Sincerely Amanda

I‘ve come a reasonable distance into interpreting this college nonsense (haha).  The topics are all quite intriguing, but I don’t like the amount of time it takes to demonstrate mastery of the material.  Notice that isn’t to master it, but to demonstrate that you’ve mastered it.

For some odd reason, even when I am completely busy, I still feel as though I am wasting time whenever I am sitting still.  But whenever I take a stroll outside or read an entertaining book or am otherwise enjoying myself, I still feel as though I’m wasting time.  I’m not entirely sure what my ideal way to utilize time is, but apparently whenever that time is fun I think I’m wasting it.

In order to keep college study from taking up my entire lifetime as I currently know it, I’ve considered using Alexandra Swann’s old college schedule as a guide.  She did the bulk of her degree work through correspondence, and her daily routine consisted of study from 8:30-11:30 in the morning and 1:00-2:00 in the afternoon yet still managed to keep up an accelerated pace.

Thus, my schedule ought to be roughly as follows:

8:30-10:00 am

GEOGRAPHY – Lecture, Review, Lab

10:00-11:00 am

HISTORY – Read thoroughly, take notes

11:00-11:30 am

ENGLISH – Writing assignments, reading assignments

Break…

1:00-2:00 pm

DRAMA – Lecture, reading and writing assignments.  Finish English work.

Free time and non-academic work until after supper, then perhaps do some review study.  My free from college time will be left for house work, farm work, knitting, art work and literary work.

In Physical Geography I’m currently studying earth-sun relations and how to figure out what longitude you’re at if you’re lost at sea, etc.  I had an interesting experience with computer based testing for my geography quizzes.  The GY quizzes can be taken up to 11 times, but the questions change at each attempt.  My first results were okay, but I wanted to take it again to better demonstrate my mastery.  I wondered if I had mistyped my latitude and longitude calculations the first time, so the second time I tried answering with spaces typed where I thought they should be.  To my astonishment, I only got 9/33 points!  I knew something was wrong with that score because I was certain my measurements were correct.  So, I tried taking the quiz again without typing any spaces and I aced it.  Now I must strive to please the professors and the computers.  Ah, the days of pioneer computer college…

In the American History class I’m studying the nation’s history since the 1870′s.  The exams have multiple choice questions, fill-in-the-blank questions and an essay question, all computer based and timed (just took my first test on Friday regarding the Wild West and the Native Americans).

In English I’m reading All Over But The Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg, Models For Writers and The McGraw Hill Handbook.  The challenge in the English class is surrendering my own style and rules of writing and submitting to the Professor’s preferences.  I have to remember that just because I have experience in writing doesn’t mean I know all there is to know about it!

In Drama class I’m studying various Theatre technique and history in relation to the Audience.  My first assignment for that will be writing about my favorite movie and how I think it should be adapted into a play.  Hmm…that’s a hard one.  I’m still trying to figure out which of my favorite movies to write about!  I also have to write a Performance Critique based on a play I’ve seen…or will have to see between now and April.  The Drama exams are the only exams I will most likely take on the JSU campus.

We constructed a pretty wooden sign that is stationed at the entrance of Fair Hills Farm and presents the farm title in fine green carved letters.  We are getting guineas sometime around the end of May and probably some bees as well.

I’m off to read the Bible with my family and to knit (and hopefully sew) costumes for our movie…

~Amanda~