Monday, September 24, 2012

First Day of Class




Today was the first day of classes for me in England. or, well, one class. I just got done with the Art of Poetry class that I have on Monday's. From 1:00-2:00 is my Lecture, with 162 other students in a huge lecture hall and then from 2:00-3:00 is my Seminar class with about 20 others. This class should be really interesting and were having some important people come to give us lectures. The lecture class is just what it sounds like, a lecture. you sit there and take notes. which is fine for me however the lecture hall we are in, makes you sit up straight and proper and the desks are tiny. So I can't slouch and it's hard to take decent notes. The seminar class is almost exactly like classes at High Point University, small, and interactive. There was a worksheet we had to do looking at different quotations and determining whether they were prose or poetry. For those of you that don't know me, I love poetry and I write a lot of my own, however I have never taken a formal poetry class in my life. When asked which was prose, and which was poetry I got all of mine right while most people put either prose for something that was poetry or vice versus. The teacher asked me after class why I made those decisions and I said, "Honestly, I couldn't tell you. It was a gut feeling." She looked at me and said, "Hmm, well it will be interesting watching you develop. I am glad you are in my class."

Also in the class we had to write down what we thought was an adequate definition of poetry and I wrote, " There is no definition of poetry, because to define is to limit." I kind of incorporated a self-motto in there, the whole "To define is to limit." bit. But I liked it, and thought it was a spark of somewhat genius for my hungry, coffee deprived self.

Speaking of, as I sit here writing this I am on my 2nd cup of the day. I really am turning into my dad. But honestly, these classes should not be that hard to go through and do well in, and over the years in think I have become very self-disciplined, so I won't be too distracted in class and I shan't procrastinate.
Before class I met this cute Asian girl whose English was not very good. I asked her where she was from and she said Japan. Now I spent three years in an all girls school where more thatn half of the population of Asian, so I have picked up a few things. I said welcome and introduced myself in Japanese, to which she beamed up at me, presented (they don't 'call' themselves, they 'present') herself as Chihiro, and we both gave each other small nods of our heads, that indicates respect according to our status. For instance, if she had been a teacher, or someone older than I, I would have honored her with a full bow from the waist, however a small dip in the head is all that is really needed form someone of our age; plus we are not in Japan.

I digress, my apologizes, the coffee has caught up to me and now I am running away with my thoughts, but I do wish to tell you, my esteemed reader everything, so bare with me.  Chihiro sat next to me in my seminar and I made a few other acquaintances, so that is one class down, three more to go! I have my Travel blogging class tomorrow, my British Heritage class Wednesday, and my Fundamentals of Business class on Thursday. Now I just need to get my school books, and I will be ready to roll!
Cheers!
-Collier

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