Photoessay #130 - College begins

I know a college student who has just started the term at a major public university. She has several observations:

I'm taking two classes on the ancient world, taught by classics professors; a different breed, always with their coat and tie concerned with the most abstruse issues. Studying ancient world involves a lot of guessing with so many absences in the historical record. Not to worry though, my prof assures me that he is one the most world renowned experts on Ancient Greco-Roman Surgical Instruments.

I am taking Rivers and Beaches. Why? Why? I don't need the science credit and the darn class is so far south, it's practically IN the water. Why AM I taking it? Because I like the class and want to know more about this? Involves a lot of silt issues. Probably currents also.

As president of my campus organization (involves scouting), I participated in the giant activity fair today on the central plaza. We must be classified as a "nerdy organization" We were adjacent to the sororities and fraternities which included a lot of noisy music and dancing but these folks seemed mostly involved with themselves. We were between the Chemistry Honor Society and the Anime club. The chemistry honors people were assembling large models of molecules on their table, I made the mistake of asking them about it...don't do that. They described the models IN DETAIL involving polymers and who knows what else. When the Anime people crossed over to do their own shift at the Chemistry Honors table, I knew we were deep into campus nerndom. We gave out cookies but people were wary, I think there feared we would sign them up for something.

So excited about my new student job in one of the specialized libraries. I trained with two well-behaved frat boys. I don't need to remember their names because they are both named James. Hi James, I say. So quiet during the first week, I'm hoping it will pick up now that the quarter has started. Those evening shifts at the desk are long, I offer to do something else but I'm supposed to be 'at the desk'. Learned about inventory today, in fact I found a book considered to be lost but now it's found. It was blind but now it sees.