Reflections on a (mostly) finished semester

Having just (almost) finished my first semester of college in over ten years, I thought I should take a minute or two to reflect upon my experience.

It is really refreshing to be in an academic environment.  Even when it's maybe not the same high standard I experienced before, it is still really wonderful to be a part of classes, lectures, writing papers, etc.  I like being graded and receiving feedback.  It's like drugs for me.  I think when I finished college the first time around, I was ready for a break from it, ready to do something different.  Now that I am experiencing it again, I feel really thankful for the experiences I had before, and grateful that I get to do it again for a little while.  Maybe that's cheesy, but I love school!  I'm a dork.

So I haven't had a diet coke in 18 months or so.  Other than the first couple of months after quitting, I haven't really felt tempted to go back.  The stuff only tastes good when you are adicted to it, otherwise it is pretty gross.  Anyway, I think some of my brain cells associate school and tests and studying with diet coke, because I have had some strong urges to take up the habit again since being in school.  My willpower won the battle this time.  We'll see if I can make it through student teaching stimulant-free.

Dixie College is occasionally a trip.  I turned in a final project for one of my classes, and when I got it back, I got 250 out of 200.  Really?  Come on.  In my education classes, we often talk about how students will rise to the level of expectation.  I have to wonder if the expectation level in my classes is a little too low.  This is college people!  It should be a little bit of work.  You should have to struggle a bit.  That's what makes you a better person.  And you shouldn't just give 50 extra points because someone put a little effort into the assignment.  That should be the 200 out of 200 score.  Full credit.  Why would anyone want/expect more?  It makes me a little sad that they don't expect more out of us.  In one class, the teacher gave us three possible essay topics for the final, and she selected one of the three for the actual test.  Heaven forbid we are expected to just know the material.  They have to narrow the focus, and really by doing so they rob us of the information we might have otherwise spent the time studying to prepare for the final.  No one needs to have the essay topic narrowed to only three possible.  By the end of the semester, we should know the material forwards, backwards, and inside-out.  Why limit the students by making everything a little too easy?

I have had three professors this semester that take a month plus to return assignments to us.  These are education courses, and one of the things we discuss is the need to provide our students with timely feedback.  Ummm, do they not realize that they are not following their own advice.  Does it not occur to them that taking a month to grade an assignment is just lazy.  No one is going to care if an occasional "something" pops up and a certain assignment takes a bit longer to grade.  To consistently take such a long time to grade is inexcusable.

I had to fill out course evaluations in order to get access to my final grades.  The evaluations contain a box to list the "strengths" of the professor.  They did not include a box for suggestions or gripes.  Maybe they don't want that type of feedback.  I don't know.  But the "strengths" box for two of my professors started by saying, "I know you are asking about the strengths, but I have some other thoughts I'd like to share."  It's okay.  They don't see the feedback until after the final grades are posted.  I only have one repeat professor next semester, and luckily she was really great this semester, so I don't really have to worry about backlash.  I'm not trying to be mean or rude, but I do think it is important to be honest and to try to provide feedback that can hopefully be constructive.

Hmmm...  I'm not being very positive overall.  It really has been a lot of fun to be in school again.  I was thinking the other day about how cool it would be to have a lot of money so that you could just work on a degree whenever you wanted to.  I don't think it would be cool to continuously go to school, that would maybe get old.  But to decide one day, I'd like to get a degree in biology or chemistry, or study literature for a while, or whatever, and just have the money (and time) to do it:  that would be really amazing.

Anyway, only one more (easy) final to go.  I survived!  My brain still works.  I might be the annoying old lady in class, with my "life experiences" and my need to share my opinion.  Even still, I've learned some stuff and even made a few friends.  I even think I'm getting a 4.0.  It's like a drug, man.