School days

Maddy was officially registered as a high school junior this week.  She has had her picture taken and has received a student I.D., a student planner, and a parking permit.  She offered to pay for the parking permit, as I'm not sure I'd have sprung for it -- seems to me, if they build a school in a location where most people have to drive, there should be a) adequate parking space for all and it b) shouldn't cost $50/year -- on top of the $50 in fees I already paid (only the beginning), plus supplies (including Kleenex), not to mention the portion of our property taxes earmarked for education...  {Insert diatribe -- you name your favorite method of transportation, or something, think of all the possible (pun intended) roadblocks, and bitch appropriately.}

I, too, became an officially registered, tested and paid-for student this week.  I nearly chucked it when I went to take the placement test on Tuesday.  I was already upset over another matter and that I let it affect people around me -- how come when I internalize stuff like this, it becomes this AURA?  Anyway, I was in an already fragile state when I experienced additional frustration/anxiety over poor directions/miscommunication (hm, maybe someone with a Technical Communications degree could fix that) -- naturally, the (in)significance of every little thing was magnified and blown completely out of proportion!  I truly did wonder whether I should even BE taking tests in such a state.  I wondered how hard it would be to cancel all my classes and just forget about it.  I wondered how long it would take before my money was refunded.  I wondered if the door at the end of the hall was anywhere near my car.  Tears welled up.  But I lifted my chin and walked past that door, choked back those tears and hummed a few lines from my new theme song...

It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
{And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket}
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry

Yeah, who knew that Fergie'd be singin' my song?

The good news is, I must still work best under pressure.  I felt better after receiving my test scores and, actually, kind of a little freaked that my best score was for the Arithmetic portion of the program.  Goes to show what I know -- I was sure I'd tank on the math!  The moral of this story being that a good, educated guess can be a pretty good guess!  So then I bought my books.  Come Monday, I'm ready.  Still fragile -- there's so much STUFF going on -- but ready.

Comments

[Rete]

I love that song!! Congrats on going back to school -- that's next on my to-do list as well... good luck!

[Deb]

I.Am.So.Proud.Of.You! I still think you need a cool lunch box - maybe a "Bratz" or a "High School Musical" one!

[Beth]

In addition to the lunch box, a Trapper Keeper for sure. :)

Will there be someone around to take your picture as you leave for the first day of school? (I'm kind of serious about that one...think how neat it will be to compare to a graduation day photo. It's not just for kids anymore!)

[Cara]

Aw Vick! It's going to be so good! All new things are hard at first.

Hey - we have to get going on your ticket for Oct. I want to make sure we get you the best flights. Email me!

[margene]

There is always so much more to our lives than what we share. I'm sending good thoughts your way. I've been struck lately with how little control we have over what happens to us. You are doing a wonderful thing, taking control of what you can and going forward into something new...it's fabulous!

[Amanda]

Placement tests have always scared the shit out of me, even though I know that I am a smart gal. There's just something about them that gives me butterflies!

Do books still cost hundreds of dollars, or are they in the thousands now...?!

[Marisol]

Yay! Congratulations!

[yvette]

Wow, going back to school, I am jealous, my friend from school is going back to school too and I realised the other day that I wanted to be her, have fun.

[Anne]

Congratulations! Persevering in a situation like that wasn't easy, I'm sure, but you did it! (and, hey, I'd chalk up that math score on yet another added benefit of being a knitter :-)

[Nancy]

I got my acceptance call today now to actually register and pay. I'm a little freaked out myself...

[DebbieB]

Very proud of you, Vicki. You rock.

[nova]

Vicki, it's going to be GREAT! You are going to be great, you already are! Have fun!

[Tonia]

Congratulations on good test scores. What a relief for sure.

I don't see how schools get away with the things that they make you pay for on top of the taxes that you have to pay as well.

[Stacie]

Hang in there! Hugs!

[Carol]

And you did it! I have a rant of another public school kind coming up as soon as I can calm down long enough to write it. Seems the moon or something has us in the same state of mind an circumstance. Hang in there mama!

[jaci]

I just registered for Physics and Chemistry yesterday. I am wondering myself if I still have the brain power to take these classes. It's been a stressful summer, so why not add some more stress and go back to school:)
Good luck with your classes.

[Ruinwen]

We all have those moments...but you overcame the moment and conquered! Way to go! Congrats on your test scores! Good luck on your classes...you can do anything if you take it one day at a time! :)

[Elizabeth]

So proud of you! You go girl! It's funny how many hurdles you can go through in one lifetime, many you don't expect. Good luck in this phase of your school daze, part two!

[Bridget]

Good luck! You will amaze yourself.

[Caroline]

I teach at a high school, so you would think that I'd be prepared for how much money it costs just to get your kid started with the school year; but I'm always shocked. $75 for a yearbook?? $70 for an ASB card?? $100 for a volleyball "spirit packs"? What the heck???

Congratulations to you on going back to school. It is so stressful to start something new....and so satisfying too:)

[Carole]

I'm proud of you, Vicki. You rock!

[lynne s of oz]

Congrats for going back to school! (Well uni - a bit different!) You are doing great :-)