Tuesday, September 02, 2008

First Day of Classes

I got through the first day of classes. My first class is in the undergraduate building and it’s a tiny room that we all barely fit in. The professor went over by fifteen minutes and I hope that is not typical, the class is suppose to end at 12:15 but we got out at 12:30. Once I start my internship, I will have to be in Hartford for a weekly intern meeting at 1:00.

Because of all the books I have to carry, I went out between my classes and bought a book bag. I was hoping I didn’t need a book bag since I think I look dorky using it, I guess I am from the old school and think I should carry my books in my arms, but it was just too much to carry.

I started my afternoon class off with a bang by going to the wrong room! I didn’t find out until we went around the room introducing ourselves and the professor said that my name was not on her lists…Ops.

I think that I will have problems with my 4:15 – 6:15 class, the professor is going to take grammar into account when grading the two papers we have to write. Anyone who is a regular reader of my blog knows that grammar is not one of my strong points – “I are a ingineer”

Well, back to my reading…

3 comments:

  1. Consider one of those briefcases or bookbags with wheels and a handle....at least walking long distances you can set it down and roll it....

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  2. Hey, you got through your first day! I hope it keeps going well. And I hope the prof doesn't continue to go over. Even if you didn't have to get somewhere, those few minutes over seem like a lifetime.

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  3. Hi Diana,

    The further you go now, the more your papers, essays, etc. will be looked at more critically with regard to your writing style, content, spelling, structure...

    I'll never forget one of my instructors my second term in my M.A. program that said the 'ride' was over and everything was going to be looked at with a fine tooth comb - as we were approaching our particular fields and should begin to apply what we've been learning AND many of us will be going on to research or grant requests and therefore will be submitting much of our written material to 'experts'. How and what we write will represent us.

    Go online and look at some writing tutors if UConn doesn't have them -- you should invest in the most important book you'll ever have in a psych or soc. M.A. program: APA Publications Manual. It's difficult to READ, understand and apply at first, but a life saver! Also it will give you access to programs that you can purchase, download, etc., to help with a variety of papers that you will be preparing. One time saver I found was a writing format that automatically would create my references CORRECTLY for me as I entered citations. That in itself saved me so much time.

    I will be having 'time' issues on Wednesdays! At the clinic I'm interning, every Wed. is an 'inservice' for 2 hours from 2-4 (it's like a class); but my mandatory supervision meeting is also on Wednesday from 3 - 4. I get to figure out how to be in 2 places at one time!

    The only 'time' saver for me is now that I'm in the wheelchair most of the time, they are keeping me at ONE location (Plainville) so I don't have to drive up to Hartford for my supervision.

    From one finishing grad student to another... best of luck to you this semester!

    p

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