Let the Games Begin

Last night Spring Semester began. I was enrolled in Organic Chemistry but was wait-listed for Physiology. I was expecting some stress and maybe some disappointment regarding all that (in case I actually had to go through with the O Chem), but I was not excepting the night to be fun...

Upon arriving I was surprised to see a few familiar faces from last semester. I sat with them and in the end there were about 10 of us--which is quite a lot considering only 17 people completed the course. My lab partner, SS, was there and of course my favorite, the Russian Dancer. When the prof arrived and opened the lab we all sat together. And when she went over the waiting list, admitting a precious few, we cheered for each of our own. Literally. Yes we're nerds.

And so for the first half hour I sat listening in a state of semi-euphoria. I managed to get in to physio...with all my friends...it was going to be so much more fun and interesting than O chem...isn't life grand?

But this feeling of togetherness and friendly harmony didn't last long...

Before class started we all talked about our study habits from Anatomy. I told the Long-haired Latina (LHL) that my study method of choice is cramming. She was shocked by this because it doesn't work for her. So later when the physio prof give the standard "you-cannot-cram-here-and-succeed" speech, LHL turned around and looked at me with squinty laughing eyes. Her look was so pointed that I felt compelled to say something. So I said, "Cramming has ALWAYS worked for me." But with my eyes I really said, "I got the highest grade in class last semester--by cramming--and I will squash you again, little girl."

And with that the excitement, the stress and the competition of school hit me. I'm back in the game.