Still fighting whatever plague has taken over my body but I’m not getting any worse so that is a good sign, right? Hint: the correct answer is yes.
I’ve mustered up enough energy to drag my sorry butt to class this week and get my stuff all caught up so that is a plus and at this point, I’ll take it. This week is registration week for winter term. The time when my study buddies chatter about what classes we’re taking and who with. Rate My Professor has been an invaluable tool for selecting an instructor. Say what you will- that people only go on there to bitch and gripe about teachers and complain but you can tell who is doing that versus who is really giving credible feedback. It’s about consistency. Instructors with lower scores have consistent complaints, whether it’s being inflexible, presenting unclear grading criteria, or being poor at delivering lectures- it’s good information to have to go into a new class.
There is never a guarantee you’ll get a good instructor but the more you lessen your chances for a bad one, the better. Sadly, we were not so lucky with our math class. We opted to take it online simply because the few other options were pretty bad.
Fortunately, the instructors for my other two classes are pretty good so no complaints. I’m actually looking forward to microbiology. It’s a beast of a class with a ton of content to learn but being back in a science class that’s relevant to the end goal is a good thing. The same study group that worked together during our nearly year of Anatomy and Physiology will be reuniting for this class and that has me stoked. We work hard but have fun and that is everything in a tough course.
CNA 2 class is the first two weeks of January and my regular classes begin on the 7th. So for one week, they will all overlap. It’s going to be dicey but in the end be worth it because having a CNA 2 in the state of Oregon means you can work in a hospital or hospice facility. It means more options. It also means I’ll be consuming a lot of Starbucks and meal planning ahead to clear as much time (with what little I’ll have to work with) for studying.
Eye on the prize! As I get more energy back I’ll try and add some more snap to my posts. For right now, this is all I’ve got. Happy Halloween everyone! Stay safe and whatever you do- don’t fall asleep. 
for a simple lack of common sense. This class would have been far better in an online, self-guided format.
I feel rested and have a lot more energy. I know, I know- who’d have thought? But when you’re used to half-assed sleep for so long, you don’t realize what you’ve been missing until you have it back.
I need to up my game.
Leaves are changing colors and the small piles accumulating on the ground crunch below your feet. The first two weeks of school have so far been OK. I was able to get a part-time CNA job that will accommodate my school schedule so that’s a plus. Scrubs have been purchased since finding the “scrub mecca”. Seriously, every color, pattern, brand, and size line the walls of this tiny shop. After trips to four different stores, a new pair of clogs is sitting on the floor my closet, waiting to be worn in.
There’s a guy who clicks his pen for the entire nearly two hours. The kicker? One woman comes storming in late after having missed the entire first week, proceeds to sit down, and about 10 minutes into the lecture decides to blurt out, “When is the first quiz?” at a sound level heard in the next city over. The instructor referenced the syllabus (you know that thing that tells you what and when assignments are due, including quizzes) to which she applied, “Oh, I haven’t even looked at the syllabus. My bad.” I’m fairly certain that had she spoken any louder, she could have communicated with the International Space Station.