Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Testing my Limits

Today I have a meeting with the director of graduate studies at my new college.  That sounds funny...my new college.  

I'm kind of nervous as if it were a job interview, but the fact is I'm already in - at least to the certificate program. 

I have a meeting for academic advising and orientation this afternoon.  Apparently orientation for graduate school is not the same as normal college orientation.  It's one-on-one, and I fear it may be led by me and whatever questions I have. 

This is a huge step for me.  I registered for classes about three years ago at a different university - just after I hurt my foot and when I still had optimism that I would be walking normally and doing martial arts again.  I asked my physical therapist the question:  You think I'll be better by September, right?  The look on her face said it all:  No. 

Now I think it's a solid maybe.  

In a few hours, I will find out if my foot will tolerate the drive and the walk from the parking lot.  Some walking surfaces (like thick concrete) are especially bad on the nerve in my foot.  If the classes are in the basement of a building with no padding on the floors, it's going to be a problem no matter what kind of orthopedic shoes I wear.  I'll also find out if the seats aggravate my back problem and if there's any mold in the English building (note to self to remember my inhaler and take my allergy meds just in case).  I intend to test out the seating in the library too, where I'm hoping I can write before or after class if it all works out.

I'm not that worried about the academic stuff.  That isn't that much of a deal-breaker.  If it turns out it's harder than I expected, I'll just work harder. 

But if the floors are literally too hard, it's over.  

******

(Time elapsed)

It went well.  It was all cement and bothered my foot a little but didn't hurt terribly.  I got lost and had to roam around on foot for a while until I found my car.  I survived it and am registered to start in two weeks.  The drive was 32 miles, which I did in 32 minutes (and didn't speed).   Used the cruise control the whole way, so the driving was OK.

Next post:  the search for an incredibly light-weight laptop.

27 comments:

  1. You can do it. I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you today.

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  2. I enrolled on an MA in writing, and promptly got a pathological fracture in a lumbar vertebra. Pain didn't describe the teaching sessions, I couldn't sit on the chairs and I couldn't stand up straight, so I ended up hunched over the back of the chair. But I learned so much...if I could go back I would have taken a reclining wheelchair though, to lean on to walk and to sit better in lectures. Hope it works out for you!

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    1. It wasn't terrible. I got lost and had to walk around on the concrete for a while - it was fine once I got off my feet. One foot is numb now, but I think it will be OK. I'm going to bring a back support cushion for the chair since it's a 3 hour class.

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  3. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you today. I hope everything works out!

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  4. Good luck and here's hoping for nice cushy floors!

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  5. If the floors are too hard then you can sue them and make millions!

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    1. Excellent idea! This comment may need to self-destruct so no one knows our evil scheme.

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  6. Good luck and many blessings.

    Hugs and chocolate,
    Shelly

    What about on-line courses?

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  7. Best thoughts for you today, Tonja. I hope it all works out.

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    1. Thanks. It was OK. I used cruise-control and found a handicapped parking spot that wasn't too far from the building.

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  8. Good luck and all the best! It will all come together!

    Nas

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  9. Get yourself one of those scooters, girl. They have a basket on the front and everything so you can haul your textbooks. I'm not even kidding. If you can't achieve something you want because you can't walk then why not learn how to roll? Kids would like it too. :) Good luck, I do hope you get the go ahead.

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    1. That's so funny. Like from the scooter store? The motorized kind?

      I rode one at the hardware store once in a moment of desperation. It went maybe 1 mph tops. There was a disabled kid in the store with a walker - he waved at me and looked so happy he wasn't alone, which made it all worth it.

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  10. ain't it the weirdest that our own personl physical limitations is something others would not have to consider? a "simple" walk and what the texture is going to be? good luck. i hope it all works out.

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  11. Hope it works out for you. Grad school sounds exciting though I'm glad it's all behind me. Too many papers to write when all I wanted to do was write fiction.

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    1. This program isn't heavy on the literature. I probably will only take 2 American lit classes because I want to. It sounds like I can mostly take creative writing classes. The thesis can be replaced with a novel or portfolio.

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  12. Not sure if my comment when through. My internet is being funky. Good luck with grad school. Hope they have some carpeting where you need to walk. I'd take a cushion to sit on.

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    1. It was carpetiing over cement - not very effective. And a long walk to the car on cement. It's a weird campus with cement buildings - kind of cool in a way if your foot doesn't hurt.

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  13. Oh no. I hope the floors aren't too hard for you to handle. If they are, then I hope there is something else you could do to get around the problem.

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  14. Good luck. I'm glad it wasn't too bad on your foot.

    The school I applied to requires an immunization record and since I can't get mine (literally) so I spent today getting blood work to prove I've had shots.

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  15. Best of luck! I must get a light-weight laptop as well . . . Risa has one of those smaller Netbooks and loves it:-)

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