Newletter! Finally!
Another quarter of school gone and yet again I find myself wishing I’d written to you all more during that time. As it is, I’m writing now, so you can’t complain too much, even though I told you all I would do it sooner.
The quarter flew by. I don’t know if it was because I loved my classes so much, or if it was because I’d missed school so much. Anyway, classes went really well. I loved them all and am looking forward to next quarter very much.
First class was Intermediate Poetry, a class one has to apply into. I was (luckily and happily) chosen out of about 50 or 60 people to be in the class and I’m very glad I was. A guy named Chuck Atkinson, who just happens to be the head of the poetry department at school, taught the class. My work really improved (the hope of the workshop) and I’m much better at editing my own work now. It was overall a great class. I thought I took it pass/no pass, an option only available at UCSC. Chuck suggested to the whole class we take it P/NP because our grade ultimately came out of whether or not he liked our writing. Back to the point, I thought I took the class pass/no pass so I would end up with a pass no matter how well I did. Turns out I took it for a grade and got a B+, something I’m very glad of. Yay me!
My next class was a history class: “The World Since 1500”, as taught by Professor Robert Strayer. He was really funny.
“It’s not that your parents don’t love you, you’re just largely useless.”
“He’s paler now” -on Lenin
There’s more. I wrote them down in my notebook as he said them. There were a lot about communism and China. He was just hah-larious. The class was really interesting and I’m very sad for it to be over. I asked Prof. Strayer after the final if he was going to be teaching another class, but he’s not going to be, so that’s sad. I ended up with an A+, which I didn’t think they gave in college, but apparently they do, so yay!
The third class was Lit One, which is required for lit majors, but is also a class that fills general requirements for all students, so its been dumbed down to a highschool English class. I lucked out and had a good TA, so I managed to not go crazy as a postal worker, but it was a lot of the same books I’d already read. It turned out fine, either way. Not amazing, but a good time. I ended with an A-.
This quarter my classes are a lot less literature focused, and are much more general requirements focused. I’m taking a History of Ancient Rome class, a History of Art and Visual Cultures class about Indigenous Americans, and a Female Physiology class.
The History of Rome class is probably the worst class, though at the beginning of the quarter I thought it would be the best. I love the subject of ancient Rome, what with Hannibal and his elephants, Cato and his words of wisdom, Plautus and his comedies, and just the general amazingness that was Rome. Sadly, the teacher is a terrible lecturer, despite his enjoyment of the subject. He knows what he’s talking about, but he stammers a lot and often looses his place. He also uses the phrase “but we’ll come to that later” waaay too often. What’s worse is that we’re learning everything we learn in the class from the (excessive) reading he assigns, which only makes worse the fact that we’re expected to know EVERYTHING about the subjects he brings up on the one weekly tests. It’s hard enough to read everything he wants us to without him assuming we take every single tiny detail from it. In a nutshell - interesting subject, bad class, big disappointment.
Alternately, the History of Art and Visual Cultures class about indigenous cultures in the Americas is wonderful. We’re learning about the Inca, Maya, Aztec, Anasazi, and more. Their cultures are really, really interesting (I mean REALLY) and the teacher is amazing. She’s a big buff on the subject, and really knows what she’s talking about. You could ask any random question and off the top of her head she would know exactly how many stairs there are at Chaco Canyon or how large the outcrop of rock at Manchu Picchu’s Tower is. She’s amazing. It helps, I think, that she remind me of mom, but she’s just so interesting. It’s a class I never want to end. What’s more, the teacher’s assistant for the class, for my sections, is amazingly funny. It’s a late section, really inconvenient in time and location, and I STILL look forward to it every week. He’s just so funny. : ) It’s a wonderful class. Just great.
Female Physiology is really interesting too, and also a class I wish wouldn’t end. At the moment we’re learning about pregnancy. We’ve already learned about hormones, ovulations, and problems related to the hormones. We’ve also done anatomy and all the systems of the body, and more. It’s all very intriguing. I’ve learned things about the female body that I didn’t know - things I probably should have know but didn’t. And random things, like you shouldn’t eat basil or ginger excessively while pregnant because it can cause problems with the fetus, and ovulation can actually make you have restless nights. The teacher is wonderful and the class is really interesting. I love it.
The apartment life is moving along decently. I definitely have problems now and again with my housemates, more than last quarter especially. Sadly, its down to five of us, again. Wendy (my roommate from last year who just happens to live here this year, too) had a medical problem that started last quarter and just got worse and worse until early this quarter when she ended up in the emergency room. She moved out a week before Easter. Its really quiet without her, and she took her George Foreman Grill and all the good pans with her, but her being healthy is more important than the pan that we cook eggs in. But, it’s much quieter here without her. Not a nice, peaceful quiet either, more a lonely “I wish Wendy was here” quiet. Sad face.
The job is going well, too. I’m working for my old boss less and for a new boss, Carter, more and more. He’s the manager for University Catering, and is wonderful. He’s a lot older, but doesn’t act it. He also went to Santa Cruz, which is neat. I can make fun of the Porter Kids being waaay too artsy, and he will laugh and agree. What’s cooler than that, he’s been teaching me to drive the electric carts. I’ve driven all over campus. My friends are a little jealous. Mah hah!
What else can I blather about? Oh - I applied to the Creative Writing major this quarter and did not get in. I was really upset at first, but am less worried about it now. I guess there’s less pressure now, but it would have been really nice and satisfying if I got in on the first try. Oh well. There’s always next year.
So, I guess that’s pretty much it at this point. Again, I’m sorry it took me so much longer than usual to get a note out, and that its so long now. Please, feel free to write back. I love mail : ) More than that, any time you’re in the area, are coming to the area, or want to be in the area, let me know and maybe we can have lunch. Or a picnic! At the beach! Yay!
Hope you are all doing well. Miss you very much.
Hugs,
Kate
bibliosaurus@gmail.com
UCSC Cowell College #231
301 McLaughlin Drive
Santa Cruz, Ca 95064
510 - 381 - 0162