Politics, Politics, Politics

Today is the first day of the new semester here at my university. It's the first day of my classes that are nearly a mile (0.9 of a mile to be exact) from my dorm. It's also the day that I'm realizing that my major of International Studies many not be for me. I was up bright and early to go visit academic advising which turned out to be the most useless waste of my time. This week is walk-in advising only, which means their academic services are limited to a very strict list. This means that my hope of switching my major couldn't actually happen till next week. Which doesn't work for me considering that this week is the drop/add period for classes. And fortunately (or unfortunately) for me three of my five classes this semester are for my current major. Which means that after this semester I will have completed the majority of core courses for my degree. Normally, at a "normal" university this would not present an issue. One could simply switch their major the following semester regardless of class year (I now happen to be a 1st semester Junior). However, here at my university we have an 8 semester limit and it is not often that 9th semesters are awarded even when you apply for them. This is at least according to the advisor I saw this morning.

This leaves me with the realization that I must either learn to like (if not love) my major, or apply to go to a different school. At this point however, I can not say that the latter option is not, at least somewhat, desirable. My school thrives off of its reputation (the majority of it based in the basketball team) and loves to keep appearances for appearances sake. There is no time to relax, no time to enjoy college if you really want to keep on even the midline of the work that is assigned. The conundrum is that a degree from here truly means something in the working world. Leaving would mean losing the backing and support that would come with the name. The degree would not matter to an extent, simply the connection. It also means that I would have wasted the better part of a year here and be downgrading to a university with a lesser reputation. It's all so complicated, this navigation of the university world.

When I came on the tour for my school back in April 2009 they prattled on about how transfer friendly the school was, the basketball team, the different happenings around campus, the basketball team, greek life, oh, and did I happen to mention the basketball team? Yeah. It's kinda like that. All. The. Time. I couldn't give a care about sports, and sometimes I feel as if there really is a thing as too much school spirit. I mean, people, seriously. This place is not all that great. Please just give it a freaking break!

Well, I have till March 1st to make my decision of what to do. Perhaps it's time to make a visit to the career center and see just what it is I could do with my current major.

Till next time.

Peace,

Elina

Oh, and did I say it's supposed to snow today? Yep. More of the disgusting white stuffs to make this place run even slower than it already does.

This photo is from the war memorial at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland