Where do I go from here…

Note the change in subject. Thus is less a “we” and more an “I” blog because I am from today and for the second time in my life an honest to God, real life, full time, third level student. Yes, today I embark on a four year Hons Deg in Software and Computer Networks. The course while having a fancy and long title is known by insiders as DNet. You could say this with a suitable Cork accent and the result would be “De Net, Boy”. I’m sorry but that just cracks me up.

It is the weirdest of experiences to be a Mature Student in a campus full of 18 to 24 year olds. By mature I and everyone else means OLD and by God you feel it. I know I’ll get used to it in time but the lecturer spends a lot of time looking towards the mature student simply because it seems to be the only source of reaction in the room. I’m sure a class full of 1st years is a tough audience for any one. But there has been an early success as I am using one of the “machines” (apparently that’s the insider term used in De Net Boy). the significance lies in having successfully logged on to a “machine” without having to pay a visit to the password gatekeepers. So go me.

The biggest surprise so far has been the pep talk from the Course Year Co-ordinator which was excellent but which left me a bit shocked at how almost apologetic he was for suggesting that students should actually attend classes. The 31 hours of programmed classes was considered “a lot”. Back in ‘79-’82 in Kevin Street we had nine until five, five days a week for three years. All study was outside those hours. Even with thirty one hours per week and the month of January off, the suggestion was that making 80% of classes would be a good idea. Clearly there is no expectation of anyone attending all classes and an expectation of attending much less than that. We’ll see. Maybe I’m in way over my head here and things are going to be so tough that I’ll need all those spare hours and the Learning Support Centre just to keep up.

Anyway looking forward to my first labs this afternoon. Getting up at 06.30 is a killer, as is the hanging around but needs do as needs must. This is a four year project to re-insert myself into the world of peoples after a seven year absence. So here goes.