Friday, September 6, 2013

Grad School Lesson

Here's a lesson for anyone entering graduate school. If you are in an actual physical, face to face class and the professor tells you that you will be having a test, make sure you take a pencil with you. Otherwise, you may be like me and two of my classmates Tuesday night - hurrying to the bookstore before it closes so you can pay $5 for a pencil when you could have bought one for $1 at Dollar Tree. (Granted, this mechanical pencil is nicer than one I would have bought at Dollar Tree, but they would both work about the same. Click it, somewhere, to advance the lead, then fill in the bubbles. Did I really need to spend an extra four bucks? It doesn't even have a university logo or anything; it's just a blue mechanical pencil with a cushioned grip. Okay, maybe the one I could've gotten at Dollar Tree wouldn't have had the cushioned grip, but the test is only 25 questions. I can use a writing utensil without a cushioned grip.) When Dr. L told us during our first class meeting that we'll be having a test the next time we meet, she told us that we would be using Scantrons, so I immediately knew I'll need a pencil when we meet Monday night. (That class is "web-enhanced", so we only meet every other week.) Dr. R apparently forgot to tell us. Or maybe he thought we should know that already, since we are, as he told us last week, "elite". He just said the test would be 25 multiple choice questions. Anyway, always be prepared, with a pencil in hand, for a test in grad school.

Notice that I said I could have bought my pencil at Dollar Tree? There's a reason for that. Dollar Tree is one of my favorite stores. I usually go in there at least once a week. And I never spend just $1. I go in there for one or two things. The next thing I know, I've found two or three $20+ hardcover books, something for Alex (my nephew), some cute little basket or container, pens, earbuds, a wind chime, a flying pig, a waving flower with ladybugs, a pack of dividers, a stapler, a pair of scissors, and who knows what else. You can bet I was happy when they built a new one only about five miles or so from our house. Not only do we no longer have to drive all the way across town, but this one is bigger and better. Yep, I'm happy, happy, happy!

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