Greetings and Talk of Class Schedules!

Hey everyone!

Let me start by saying I miss you all and I really love this idea. And to answer Japna's question, I believe you're supposed say "twenty-ten." The only reason I think this is because of that awful 2012 film: all of the trailers proclaimed that the movie was called "twenty-twelve."

I don't want to immediately sound like a downer, but I'm kind of glad that 2009 is over. It was a bad year for me in general. (Mostly because I didn't get to see any of you ladies!) Please feel free to call or email me directly for details if you absolutely need to know them.

But right now, I am sitting in my kitchen looking over next semester's class schedule. I can't believe I only have 4 more days of break! I'm only taking 15 credits next semester. But before you call me a lazy bum, here's why I'm doing it:

So last semester, I took a total of 18 credits: 5 for Chem I (4 credits for lecture and 1 credit for lab), 4 credits for Bio I (all for lecture, lab grades were factored into that.) 3 credits of Honors English, 4 credits of Calculus II, 1 credit of a class called Research and Info Skills (It was a total non-class. We met once a week and learned how to use Microsoft Word. Yay?) and 1 credit of Pre-Professional Pharmacy Seminar I (another non-class that met once per month where the only requirement was that I attend.) Whew!

Next semester, I'm taking Chem II and Bio II, which are both worth the same amount of credits as they were last semester. I am also taking Pre-Professional Pharmacy Seminar II, but it isn't worth any credits next semester. So that means that I will have to take the remaining 9 credits as CORE classes, like Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, etc.

Now, my point: last semester involved far less work. And that's a big problem. How? Two of my super easy credits are gone (Pharmacy Seminar and R&I Skills) and Calculus was worth 4 credits, so it's as if I were adding another whole class to my schedule. And, since they are CORE courses, I will actually have to *gasp* write papers! I know, it's really not so bad having to write papers, and I'm actually kind of good at writing. But last semester, I only had to write a grand total of 4. If I were to take two more CORE courses, I would be tripling the amount of paper writing.

Plus, another small detail: I was hired as a lab assistant for one of the Biology professors! I'm super excited, but since we have not yet worked out a schedule, I have no idea how much time per week she is going to want me to work. I know it's quite selfish and unnecessary, and it is basically rearranging my schedule, and, therefore, my entire life, but I really love working in the lab. (I know we all know that feeling.)

So here's what I'm doing: I have signed up for just 2 of those CORE classes (Health Care Ethics and Honors Philosophy). Yes, my paper writing will be doubled, but it's a small price to pay for a lot more time. Add that to 5 credits of Chem II and 4 credits of Bio II (plus recitations in each class for which I receive no credit) and there's my schedule! I love being busy.

"But Katie," you ask, "What of the 3 missing credits? You need 18 per semester to graduate, and you only have 15 on the schedule, you silly goose!"

Well, ladies, I have the best solution ever. Since this problem will only repeat itself next semester, (I'll have to take 3 CORE classes as well as Organic Chemistry and Physics) I have decided to take two CORE classes over the summer. One for this semester, and one for next semester. I'll probably retain my job over the summer, which means I'll have to be at school anyway, plus I can devote all of my attention to those summer classes rather than squeeze out essays the morning they are due because I was busy writing lab reports the night before... Yes, I did write a lot of "morning-of" essays. No, I'm not proud of that fact. Yes, I did get A's on every last one of them so be jealous!

Do any of you think that this is a good idea? Because it isn't too late for me to just take the damn CORE class this semester.

So yeah. Wow.

In retrospect, I feel rather selfish for writing such a long post about nothing really significant. Regardless, I'm in a real crisis here. I feel stupid for not just swallowing the pill and taking all of my required credits this semester, so, if it's not too much to ask, I just need some moral support.

Thank you all, and I really hope to see some of you again eventually. Which is why we need another reunion. Would anyone like to come to Pittsburgh? It's a great city, I promise.

Love always,
Katie