Summer's gone and I hardly blogged at all. It's not even like it was all that busy, I just never got around to it. Anyway, instead of burdening myself with trying to recap it all, I'm going to start with today. My first day back at school. I'm in my "third year" but I'm technically a half credit short of being a "third year" student which is why I titled this "year three". It's confusing. I know. It will get more confusing as time goes on. The bottom line is, after this year, I still have two full more years to go to complete my undergrad. It's all good.
So, first day back. I have four classes again this semester (hence why a four year program is taking me five years, because I'm only doing four classes at a time instead of five). This semester my classes are all on Tuesdays and Thursdays with one tutorial on Friday. I start on Tuesday (today) at 10am with African History. I took this class for two reasons. 1) I know nothing about Africa and I think it will be interesting. 2) I heard the prof speak at a History Students Association conference a few years back and I loved him. After the first class, I still love him and I'm super excited for this class, although not so much the readings that go with it (they look depressing, I'm sure they'll be interesting though).
That class runs for an hour and a half (well, 80 minutes but for arguments sake, 1.5 hours) and then I have a 1.5 hour break. At 1pm I go to my "Canada Before Confederation" history course. Again I took it for two reasons. 1) I love the topic and think I want to pursue this era. 2) I haven't heard great things about the prof and I want to form my own opinions because there is a chance I'd have her for upper level courses in the future.
Then I have a 1.5 hour break (are we seeing a pattern here?) and at 4pm I start what might be my favourite class. It's officially called "War and Memory in North America" but it deals specifically with the War of 1812 followed by World War One. We have some really cool projects to do and we've planned a field trip to the battlefields at Niagara! Oh, and this prof is amazing. I haven't had him but I've heard fantastic things and judging from the first class, they're right.
After that class I have a short 30 minute break and then I head off to Quebec Culture IN FRENCH for three hours. I have been apprehensive about this class, even after talking to the prof. I'm happy to report that I understood a lot more than I had anticipated. After hardly doing any French over the summer I managed to understand the majority of what the prof said tonight. Granted she has a pretty anglicized accent but she still speaks fairly quickly so I was a bit worried. I'm going to have to work hard but I have easily a dozen friends in that class so we're planning weekly study sessions and I think we'll do well.
Thursday is the same as Tuesday minus the three hour class. Also, the middle one (Canadian History) doesn't have a lecture on Thursday's but sometimes there are what she calls "remedial classes" which are essentially tips on how to do the assignments or what to study for the final. So that's what I'm up to! The other day's I have open for working and for my campus club activities. I'm very active in French Club again, a general member in the History Students Association and, most scarily, a Co-President of NASSA (North American Studies Students Association) eek! And speaking of, I have work to do. Wish me luck!
