So I’m a Freshman All Over Again

Recently, I started back to college. Sorta. Actually, I’m taking one class at Terra State Community College. I found out that old people like me can audit courses at state institutions in Ohio tuition-free. Even though I had to pay some fees and books, it was still a deal. So I decided to take a beginning web design course. Since I do a few websites for friends, and I could definitely do them better, it made since. And I have the time.

But that meant, of course, that I had to start school all over again, with a bunch of 19 year-olds, at a place that was new to me. But I signed up, registered for the class, and paid, all in about an hour, in a small building where I was the only person in line. Not exactly like I remember from the University of Toledo in the 1970’s! That was the easy part.

Then came the part I was afraid of: The first day of school! So, just to start off right (not) I went to the wrong class. Of course. Of course! When the teacher there informed me I was in the right room, but the wrong building, I did my best to pretend all was cool, all the time feeling like an idiot, but trying not to LOOK like I was feeling like an idiot. Well, I got to the right building, and do you think I could find room 210? Of course not. OK, yes I did, but not without a lot of looking. All I know is it wasn’t where the signs said it was. And how come I was the only one looking lost, walking around in circles, staring at signs and room numbers? But I got there, walked in, and even though I was early, there were already about 10 students in there, logged in and working on the computers. (What is going on here? What are they working on?) Anyway, I figured out how to log in, and pretended I was doing something, just so I didn’t look so out of place…which I already did being 3 times the age of the rest of the students.

Finally, the class started, and the instructor started talking about the syllabus he put online. Wait, what? There’s a syllabus? I actually had looked online the night before and there was nothing. Of course, I looked at 8:00, a proper time for old guys like me. He put it up around 11 he said. 11? PM? Really? Really. Doesn’t he know I’m old? And I don’t stay up as late as they do? No, of course not. But since I didn’t see the syllabus, I also didn’t see the part where it told me to bring a flash drive. So then he asks “Who doesn’t have a flash drive?” He might as well have asked “Who is an idiot I can point out to everyone so we can make him feel stupid?” Meekly, my hand, and my hand alone, was raised. Crap. I think I had just been tagged as the doddering old guy in the back row. Crap. Crap…Crap. I hate doddering.

But eventually, the class was over, and except for the fact that I was the only one who had to bring separate reading glasses, I made it back to my truck with no more issues. Finally!

All in all, I guess it could have been worse. My very first day of college, 40 years ago, I dropped my cafeteria tray at my very first meal. At least this wasn’t that bad.

Still, I made sure I didn’t go to the snack bar. I didn’t want to take any chances.