Welcome to UAF, how can we inconvenience you?

So I... just started a sentence with the word "so."

Let me start over.

I went down to campus today to talk to my academic advisor and see about getting my schedule changed. See, one of my classes was canceled and I need a new one, but I'm not sure if I can sign up for classes online or if I have to get approval, and anyway, I'm not sure what classes I still need for my major. So I tried to get online to locate academic advising, but my computer downloaded an update yesterday that makes the computer not want to turn on. Every time it starts to load, it gets halfway loaded, then the blue screen of death flashes up so fast I can't read what it says, and the computer restarts. I don't know how I got it working yesterday, but I wasn't going to complain, since once it turned on, it was fine. This morning, after about half an hour, I managed to get it started by going into BIOS and saying "Discard changes & exit." Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that's how I got it started yesterday too. Meh.

Anyway, I finally got the computer started, located the academic advising center, and headed off. Finding the names on the buildings, at least, wasn't too hard, but it's really weird. A lot of buildings are actually two or three separate buildings that are all connected, and it kind of threw me off. I walked for about ten minutes before finding the western edge of campus and realizing that... heh... I'd turned the wrong way upon leaving the apartment and now I was on the wrong side of campus. So I turned around and trudged back the way I came. Sigh.

Today's one of those days where if you're in the shade, it's chilly, but if you're in the sun, it's so hot you want to melt. And of course, it's so dry that if you melted, you'd probably evaporate within an hour. Not much shade on campus, and there's not a cloud in the sky, so the sun was right in my eyes too. I knew I should've worn my hat....

After about half an hour, I found the main cluster of buildings on campus. They're big and have weird platforms and balconies inside. You should see the museum building. Holy crap, it's weird. It took a while, but I finally found the Gruening building. Turns out, the ground floor is also the third floor. Weird. Oh well, that just meant I only had to go up two flights of stairs. I went in and explained my dilemma to the lady working there, and she said, "You'd want to go talk to the linguistics department. They're in the Brooks building." It's embarrassing having to ask for directions when you're a senior. No, I guess I'm a junior again.

Unfortunately, her directions started with "Turn left after you leave the building." When I got to the ground floor, I noticed there were four exits--one in each direction. I picked an exit and wandered out, asking a chick who was walking by for directions. She didn't even look at me--just nodded behind her and walked away. Thanks....

At least I found it without too much trouble. The lady inside was named Siri, and she was very friendly and helpful--even more so than my academic advisor, because she volunteered information about teachers, which Cindy wouldn't do. Apparently, there's a guy who teaches an Eskimo language who's a genius... but very, very disorganized.

"You mean like he'll have a test scheduled, but then forget to write the test?" I asked. "I had a teacher like that once."

"Yeah... or he'll forget to come to class."

That sounds like my kind of teacher! Haha. Unfortunately, the time for his class was terrible--I don't much care for evening classes. I ended up signing up for a sign language class, which should fulfill my second language requirement. It should, probably. "But you'd want to double-check with the academic advising center to make sure it counts. Some people don't consider it a foreign language because it isn't written."

So I trudged back to the academic advising center. The lady remembered me and didn't seem too pleased to see me again. And when I asked about whether sign language would count, she said, "You should have asked at the linguistics department." Rawr.

Then I went to the post office to get my PO Box key. I tried to pay with my debit card, but the lady said "Cash or check only." I don't have a checkbook. I counted the cash in my wallet. Twenty-three. That's not ninety at all! Sigh....

"Okay, well, if you want to pay with a credit card, take this form to Signer's Hall and bring back the receipt." And then I had to ask for directions again.

Signer's Hall wasn't too hard to find, but it had at least two or three entrances which didn't seem to be connected in any way, so I still had to walk in, wander around, walk out, circle the building, and walk in again. And then stand in a line for half an hour. The lady asked if I wanted to pay tuition and housing and all my other various fees while I was there. I tried, but my debit card has a limit on it, so I couldn't pay all my fees anyway. At least I got the post office fee paid. Then I walked BACK to the building I was in before (no idea what it's called) and got my PO Box. Then I went to the library to get on a computer and find my teacher's office for my Latin class, which isn't scheduled. I found the teacher's name, but I couldn't find a phone number, office, or even e-mail address. Well, forget that, then.

Then I found the bookstore and bought books for the three classes I AM definitely taking. Books are as expensive as ever, and many of them are probably unnecessary. Two of the books look like they're going to be practically identical to the Penguin Handbook I already have, from my English 111 course I took my first semester of BYU (which cost ninety dollars, and we barely used it in class anyway). Well, that's a lot of money I probably should have saved. I couldn't find any books for my Latin class. A guy who worked at the bookstore approached and asked if he could help, and when I asked about the Latin class, he recommended I e-mail my professor and ask. Yeah, assuming I can find the teacher's e-mail address. I mean, thank you!

Then I had to find the Eielson building and get my Student ID card and a parking decal. Turns out, they're actually in the same building! Holy cow, something mildly convenient! Getting the ID Card didn't take too long, though I look entirely deranged in my ID picture. Meh, whatever, looking deranged in pictures on cards is mandatory. Then to the parking office, which had a line about twenty people long, and in the end, I didn't have my vehicle registration with me anyway, so I didn't get the decal and have to go back again later. Whatever. I don't even know my license plate number anyway.

Then, of course, I couldn't remember how to get home. I did find it eventually (obviously), walked in, and there was a guy sitting on my couch. My roommate was in a chair, talking to him, but they stopped abruptly when I walked in.

"Hi."

"Hi."

I went into the kitchen to make a sandwich, and they both stood up and left. Sigh.

I'm hot and tired and kind of annoyed. And it's too bright outside. And the water here tastes like butter. Whine whine whine.

On the plus side, it only took about ten minutes for my hair to dry this morning after I toweled it off. I guess we can ignore the fact that now it's sticking up funny all over the place.

I know full well that in a few weeks, I'll get the hang of campus and be in the swing of things and I won't have a million errands to run anymore. Who knows? I may even have some friends. But for right now, I just wish I was home. Wherever that is.