August 24, 2009
They weren’t. The cars were backed up to Timbuktu trying to turn into BCC using the South Entrance, Lt. Vanwinkle Drive. Nevertheless, there are those people who are in the “wrong lane”—the lane that goes straight past BCC to go either to Upper Front Street or the North Entrance at College Drive—and “decide” at the last minute or at the most inconvenient time that they want to be in the turning lane to the South Entrance.
After searching, and searching… and searching for a parking spot that only exists out near the jail, I finally park my car and head to my first class … in Titchener Hall, conveniently located near Front Street, on the far side of campus from where I am parked. The long walk to my first class gave me the opportunity to observe everyone. I mean everyone!
Everyone and their brother seemed to be on campus; most probably didn’t have class until later, but needed to go to financial aid—always a nightmare for the first week of school—or they just really needed to see all their friends they didn’t see over the summer. Whatever the reason, everyone enrolled in BCC was on campus the first day; they were all there and outside walking around.
But not exactly “walking.” Most seemed to be doing a power-walk or an undefined jog. They all seemed like they were in a hurry, like they were really late to where they needed to be, when, just like me, everyone was probably actually early in fear that they would be very embarrassed the first day arriving late to class. Myself, I was there at 9:30 a.m., giving myself a half hour to get to my class, and to find a planner before they were all gobbled up. But I noticed that most people’s hurried walks were frequently accompanied by hops, jumps, quick side-skips to dodge the geese feces that littered the sidewalks of the campus.
Most students were prepared to begin college. They got their financial aid in order and went to the bookstore to pick up their books, which can range from $200.00 to $500.00. Like everyone else, I have done most of these things in preparation for my first day back to Broome Community College.
The first day of classes can and most likely will be nerve-racking. There is so much to think about: will my courses be exciting? Who is my professor is and what will he/she be like? Do I need to make some changes to my schedule if I don’t like the content of the courses I chose? How can it not be nerve-racking?
I, knowing my way around (having been going to BCC for about 5 years), ended up at my first class at a decent 9:45 a.m. This gives me fifteen minutes to sit and observe more people, like the ones who are completely lost, roaming around the teachers’ offices wondering if it’s the classroom.
Many of the girls (including myself), were dressed really nicely; you could tell they’d done their “school shopping.” Most probably sat up Sunday planning their Monday morning “first-day-of-school outfits” to make that great first impression.
My outfit was not so extreme, just comfortable jeans with flip-flops and a generally nice button-up shirt. Nothing so complicated as my classmate who walked in with heels that made her about a foot taller than I suspect she really is. She will most likely learn her lesson to never wear them again, if only because of the goose feces.
By the end of the first week, there will be a lot of girls who do not care anymore whether they look like runway models and will be wearing their favorite comfy pair of sweats with a hooded sweatshirt and hair still wet in a bun.
On the first day of school, we all can agree that whether it was stressful or not for us, we all are there for one reason… to learn and get a higher education. Just because we are there for the same reason, we also have realized that this is “Where It All Begins.”
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