'kay, so usually I'm pretty good about making decisions on my own, but this one's killing me and I need to have an answer by the end of the week (which, by the way, is on Thursday for most people reading this, not Friday like a normal end of the week).
If you read this entry, please please please give me your two cents on the matter.
It's time to sign up for classes for Winter and Spring semesters back at Pacific. I've been talking with my adviser, Dave, and have the following list of classes for Spring:
ARTST 226-01 Photography I (Flory, 4 credits) MW 8-10:20
ENGL 421-01 The Romantic Period (Steele, 4 credits) TTh 9:40-11:15
MEDA 370-01 Advanced Reporting (Schrag, 4 credits) TTh 1-2:35
ENGW 305-01 Research Methods in Humanities (Beard, 2 credits) F 3:30-5
ENGW 466-01 Literary Magazine Publication (Postma, 2 credits) TBA
Independent Study -- Reporting (Cassady, 4 credits) TBA
That's all well and good. Hopefully the Registrar won't pitch a fit over it being 20 credits instead of the typical max of 18. I think it should be fine, seeing as I've been taking 18 credits since I started at Pacific.
As for Winter III (which is a three-week semester where students can take an accelerated course), I'm not sure what to do. I had originally planned on taking photography because I'd seen that it was offered, but when I checked the catalogue again, it was gone. So then I settled on not taking a Winter III this year. Then Dave recommended I take MEDA 122-01 Intro to Digital Media, a 2-credit WIII course.
There are pros and cons to this.
Pros:
-It's a good background to have for Journalism majors (it's required under the new catalogue, which doesn't apply to me).
-It will put me back on campus to work on the paper, which is a good thing since I'm in line to be the Executive Editor (the big boss lady) for the Pacific Index.
Cons:
-I will barely be home for two weeks before I go back to classes.
-Flights are crazy right after New Year's.
I guess it would be a good class to take and being on campus to get back into the Index swing of things is probably a good idea. The Winter III issue is typically difficult to get together because so many people aren't on campus to report for us. I'd also be back in the eyes of Hailey and Dave, who will be making the decision on who to select for the EE position. Since I've left, someone else decided that they want to take the spot and is apparently complaining that I was just handed the position without working for it. I've had positions taken from me before by people who want to pad their resumes and then do a crappy job and I don't want that to happen to the Index.
However, my "breaks" aren't breaks at all, just times of go-go-go that add to my stress. At this point, I can almost give a day-by-day of what I'll be doing each day I'm at home and it isn't a prospect I'm looking forward to. In my email exchange with Dave while discussing my classes, I literally said that I may go insane if I'm only home for two weeks. Though it's a selfish reason and I realize it, I want to go to game at least once while I'm home and as it stands, the Fridays are the 24th and 31st of December, which very likely means that game wouldn't be held while I'm home. Also, my mother made it sound like flights on the 2nd of January, which would be when I would be flying back to Oregon if I took the WIII class, are crazy and possibly already expensive--and I would be taking all my stuff for the Spring semester with me.
For those who wondering, I don't want to take the class but I feel like I should, so that I'm in a better position to serve the Index.
For those to whom it matters, I did a few readings on the issue with my Tarot deck.
Single-card action spread: 4 of Chalices.
-dissatisfaction, boredom, depression in a relationship; being let down or cheated; feelings of passive-aggressiveness
-success or pleasure approaching an end; stationary period in happiness; acquisition by contention; injustice sometimes; the good with the bad
3-card situation-action-resolution spread:
Situation: 9 of Wands.
-final challenge preventing accomplishment of a goal; find the strength to succeed only after exhausting all other options, arising from a need or willingness to try one more time
-great success, but with strife and energy; victory preceded by apprehension and fear
Action: Ill-dignified Knave of Pentacles.
-Normal, non-ill-dignified description: gathering of energy to build things or fulfill bodily needs; hobbies becoming professions with proper nurturing; gentleness and time to bring potential to fruitation
-Ill-dignified description: wasteful; dissipation of ideas; failure to recognize the facts
Resolution: Ill-dignified XIX The Sun.
