it was very odd this morning to be back in the university halls, even if just for a reentry appointment. the campus is beautiful (despite city smog), nestled in the mountains the way it is. it is cooler there (and thank goodness i remembered that too! it was chilly there this am), and a cloud drifted like mist from the top of one of the peaks to about midway down the mountain. with the sun behind me, it was as breathtaking as i remembered. the campus is wide open, spread out, with some wonderful architecture. there are a few online images of it, but they just do not do the place justice. but for all that the campus itself hasn't changed from what i could see, and the halls i traversed were familiar, there were some changes. i hardly recognized student admissions at all with all the changes that had been made there. and i had an extra stop that i have never had to make before, student services to students with disabilities. i MAY be qualified under my adhd. it depends on how much of a handicap it will be as determined by my doctor. at any rate, it was an interesting feeling to be back on the campus.

some of the campus buildings just after sunset

then there were the familiar faces at the eop program. in the last year i honestly had expected for some of them to have left. but the only ones who had, as far as i could tell, were the student staff that had been helping in the office when i was last there as a student. so i saw three of the counselors i had worked with in those short (but terminally LONG) 18 months and the one special programs head that i worked for two (three?) summer ago. if i hadn't been so unnerved about coming back it would have been like i had never left.

the back of the above buildings & the clock tower

and other good news: going back isn't going to be nearly the pain i thought it would be. as an eop student who has been on medical leave, i get some breaks in the re-enrollment process. for one, i will qualify for ALL my financial aid. that one is a biggy for me. plus, i thought i had something like 6 or 7 classes i would have to retake. nope: 2, with a 3rd if i REALLY want to push it (probably won't...i don't really feel i earned the grade, but, as the councilor said, the teacher obviously saw that i COULD if i hadn't been so ill...and the work i DID do must have been sufficient). i WILL be on early warning probation because while my overall gpa is above a 2.0 (just barely after the fiascoes of those quarters), my last completed quarter gpa is below it. so i have to meet monthly with my counselor and make sure to get a 2.0 or better my first quarter. i doubt this will be a major problem...i may doubt my abilities to ace everything again, but i KNOW i can manage a 2.0 overall.

one of the arts buildings, i believe (i had a philosophy class there...great gallery!)

everything just fell into place, and, despite the case of nerves, i feel pretty good about things. a friend of mine has already sworn to meet me once a week for lunch so it won't be like trying to start a whole new social life, just most of one. i never really have had problems with at least getting to know people, until i was sick (and then i was too busy sleeping and fighting my way through classes to really pay attention to anyone else) so i am not too worried about that. and, having already been an older reentry student at both a jc and the university, i am not in for a culture shock that way either. so, other than a concern about being able to do reasonably well on my grades (and letting go of the a's), i am pretty jazzed about going. something i never thought i would be. i was exhausted when i left, i thought i would never go back. so it's nice to be looking forward to it, even if it's not the major i had in mind. i still have my minors, and i can get a job REAL quick with an english degree.

of course, i am sure that saxy gave me the new collective soul album for my birthday and emce DID get his car has absolutely nothing to do with how jazzed i feel at the moment. ;) i do have to admit, though, i am appalled at what some of the departments have up for web pages. but i guess any return to college after a long absence can't be perfect! ;)