I returned to New York this morning after a refreshingly wonderful long weekend home in Chicago. Even though my flight was early in the morning, even though I had to get on a crowded bus to get home from the airport, even though I really didn't want to leave Chicago, I was in good spirits. I arrived during the most beautiful weather possible, and the city simply sparkled for the four days I was there. I spent lots of time with my extended family, all in town for our uncle's gigantic 50th birthday bash. As for the various family get-togethers, let's just say: lots of food, open bar, loud loud aunts and uncles, partying with cousins, irish dancing, and many scandalous stories about my father's bachelor youngest brother's youth and not-so-distant past. It was a blast, especially since we're never ever all in town at once. I also got to spend tons of time with Brian, see his swank new apartment, and party at their housewarming. He came along to be entertained by my family festivities too, and charmed the hell out of my relatives.
Most of my cheerful mood this morning, however is probably due to the fact that I get to go back in 1.5 days. That's right, I went home for a family celebration this weekend, and I have to go back this weekend for my FIRST friend wedding ever. I can't believe one of us is getting married.
It seems silly that I didn't just stay straight through the week though, doesn't it? Problem is, I had to do this whole "first day of grad school" thing in between, and there was really no way of avoiding it. But let me tell you, if I show up there tomorrow and get anything less than a stellar lecture, if I get any of that here's-the-syllabus-now-go-home shit that I absolutely loved in college, I will be sorely upset. Because this is grad school, people. We have done the whole "job" thing (even if we knew it was just a short prelude to more school). We are living in an area far removed from campus and paying too much in rent. We are not bringing in much money at all now, and shelling out a lot of it. We are visiting our school's financial aid web page frequently. And we could have just had one plane ticket for a straight week and a half at home, but we came back because it seemed important, because in grad school the first class of the semester is always a full session, no exceptions. Right?
2 comments:
Um...about that. You may have wanted to stay home. Grad school's not ALL that different on the first day of the semester, sadly. Unless, of course, you had Nancy Swortzell's class the first day, in which case she'll expect brilliance from the get-go.
In terms of the money you've spent and will continue to spend in large wheel-barrowfuls, you may find, as I did, that at least half of the people in the program don't actually read. I know we get a lot of reading, but they don't do any, and would be better served by simply heaping money onto a raging fire. I'm sure you will get your money's worth, however.
Actually, it kind of was different. I'm really glad I went to my class, because it was a full lecture and, though I probably would not have failed without it, I found it quite valuable and interesting. And yes, I'll definitely get my money's worth!
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