It's Bizness Time

Sounds like all fun and games until somebody has to go to class.

I'm a student at College of Southern Idaho's Blaine County campus. Class started last Tuesday, January 19th... and I missed the first day because I read my schedule wrong (and this girl is going to Graduate School? yikes!)... so the first class that I attended was on Wednesday evening: Concepts of Biology.

This class will definitely get me back into the classroom mentality. There are 19 students in the class, we have assignments, group projects, and regular quizzes and exams. The professor is so excited about teaching Biology that you can't help but pay attention the entire two and a half hour class. Phew.

The next day, I attend my first (but technically second) afternoon class of Statistics. Wow, this classroom has three other people in it, not counting the teacher, who is broadcasting live on the two giant TVs in the front of the room. This one and a half hour class seems to drag on longer than the Bio class, and we're moving at a pace similar to that of a three-toed sloth.

Additionally, this week, I signed up for a completely online Microeconomics class through University of California, Berkeley. I think I'm most worried about this course because students complete it at their own pace, so I need to stay on top of it. The only deadline is June 17th: I need to take the final proctored exam on or before that date.

Since I haven't found a job, I figured that it would be good to just throw myself into academics. In order to start at Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke next year, I need to complete at least one of my prerequisite courses (Stats and Microecon) and they recommend basic science courses as well. Since I'm taking on the joint degree program with Fuqua School of Business, I've decided that preparing myself to the best of my ability is in my best interest. Getting two masters in three years will be challenging enough, taking Stats or Microecon there and not knowing rudimentary Bio would make it that much more painful.

Overall, I'm glad to get these out of the way while I have time to focus on assignments without the distractions of living in a big city. I have class down in Hailey four days a week, which beats a three hour Caltrain commute, but isn't ideal. It conflicts with job opportunities and Town Series races, but I'll make it work.