Goodbye free time, it was nice knowing you.

Written on August 25, 2011. Posted in School. 2 Comments.

So, my college semester started on Monday. From now on, I will feel entitled to whine about how much studying I have to do, how much my books cost (Hey, I had to pay $100 for an access code to an online workbook! Doesn’t that just fill me with joy and happiness?) and how Organic Chemistry is going to kill me.

And about how I don’t even feel all that well-rested from summer break because all I did was work, and how I don’t even have anything to show for that because all my money went to paying for things like $100 access codes and, occasionally, tacos.

It hasn’t even been that long since summer started. Okay, it’s been a good three months, but three months just doesn’t feel as long when you’re almost 19 (hey, my birthday is next Saturday!) as it does when you’re 6.  I wanted to get so much more done this summer than I did- I wanted to read more, do more, spend more time with my friends, but fall just kind of crept up on me.

Oh, well, it’s not like I actually hate school. In fact, I’m actually kind of looking forward to this semester, despite my three lab classes- hey, it means I can spend more time on things like doing experiments and writing lab reports and being science-y and less time writing detailed analyses of modern literature (and I do like literature and books, you should see my bedroom- more on that later- but it’s not really relevant to my major).

But it’s only been four days and I already wish my friends were back and I would even go back to working 40 hours a week if only I didn’t have to come home and do homework and reading and pay for textbooks and tuition and go to lectures…

Viva el verano…. if only.

This is why college sucks.

Written on August 7, 2011. Posted in Ranting, School. 1 Comment.

You know, nothing really beats coming back from vacation (Hatteras Island, as per usual, with 30 of my closest relatives) than getting out my debit card an hour after arriving home and shelling out almost $600.00 for college textbooks. Really, there’s nothing like it in the world. Well, maybe going to the accounting office the next Monday to hand over a $4500.00 check will. That remains to be seen.

It makes me sad to think that even with all of my scholarships, I’m still having trouble paying for college. (Granted, this is completely sans loans, but still.) What do kids who have to pay full price for tuition do? How do they manage? Most in-state, public schools are at least $25,000 a year. Private institutions can be almost twice that much.  When it’s almost impossible to get anywhere in life without at least some graduate school- let alone a bachelor’s degree- it’s not really surprising that no one these days has any money.

It kind of makes a person wonder if a basic liberal arts degree is even worth it any more- wouldn’t it be better just to enter the job market straight out of high school and start earning a living? For a lot of people, it probably would- unfortunately, college isn’t really considered an option any more- for all but the worst high school students, it’s like a required step. Not everyone is made for college- for some, it’s just a waste of money. A lot of money, as the case may be.

Eh, I don’t really know where this thought train is supposed to lead- maybe high schools should stop pushing kids who really shouldn’t go to college to apply anyway?  Maybe college should be less expensive? (Given the amount of money that was in my bank account two days ago versus the amount of money that will be in my bank account tomorrow, definitely. Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m definitely grateful for my scholarships. If I didn’t have them, I would probably be crying right about now.) But really, I just wanted to whine about both my empty bank account and how school will be starting again in two short weeks. Where did summer go, anyway?