So, it is summer break.

No, I am not taking any classes this summer.

Oh yeah, I thought about it...seriously. But, after registering for Pacific Lutheran for the fall, I have decided it is best for me to spend my time and effort at university rather than any more community college courses. Now, don't get me wrong--I don't have anything against community college. Quite the opposite, in fact. I appreciate some of the real teaching gems I have had the privilege to have. My Bible as Lit prof is a good example. Yes, he was an actual professor, with a Ph.D and everything. Dr. Wakefield was wonderful, insightful and fair with his grades. The kind of teacher that inspires students to stretch a bit further to grow and learn. Then there was my Anthro teacher; although not a prof, she was incredible. Would I be able to give engaging, interesting and whiteboard-illustrated lectures every day for the 10 weeks without notes? OK, so she had an outline, but I'm telling you, Ms. Williams had all that stuff about hominids, neanderthals, and ape/monkey face shapes just stuck up in her brain. Damn good artist, too. I have never witnessed anyone draw the global continents so quickly and accurately as she - amazing!

But, the one teacher I took twice (no, it wasn't a retake, thank goodness) was my math teacher. Ms. Houser was wonderful at taking us math-challenged by the hand and walking us through the algebra steps with confidence and diligence. And, even though I fully admit that I hate math with a burning passion, I will always be grateful for the careful math teaching I received from her.

As good as most of my teachers have been, there have been some obstacles, as well. Like my English teacher that graded me harder than the rest of the class due to my writing ability. Yeah, that A- affected my grade point average, unfortunately--thanks a lot. And a Humanities teacher that believed that no group could give a A-grade presentation anymore, thus never gave out top grades for any of them. Then there was the history professor that graded students harder the harder they tried. So glad I dropped that class! But nothing beats not having an advisor for the whole time I attended, which is rather an anomaly, I'm sure. Apparently, my advisor was so busy she couldn't see me first and second quarter, and then left employment at the college, leaving me advisor-less. It was most unfortunate that I was not notified, so when it came time to register for Spring quarter, I couldn't get the appropriate registration key supposedly given by your advisor. That was pretty much a hassle, I must say.

But, all in all, I am grateful. I am grateful for more than just the instruction and experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to attend classes, despite my less-than-stellar high school performance. I am grateful for financial aid that enabled me to borrow from our government to pay for tuition and my books. I am grateful for a nice campus to walk on sunny days, and a comforting, and at-times scholarly, library to duck into when it was drippy. I'm grateful for all the fellow students I met and befriended - so many that I will remember even though we shared only a short time. And, I will always be grateful for my bestest friends who accompanied me to class more days than not. Above it all, however, I am just grateful that I was able to go to college at all.

So, as I sit here listening to the pounding (summer!!) rain test the limits of the roofing material of the house, I am a little at a loss. After three quarters of slammin' assignments and flyin' by the seat of my pants, I have next to nothing to really occupy my brain cells. Oh sure, I could catch up on some recreational reading I have wanted to do, and I have definitely been blogging more (have you tried some of those drink recipes over on Cook Contrary? yummy!). I am cooking more, which is always welcomed by my roomies who are frankly rather sick of Applebee's and Subway. We have been diligently making it to the Y to workout, and I have occupied myself doing a couple of small crafty projects for the house. I have brought up subjects to debate around the dining table occasionally, as well as routinely get called away as a taxi service for my almost-grown teens at a moment's notice, but truly, I am waiting for school to start again. For the challenge. For the experience. For another opportunity to live to the full and be able to use my brain to as close as full-capacity as possible without it imploding.

Y'know...perhaps I should have taken a summer class after all.