Updates and Junk and Stuff

I haven't updated my blog in awhile; as a film major, I had to do film major related things... Like direct the PSA that I pitched!!! I also had mid-terms in my survey of film class, hopefully I did well. That said, let's get to the update part.

So this quarter seems to be more organized than last quarter. If you remember, last quarter I couldn't even begin to register for classes until three weeks prior to the quarter starting. Winter quarter starts on January 4, and I'm registered already. This will lead me into a rant.

As you may know, in order to keep my unemployment, I have to register for night classes. Well, right when I tried to register for classes at 6:30 am today (my appointment began at 6:00 am, as did all the juniors), there was only 1 class left for me to register into. One of the classes I had wanted to enroll in had managed to fill already; another was completely canceled. I would lose my financial aid if I only had 1 class, so I began to worry. I'm great at worrying. I'm also great at thinking things through before it turns into a panic. So I realized that my unemployment will run out at the end of this year, anyway. I won't have "I'm on unemployment" as an excuse to take night classes anymore. On top of that, I figure most part time jobs are built around hiring students who go to school all day. So, I'm still looking for full time work, which I will accept if I get, this quarter. But as soon as unemployment runs out, I'm going back to being a "regular" student, which means 9:50 am classes, and I will then look for part-time work.

So, I also managed to register for an extra class, so I'm full time plus 4 units next quarter, to make up for the 4 units I don't have this quarter because of registration problems. Noticing that I would only have one lower level requirement for my major left, I decided I should try to make that a class of mine so I can get all the lower level requirements out of the way. Lo and behold, my school isn't offering it this quarter. It's a freaking graduation requirement for my major, but the school is all like, "Nah, don't want to give it." What. The. Freak.

Seriously, I blame Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cutting educational funding hurts people. So I got registered into classes I need, albeit not at the times I preferred, but I'll take what I can get. But I was already having a hard time registering, and I'm a Junior. Only Grad students and Seniors registered before me. Think about the poor Freshmen, some of which can't register until next Wednesday, then think about the kids who for whatever reason didn't get financial aid and have to wait to pay their tuition and then register. There aren't going to be any classes. That's really sad. Here we have Americans going for higher education, and instead of being rewarded, we basically have to fight each other tooth and nail just to get a class.

Picking a Major: It's Not Rocket Science

There's this girl who's in a few of my classes. We tried to catch her up on what she missed the other day about lighting, she said "it's not rocket science." When she didn't do the reading, we tried to fill her in what it was about and she said "it's not rocket science."

Yeah, it's not rocket science, but you didn't major in rocket science! A rocket scientist isn't going to go around his job saying, "It's not brain surgery", is he? Really think about your major before you pick one. If all you can say about it is, "It's not rocket science"...well, then major in rocket science.

It's important to major in something you care about, otherwise classes will suck. She's a film major, like me, and I don't even like one of my classes but I deal with it because I apparently need it, and I can see it's purpose. Just because you think your major is "easy" doesn't mean you don't have to actually learn about what's going on in class. It may not be rocket science, but that's only a problem if you plan on being a rocket scientist.

Hey, School in Financial Crisis....

Announcer: Hey, school in financial crisis, you have had to cut classes, cut how many students can register for school, delay financial aid so students couldn't register for classes, furlough staff, and cut back hours for student services. What are you going to do now?

School: I'm going to put a $45,000 biometric hand scanner in the basement gym!

No, I'm not making that up. The school totally did that? Why? Because it's a cost-saving measure. Over what, you ask?

PRINTING STUDENT IDS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PRINT ANYWAY.

Yes, the gym currently used a system where the student would use their ID to access the gym, but the school decided... Yeah, no. So they installed a $45,000 biometric hand scanner and used the argument that it was cheaper than printing student IDs.

Okay, yes, if in some magic world that means that there would be no need for student IDs at all. Let's see, just a small sample of reasons a student might need an ID:

1) To identify themselves as a student. I can tell that lately the school cares jack $*&@ about saving the STUDENTS money, but students still need the ID itself for a "student discount".

2) You need a student ID and a class schedule to get student email.

3) The student ID doubles as a card you can load money on to use at the printers and copiers in the library.

4) I probably didn't check this out completely, but you need a student ID to check out books in the library.

5) You need a student ID and a class schedule to get a parking pass or to buy transportation passes from Transportation Services.

You know, just some other reasons I can think of that building a biometric hand scanner in a gym isn't going to save money over printing student IDs.

Seriously. Do you realize the BENEFICIAL ways that money could have been spent?

An Unexciting Update

I know I've mentioned before that the school paper is a thing of beauty; it's a beautiful thing. (Yes, I repeat for emphasis.) It also keeps me informed as to what is going on here on campus. It's not so easy going back to school here; it's not easy being a traditional student going here.

-I wasn't the only one affected by the student loan delay. In fact, I'm only one of tons of students who could not register for classes while waiting for financial aid. Many could not add classes at all.

-There's soon to be caps on enrollment to 12 quarter units per quarter. Except you're not full time until you hit 12. That's right; the school wants to make it harder for students to be full time. In many instances, if you're not full time, you can't get financial aid. Not only that, it would force students to be in school for more quarters, and since the school charges the same for 6.1 units to about 16 units, in the end it'll cost the student more.

-Raising tuition 30% and reducing classes is just... A douche bag move. There, I said it.

Of all things the economy needs, reducing the future work force by making sure there's no school for them is high on the list of things not to do, I'm sure. I don't know, I'm no economist. I'll ask an economy major for clarification, maybe. Either way, there's a monkey wrench in my plan to finish school to be employable... And that's the school and the government treatment of education.

Just an update thingie

Yeah, I didn't think of a clever title. So, on Tuesday in my... I forget what it's called class... we pitched our ideas for the PSAs like I thought. Mine made the teacher laugh. He said he never heard anything like it before and he liked it. I hope it's in the pool today after he read my synopsis, I'd really like to make it.

Yesterday I had my... Class that we watch movies in (I forget class names). I don't think I like it but I have to take it. That only means one thing: Work my butt off so I never have to take it again. :) I am pulling out a highlighter when I get home and highlighting the heck out of my book, and I am taking notes. I only have 7 more classes than the final, so... Whew.

So this week I got a lot of things done before classes. I got my student ID, I got the book for my class that we watch the movies in... I went to go get train passes but the school is like "Even if you buy your 10 trip passes now you won't get them until the end of the month and they'll be for November." I'll decide between now and the 25th if I even want them. I did some other stuff, but I don't remember what. I'm going to buy work out clothes soon and start working out in the student center. By working out I mean, hit the treadmill and the bikes. Cardio is love. I know one should strength train too, but... I don't like lifting heavy things, cardio is love. :)

So hopefully tonight I'll know if my PSA got picked for production. My fingers are crossed.