number two is a little more annoying short-term, but should have longer term benefits. I tried to quit smoking back in September, but I didn't get very far with it. I went through a bunch of stressful events and used them as an excuse to keep puffing away. The habit was getting out of hand and, even though I wasn't smoking near as much as some do, it was having dramatic effects on my health. It got to the point this past week where I was having difficulty catching my breath while reading a story to my little girl. I don't need any more incentive than that, so I quit. It's only been a couple of days, so I'm still really irritable and tired - mostly from coughing so much. I knew to expect this, but it still isn't terribly pleasant. In addition, I think I'm starving to dea th every second of the day and my jeans are already a bit tight. I can't afford to gain any weight. In fact, I could stand to lose about 10 lbs. So, that leads me to change number three.
The thought came to me today that we don't have enough time to eat lunch at school - only 30 minutes. that's not long enough to properly digest food and it almost ensures overeating. It occurred to me that we're allowed to eat during classes, so why am I worried about cramming food in my mouth during the 1/2 hour we're given for lunch? Now that the weather is improving, I'd be better off walking dur ing lunch and eating afterwards. That way, I can squeeze in a bit of exercise, eat slower, and possibly tip the scales in my favor. It's worth a shot. I used to be so disciplined in my exercise regime - aqua aerobics 5 days a week and yoga 3 days a week. I haven't done that since we moved to this wretched city. Not the city's fault - just a matter of trying in vain to establish a routine with my ever-changing school schedule. I'll get the hang of this - right about the time I graduate. In the meantime, I think I'll try to implement this lunch-time plan. Wish me luck!