Progress
So, after much weighing of my options, I've come to a decision about this next semester. I've applied for and been accepted to Fullerton Junior College. Loads of Disney Cast Members go there, and I've heard pretty good things. If all goes well, I'll be taking Spanish III (the one gen ed I can get Pomona credit for, and the one I desperately need), a computer graphics class, and beginning painting, for a total of 2.5 Pomona credits. I can't return until I bring 3 credits with me, but I've decided that I'm going to be taking a year off rather than just a semester.
I've got plenty of reasons to do this. Firstly, I really don't want to be living in a closet with a bed in if I return in the spring, which is fairly likely to happen. I've found a place to live, a room in a nice little house that's within my price range with a bunch of cool people, including Josh the Pirate. I quite like it, especially once Mai moves out near the end of August and I get my own room, complete with a nice big closet and a queen-sized bed. (For now I'm sharing a smaller room with two other girls on a mat on the floor. Still beats sleeping in the living room.) I'd rather stay here until I can guarantee better housing. Taking the year off also gives me more time to become a trainer and to work on my own stuff, so I can get a decent jump on American Gods and Song of Avalon before my life starts getting too terribly hectic. It also makes it much more worth it to convert to full time statusm, since I won't have to convert right back.
But the big reason I'm taking a year away from Pomona is to spread my coursework a little thinner so I actually have a chance in hell of finishing it. See, I have to bring back three credits to Pomona at minimum. Right now, I'm 11 credits away from my degree. So my plan is to bring in five credits next fall, so that I only have to take three classes each semester instead of four. That way, it should be much easier to stay on top of my classes while continuing to work at Disney. (I may drop to Saturday/Sunday status once I go back to Pomona, but I'll figure that part out when I get there.)
So I'm going to put in my application for full time tomorrow, as well as new preferences that list my new availability and my new attraction preferences. I can register for classes on Tuesday, and classes begin next Monday. I'll have classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, two in the morning and one at night, leaving my afternoons pretty wide open. I still won't have proper days off, but I should have enough downtime that I don't go completely starkers. There's still going to be the money issue, but as long as I'm consistently getting 40 hours a week, I should be able to scrape by, and I'll keep looking into ways to make money on the side. (Any suggestions are welcome.) I presume my parents will continue paying for school, so that will help at least. Things will probably be pretty tight, but they usually are. It's not really that big a deal.
I've also made some progress on the writing front: After a long conversation with Josh, I have a scene list for Act I of American Gods. Of course, the first act is always the easiest, but this at least gives me a place to start, so I can get going on this thing again. I'd like to have the second draft done by spring break, but we'll see how things go.
Well, I've got a lot more to do on my day off, so I can't sit around my computer forever. I got Samwise unpacked and set up. Damn, I've missed my desktop. The to do list today includes a Target run, more unpacking, laundry, and a shower. I should also call my parents and let them know what's up with school and stuff. I feel so much better when I'm productive on my days off. I just feel like I'm wasting time if I sleep all day and then just do nothing.
I've got plenty of reasons to do this. Firstly, I really don't want to be living in a closet with a bed in if I return in the spring, which is fairly likely to happen. I've found a place to live, a room in a nice little house that's within my price range with a bunch of cool people, including Josh the Pirate. I quite like it, especially once Mai moves out near the end of August and I get my own room, complete with a nice big closet and a queen-sized bed. (For now I'm sharing a smaller room with two other girls on a mat on the floor. Still beats sleeping in the living room.) I'd rather stay here until I can guarantee better housing. Taking the year off also gives me more time to become a trainer and to work on my own stuff, so I can get a decent jump on American Gods and Song of Avalon before my life starts getting too terribly hectic. It also makes it much more worth it to convert to full time statusm, since I won't have to convert right back.
But the big reason I'm taking a year away from Pomona is to spread my coursework a little thinner so I actually have a chance in hell of finishing it. See, I have to bring back three credits to Pomona at minimum. Right now, I'm 11 credits away from my degree. So my plan is to bring in five credits next fall, so that I only have to take three classes each semester instead of four. That way, it should be much easier to stay on top of my classes while continuing to work at Disney. (I may drop to Saturday/Sunday status once I go back to Pomona, but I'll figure that part out when I get there.)
So I'm going to put in my application for full time tomorrow, as well as new preferences that list my new availability and my new attraction preferences. I can register for classes on Tuesday, and classes begin next Monday. I'll have classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, two in the morning and one at night, leaving my afternoons pretty wide open. I still won't have proper days off, but I should have enough downtime that I don't go completely starkers. There's still going to be the money issue, but as long as I'm consistently getting 40 hours a week, I should be able to scrape by, and I'll keep looking into ways to make money on the side. (Any suggestions are welcome.) I presume my parents will continue paying for school, so that will help at least. Things will probably be pretty tight, but they usually are. It's not really that big a deal.
I've also made some progress on the writing front: After a long conversation with Josh, I have a scene list for Act I of American Gods. Of course, the first act is always the easiest, but this at least gives me a place to start, so I can get going on this thing again. I'd like to have the second draft done by spring break, but we'll see how things go.
Well, I've got a lot more to do on my day off, so I can't sit around my computer forever. I got Samwise unpacked and set up. Damn, I've missed my desktop. The to do list today includes a Target run, more unpacking, laundry, and a shower. I should also call my parents and let them know what's up with school and stuff. I feel so much better when I'm productive on my days off. I just feel like I'm wasting time if I sleep all day and then just do nothing.