(no subject)

[janetlin]

The result of my meeting with the readmission counselor at CSUS last week was that - yes, really - all I had to do was to fill out a fresh application. Once I did so, I would be sent a notice (which he just handed to me, since I was right there) saying that because of my horrific grades in my last semester, I had been placed on Academic Probation. So I needed to provide them with one typed page explaining _why_ it had happened, what I've been doing in the meantime (three years have lapsed), and what I have done or will do to fix the problem.

Well, I was pregnant and morning sickness caused me to miss most of my classes, and the stress and hormones kept me from focusing on those classes I _was_ able to attend, and on top of that, I was trying to plan my glorified shotgun wedding in two months. My solution: well, I'm no longer pregnant, and the wedding is over and done. All better now. (Obviously I was more official-sounding in what I actually wrote.)

So I had another appointment for this morning, to take in that explanation along with a form for him to fill out with whether I'd been accepted or not. There was no grilling, he didn't ask any questions or clarifications, just typed away on his computer and then had me sign the bottom of the form saying that I understood I was to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA with a maximum of 14 units.

Woot! I'm in! I can pay my fees today and late registration begins on the 28th.

He also printed out my General Education Evaluation so I know exactly what I have left to take (stupid California and their elitist Gen Ed requirements. I have an Associate's, a two-year degree. Doesn't that tell you that I've already _done_ this bullshit?). This isn't even _touching_ the major requirements. *sigh* Two years to be done with the whole thing is sounding optimistic, now.

But I'm back in and I'm not planning to get sidetracked again. My boything is thousands of miles away, so the pregnancy/wedding fiasco will not happen again, and I think I'm more focused toward the Bachelor's this time. Last time I had a serious case of the "why am I studying this completely unrelated subject?" which made it really hard to concentrate on doing the work. Well, the truth is, _everything_ is unrelated to what I _really_ want to be doing, since CSUS doesn't have a Linguistics department. So the only way for me to _get_ to studying what I want to (which will be in graduate school) is to suck it up, pick a major I can tolerate so I can get a goddamn B.A. and get on with my life.

Sorry about the grumpiness; I really am excited about going back to school and once more making progress in my education and my life. It just feels like every bad decision I've made over the past five years is pointing its finger at me and laughing, all at once. And believe me, it feels like _every_ decision I've made these past five years has been a bad one.

Except for buying that green halter dress. That was a good call. *wink*

Comments

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I'm sorry that the road to what you would actually like to study is so long, though...

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

Me, too. But you wouldn't enjoy the good things if you didn't have to work for them, right?

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

So they keep telling us, at least...

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

Either that or the idea that the whole process is intended to weed out those who aren't truly serious about it.

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

In my first semester I had to take philosophic math. Anyone who manages through that is allowed to study anything they want :)

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

"philosophic math" ... just the thought of that hurts my brain.

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

Yes. We are the only country in the world who has this exam, my professor joyfully informed us. I imagine his joy at this cannot measure up to that of the students of the rest of the world.

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

Where are you?

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

Norway.

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

*note to self: don't go to college in Norway*

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Apart from the philosophical math, our university system used to be pretty great, actually. Of course, then they imposed an enormous reform on us that basically ruined everything I loved about it.

But you still get to study what you want to nearly from the start, and there is practically no fees, plus you get economical support.

Also, we have a great linguistics department ;)

I don't know if you get to study the origin of words right off bat (that's what you are interested in, right?), but fairly complicated grammar is up for grabs. I've taken one such course.

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

The origin of words is indeed what I'm interested in.

"But you still get to study what you want to nearly from the start, and there is practically no fees, plus you get economical support."

Tempting... but it's _cold_ up there! My Swedish ancestors did not pass down to me the ability to live in cold climates.

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

The cold is greatly exaggerated. So the snow hadn't entirely melted by the beginning of May. That just gives us character. So one year when I was taking my equivalent of Britain's A-levels it rained each and every day, all day, all autumn. That builds character. And when you've had pneumonia every winter of your life, you're unlikely to die of it. The body has built up its own resistance.

Which part of Sweden where they from? Do you know any Swedish? Skål, mina vänner?

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

I do not speak any Swedish yet. My great-grandparents apparently did not make a point to teach it to my grandfather. Grr.

My dad and I aren't sure where they came from. The story goes that they were from a town (apparently quite small) called To - my computer isn't letting me do the other funky o characters - and we think it's in the southwest. Unfortunately, our last name now is not the name our family went by while they were there - the story is also that my great-great-grandfather changed it, and no one remembers what it was before. Makes genealogy research _quite_ difficult.