Yesterday

was my first day of spring classes and what a long first day it was! It was weird to start out A&P with considerably fewer students than last semester, I guess they didn't pass. Seeing my study group was comforting. A friend asked me for some study group tips, and here is what I told her:

-One weekly meeting where everyone could attend (it wasn't mandatory, but people rarely - if ever - missed)

-Everyone has the same grade goals. We all aim for A's (we don't always get them, but aim for them nonetheless) funny, the people who didn't care to get an A, dropped fairly quickly...

-We all have different styles, which has proved to be very helpful:
*** is supreme note-taker (no one else takes class notes in our group)
*** is the detail person (she has to know "why" and "how" b4 we move on)
*** was the person who took the lab tests first (she knew what we needed 2 study)
I am the one who actually reads the textbook, and I do mnemonics

-We had detailed study schedules for the week leading up to the test (and a schedule for two weeks leading up to the final) which meant *less cramming*

-Someone who is the "back to work" time keeper, it is o-so-hard to stay focused and on task!

-And, there is always someone who is better at one thing than another person...the one who gets it teaches the one(s) who don't, and we usually don't move on until everyone gets it...when it comes to the studying from old notes and tests, we first check all the answers against the book to make sure they are correct, and so we have to divide up the work...therefore, lazy people would not make it in our group ;o)

In other news, SHAKESPEARE is going to be ridiculous. One play *every* week. 1 paper. 2 "midterms" and 1 cumulative final. Did I mention that papers are my thing and objective tests are NOT???

APPLIED LINGUISTICS is going to be easy and I can make it fun, but the content sounds like it's going to be problematic - already we're talking about "Ebonics" and "Spanglish" and getting into heated "THEY" & "WE" debates. And (surprise, surprise) I am the only black student in the class and there are no Latino/Chicano/Mexican/Puerto Rican students. Did I mention I hate my undergraduate institution for making this norm of my undergraduate career?

I also have a senior seminar class, but I haven't been to it yet...

As for tonight, I am off to read Shakespearean sonnets, chapter 17 in A&P, and drag myself to take a bath tonight because the apartment complex is turning off the water early in the morning so that the water company can service the pipes...no shower in the morning...ugh.