Class, Caffeine and Indiana Jones

So I've started school again. it's definitely good to be back into it. granted, it's only one class, for now. later on, the number of classes I take, as well as number of notebooks I own, pencils to keep sharp, classroom numbers to remember, amount of gas I spend and stress I have will skyrocket. other things, such as the bank account, free time and general happiness will not be so fortunate.

So, my class is three nights a week from 5:30 to 9:30. how I managed to sucker myself into a night class, I'll never know. I can stay awake in front of my laptop in my bedroom until six in the morning, if I have a mind to do so. but somehow, it's different in a classroom where a lady is reading monotone from a textbook about laws and rules and whatnot. but so far I've done pretty well for myself. in fact, I've managed to stay awake about 80% of the time! rock on.

And how I managed to find myself sitting in the front row of the classroom, I'll never know. actually, I do know. first day of class, I showed up early. but not early enough, I guess, cause all the other seats were already taken, dagnabbit. you're probably wondering what's so horrible about the front row. a lot of things, kid, a lot of things. like if the teacher asks a question, she'll say something like, "Let's start with........YOU!" and jab her finger in the face of the person in the front row. people who sit farther back have more time to think of a good answer. also, when I'm falling asleep, because I'm sitting in the front row I have to restrain myself from slapping myself in the face.

So last night we watched this movie...where this lady, this "nurse" was talking and "educating" us about the tasks we would preform. this is an actual quote from that movie. "Sometimes, in this job, we are in contact with tiny microorganisms sometimes referred to as...germs!" I suppressed a groan from escaping my lips, or nearly did. Kelsey (my brother's girlfriend who is taking the class with me) gave me a half-glance, so I knew I had not fully succeeded. but it's okay, cause I knew she felt the same way. the movie continued. "And sometimes, if we're not careful, we can move these microorganisms from one place to another, sometimes called...spreading." I thought for sure that, by now, my brain was nothing more than a pile of useless pulp and any moment now it might oozing out my ears. this was too much. I couldn't take it. Someone kill me.

After the movie was (mercifully) over, my teacher declared a much needed break. I got up, stretched my legs and went in search of some caffeine. after a long search up some pretty scary stairs, I found my heart's desire in a very large, dimly lit room. it was very much like the Indiana Jones movies where he finds the thing he's been looking for, and it's sitting on a pedestal with a light shining down on it from a convenient hole in the cave roof or something. it was like that. by the way, does anybody else want to see that movie??? I want to see that movie. anyways, where was I? oh yeah.

So I trekked back down the scary stairs, clutching my cold, wet, carbonated (and CAFFEINATED!) drink and reentered the classroom. I gazed at my prize that I had paid a whole $1.25 for. Caffeine, do your thing. I silently commanded. Glug glug glug.

It seemed to work. I didn't get tired again for the duration of the class. the clock ticked slowly toward 9:30, our scheduled ending time. but by 8:30, we were finished with all our material. I held my breath, hardly daring myself to hope....

"Well, we're done with all the material for tonight..." the teacher observed, flipping through the book with a frown. yes? yes? I thought impatiently. the teacher suddenly smiled, making me instantly uneasy. Oh no... "Do you want to play pictionary or hangman?" she asked. instantly, various students started calling out which one they wanted to play.

I chanced a look at Kelsey. she chanced a look at me. I think we were both wondering whether to laugh or cry. Are you as suicidal as I am right now? I asked her with my eyes. I thought about pretending to make a gun with my hand and put it to my head, if for nothing more than my own amusement. I figured it would probably get a laugh out of Kelsey. but we were in the front row, so I couldn't or everyone would know I was not enjoying myself.

So for the next 45 minutes, we played hangman and pictionary with medical terminology. ooooh. wow. I just realized how cynical this post is. I'm not sure why whenever I'm cynical I feel a need to explain myself. The class really is a good one. I'm sure I'll get a lot out of it in the long run. I'm sure. So sure. So totally sure...