-Normal, non-ill dignified description: clarity, renewed trust; understand patterns, plan for the future, move forward; foresight
-Ill-dignified description: unhappiness; loneliness; possibly broken engagement
So that's what I've got. Help?
Comments, suggestions, advice, personal experiences, declarations of love and adoration--all are welcome!
Go for the Winter III. Suck to miss time at home, although it looks like that's a 50/50 proposition for you anyway.
ReplyDeleteWhat you want is the editorship. Take it. You deserve it, but you'll have to prove it. So charge. And extra skills never hurt.
On the Spring Semester, you will have problems with the Registrar. That's why the office exists. You'll need to get extra signatures I'm sure. Just make sure everybody involved is clear on what you need to do / have others do. And they will still likely want to charge you for the two credits as well, so have a plan.
Once again, I always recommend crying and begging. It served me well.
(This is Thea from game) I also encourage you to take the class. You are young, intelligent, and capable, and I think it would be unfortunate if you end up having fewer opportunities (losing the Index position) because of being overly cautious now.
ReplyDeleteIt's a tough time to be entering the job market, especially if you are going into Journalism, which is practically a dying field, except in the digital realm. You will need both the skills and the position on your resume, and I think it will be worth it to stretch yourself now.
Also, we're gamers, it's entirely possible there will be game on one or both of those days, it's happened before, so you probably won't entirely miss us.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI'm going to echo both of the above comments and say that taking the journalism class is probably a good idea. Particularly in light of the fact that you want that editorship position.
I get the stress and the strain. It sounds exactly like my junior year in college. You will persevere! I have faith in you. You're so much stronger than you think you are.
- Samantha
Katie-
ReplyDeleteYou are an intelligent, hard-working young woman who has accumulated so much life experience already. You will make the right choice on this matter...the right choice for you.
Just follow your heart on this one, there is no right or wrong answer. If a break is what you really need right now, then take a break. On the other hand, if you are like other women in this crazy family (and I think you are!) then sitting idle too long does not really suit you.
Live your life to suit your own needs, but with mental and academic balance.
-Aunt Carol
I say take a winter III class. Then I can bug you before I fly off to the Land of Chocolate.
ReplyDeleteTaking the Winter III class will probably be better for you academically as well as career-wise. It pains me to say it, but you should probably take it.
ReplyDeleteWhich means that a bunch of us will have to make a road trip up there to see you to help you keep your sanity.
Hi Katie,
ReplyDeleteIt's late Thursday, hope I'm not too late. You are facing a lose-lose situation which is more common in life than you would imagine. The only solution is to change something to cause a win.
The way you state the problem: you could either take a break which is not a break because you have too many activities or
you could take a course that may be useful but you don't particularly want.
One obvious change is to take a break but change it so that it is truely a break rather than a marathon social event. If you can't do that, you must find a way to enjoy MEDA 122-01.
Luck to you,Frank
My Dear Katie,
ReplyDeleteYour wanting to spend time with friends and family is admirable, as is your desire to take advantage of opportunities you have earned at Pacific. I was in a similar situation as you last year, but since my home is in the same area code, it was an easier decision to make.
My advice to you is this. Your family and friends will be there no matter what. Yes, being away from them sucks and being a couple hundred miles away is harder. But this time is about you getting yourself to where you want to be when you finish at Pacific, and as stated, you have to maximize every opportunity you can get before you go.
I disagree with the anonymous comment of "Journalism is a dying field". It's not. It's a field in the middle of an evolution, in a world in the middle of an evolution, and no one knows what it will ultimately become. But there will always be a need for us as long as people want news and information.
Ultimately though, if your family and friends understand what your future means to you, then they will have to respect your reasoning for not going home this winter. And in absence of having them nearby, me and the friends you do have here will do our best to keep you as relatively sane as possible in the interim.
Do what you need to get where you want to be once you have your degree.