It turns out, there is a prerequisite that you must be smart enough to find your class before you can begin.
For my first semester, I am taking 6 credits to begin and see what I can handle while working full time. I am taking a 4 credit online class and a 2 credit class in person. Wednesday was supposed to be my first day going to that class.
I wasn't sure exactly where I was going because this particular class is not held on the main campus. I get lost a lot and I wasn't sure about traffic, so I left a full hour early. Google maps estimated it as a 20 minute drive, but ever since middle school, I've been the nerd who is super early for class, so I left myself plenty of time.
Traffic was a NIGHTMARE. It was an evening class and I didn't realize I would be going through a messy area of rush-hour. I couldn't believe how slow I was driving. When I finally spotted the building, it was 5 minutes until the beginning of my class. I wanted to be in class at least 10 minutes early, but I would still be on time, so I wasn't panicking.
The building was downtown, which I hate. I HATE downtown. Do you know why I hate downtown?!? Because there is no where to park. I drove around and around and around. And then I was lost, so I re-programmed my GPS, and then drove around and around some more. I couldn't even find an expensive ramp.
When I was 30 minutes late to class and still hadn't found a parking spot, I turned around and drove home. There is no possible way I could walk in to my first day of class 30 minutes late. I decided I would either switch into a different class that wasn't downtown during rush hour, or I would drop it.
I got home and found out the same class was offered online. Perfect. I dropped the class with no problem but couldn't register for the online class. The next day, I called the Registrar who told me I needed permission from the professor.
When I finally got int touch with the professor, he told me if I couldn't register online, it must be full and that I was already behind, so it would be difficult for me even if I could register.
Um...
The class technically started the day before, how behind could I be? And the Registrar told me that the online registration system was instant, and said instant system was showing three open spots. So, I didn't appreciate his attitude. I was polite, but I didn't hold back in my second email, as I outlined my frustration with his first response and request to have him get his act together and give me permission to register (that was what I was thinking but my email was worded much more professionally).
Having been away from school for a few years, I don't feel intimidated or in awe of professors the way I did as a 19 year old. In the 6 years I have been working, I have been yelled at enough to know about customer service and the proper way to respond to a crabby email (this professor did a poor job and if I was a camper parent, I would have lost it on him at this point). Working with a huge variety of people and companies, I have learned to negotiate, to problem solve, to be tough when I need to be, and I've overcome too many issues to just accept his lame answer.
Several emails later, he approved my registration.
Less than a week into the journey into higher education and I'm already hitting bumps. It might be an interesting road ahead...
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