The Holidays and School

The past several months have been busy and eventful. Since the end of the fall semester, I went back to work full time. I availed myself of the opportunity to work some overtime as well. As all of you know, a 40 hour work week can bring its regular share of stress. Now add to that the holidays, and all the events and activities that come with that (shopping, company parties, and the gatherings for friends), to say nothing of trying to cram all that in, while working extra hours in order to pay for the extra expenditures.

If that weren’t enough, throw in travel. I was able to make it to Austin for New Years’ Eve festivities and then spend a few more days in Texas, hanging out with friends. Upon my return to Denver, I left the airport parking lot, and made my way north, to visit with my cousin from Maine, who was staying with my parents. Not to bemoan any of this, as all of it (save the OT) was a great deal of fun, if not a little exhausting. 

Then the Spring semester began, promptly on January 20th. This also coincided with inauguration day. What an amazing day to be on campus. The atmosphere was electric. My first class let out early, in order for anyone who wished, to watch the inauguration live, on one of the many televisions or big screen venues, set up for the event. It was an amazing thing to be a part of. People were so incredibly elated. I witnessed people hugging, kissing, smiling, laughing, and even a few were crying, with tears of joy. Talk of the history that we had all just taken in was all most could seem to utter. For the most part, politics were set aside. There were a few moments, when in the midst of my fellow students, while watching the inauguration, when the nearly overwhelming level of emotion nearly got the best of me. Anyway, it was an amazing day.

Now-a-days, I find my self mired down in homework and studying for class and tests. The scholastic work load has turned out to be more than I could have anticipated. It’s turned out to be a ton of hard work, trying to balance work and school, and I’m not entirely sure that I’ll be able to maintain my 4.0.

Speaking of my 4.0, I’m going to take a moment here to let you all know about some exciting news. Any of you who know me might want to sit down, because what I’m about to tell you, is going to make you think that hell has actually frozen over. I have been invited to join the National Honor Society! That’s right, me. Here’ a quote from the e-mail I received, “ It is my pleasure and privilege to inform you that your outstanding academic record has made you eligible for membership in the International Honor Society. Please accept my personal congratulations for this academic achievement.”

Now for a little dose of reality. My math class is kicking my ass. As far as I know, I’m currently sporting a solid C. I attend this class Monday and Wednesday, after an eight hour work day, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. My brain is already muddled by the time I arrive to class, to say the least. This is my first, and God willing, last college level math class. I will do whatever it takes to pass this class, and then be done with it. If everything comes together, I will finish this class with a grade better than a C.

To follow the theme of my derriere being kicked, my Constitutional Law class has also proven to be a bit of a bear. The difference is that I care about this class. I want to do well, when learning about the subject matter, and thoroughly understanding the substance that is offered. For any of you who have had to write a legal brief, imagine trying to do it with absolutely zero experience, and then having to repeat, and improve upon that process, every week. Again, for those of you who have gone through this exercise, imagine that all the cases you are assigned to tackle are all U.S. Supreme Court cases. The language used by the U.S. Supreme Court justices seems a bit verbose. I understand that when talking about the law, especially when establishing precedent, language is important, but throw me a bone here! I have become addicted to my Black’s Legal Dictionary! As it turns out, my legal briefs are getting better, and I find that I’m becoming more comfortable with the classroom Socratic discussions, about the legal cases. There have even been a few brief moments (very brief!) when I wondered what law school would be like. God help us all if I become someone who has any level of influence over the laws that govern anyone! 

Everything having been said, I’m still having a great time. 

P.S. This is one of my new favorite places to study. The third floor of the Tivoli Student Union offers a wonderful area to absorb needed information, without a lot of distraction. Specifically, I hang out at that little corner out cropping, just under the glass.