First Week of Classes

I finally have my first week of classes under my belt.
Let me just say this, I appreciate the American education system more than ever.
I'm not sure if it's just this college or the country, but it's kind of madness.

Let's just start with the fact that I didn't know the classes I was in until last Friday and we started on Monday.
All those who know me know I don't do chaos and unorganized.
Just no!
I got all my classes figured out and moved around to where I liked them.
The first two went by great.
Did I mention I have 4 hour long classes?
Disgusting I know.
Then came Wednesday.
I was supposed to have Macroeconomics at 9am.
I went online to check the building because it wasn't listed in my previous schedule.
I was looking and it said it had been moved to Thursday!
So of course I start FREAKING out!
I email the professor and my director trying to find out what's going on.
Turns out they changed the day last minute!
Well the American over here was NOT okay with that.
You can't just change it without notifying people.
Are you starting to see where I turn Team America?

This caused a hiccup in my schedule though because I already had a Thursday class.
So I had to drop macroeconomics (how sad).
I finally got my schedule figured out after constant back and forth emailing with Gemma.

Then came Thursday class time.
My first class was Politics of the US.
Many of you will read that and think I am taking the easy class or cheating.
WRONG!
After getting lost in the massive building where this class takes place I finally get settled in.
There is one other study abroad student from America named Peter.
Of course we bonded over our nationality (typical).
So our teacher is lecturing and telling us about our course.
Then he asks if any of us had been to America.
Stupidly, I raise my hand without thinking.
I did not want to be known as the American kid.
I tried to put it down before the professor saw, but now such luck.
I finally tell the class that I live there and all that jazz.
He then proceeds to tell me that if he gets anything wrong during lectures to correct him.
As if!
He obviously does not know how American children are raised.
Then Peter didn't fess up to being American either!
I am now plotting ways to sell him out.
I am not being mean, I just don't like being alone when the professor looks to me and asks me random questions about America.

We finally get along with the lecture.
I am continuously being asked questions about our politics system and way of life in America.
I must say though, these Brits LOVE America.
They absolutely love it.
Which I guess is good for me.
The saddest part is when the teacher would ask questions these British kids know more about recent politics and people than I do!
Obviously I'm not voluntarily answering a question in this class ever!
There were two kids who I'm pretty sure sit around and read American politics books for fun!
They knew every answer to every question.
This is why I plan on selling Peter out.
His plan is to tell them he's German.
He doesn't speak, look, or sound German.
Foolproof plan!
Finally this class was over!
I had a small break until my next one.

My last class is Literature of the Romantic Period.
I thought this class would be fun and easy because I had something similar in America.
Plus how awesome would it be to go see the legendary places these writers lived and wrote about!
Boy was I wrong!
First, this class is not easy or fun.
Our first "warm-up" exercise was dissecting 5 poems.
I could only do one.
Thank God for William Blake.
Needless to say, if I don't fall asleep each class it will be a miracle.
Thankfully I have Fridays off!

The school system here is just so different from back home.
It's not even that I have 3-4 hour long classes.
This does really suck.
It's just that there isn't a lot of structure in it.
I LIKE STRUCTURE!
I am interested to see how it works out though.
Being a future educator makes me curious to see how other schools work, even at the college level.
So far, not impressed.
Maybe they will surprise me.
The one perk is that I don't have to buy books!
I can but it's only suggested.
So in college terms, I'm not buying books.
So the first week was a little stressful and I'm just ready for it to get better.
I know it will because once I get a routine down I will be able to breathe again.

Until next time,
xoxo