1. Mudpuppy (genus, all internal organs and skeletal features)

2. Frog (genus/specific epithet, all internal organs, vascularization, and skeletal)

3. Turtle (genus/specific epithet, all internal organs, vascularization, and shell formation)

4. Snake (genus, all internal organs)

5. Rat (all internal organs, skeletal structure, and vascularization)

6. Cat (200 bones, structures of the bones, 95 muscles, where the muscles attach, the function of the muscles, all internal organs, all vascularization)

7. Heart structure

8. Kidney structure

9. Human skeleton

10. Sheep’s brain

11. 10 skeletons/skulls of various animals, and I needed to know the various parts of them

12. We were required to observe about 30 various specimens in jars. Any one of them could be on the practicum.

Oh yes, did I add that the spelling has to be perfect or you are marked off for it? Every time I have closed my eyes the past couple of weeks, Latin just began to swirl in my head. Is this the biology dept.’s version of The Exorcist?

To have a fighting chance, I did smuggle out a cat specimen my last lab. Technically we weren’t allowed to do it before the practicum, but I was desperate. However, any other time during the term it would be ok. So I spent quality time working on the cat specimen, about passing out from the fumes (they burned my lungs!), and attempted to prevent my cats from performing cannibalization.

I still have 4 exams to sit next week, but since they are all text-based I am not worried at all. It will take some work, but I hope that they go O.K.

I need a massage and a valium: my brain is still going nuts. I think it will be awhile before I can purge all of the Latin.

She had unusually large breasts (Boob Job?!), which is ok, except these breasts came without a bra, and were accessorized by an extremely thin, skin-tight shirt. I even remember on one occasion her wearing a white shirt. You could tell the temperature of the lecture hall by this girl.

I wondered why she would always show up like this, and I came up with a few theories:

1. She was so poor that she couldn’t afford a bra.
*This was killed when I noticed her wearing name brand clothes*

2. She just wasn’t a morning person, and was flying by the seat of her pants to get out the door. How on earth was she to find time to put a bra on?
*I noticed she found time to do her make-up, and hair….oh well...next theory*

3. She had a boob job and was desperate for attention.
*Highly likely, but I don’t want to see it. It isn’t as if I am going to go up to her, and say “Hey Boobs, how are you? My name is Heather, and in your desperate attempts for attention I thought I would extend my friendship to you.”*

4. She felt that by sowing seeds (more like full grown trees) of lust in the professor’s heart (and every OTHER male in the lecture hall), she could ensure herself high marks in the course.
*This was falsified when upon my last exam she wasn’t there, oh well...poor thing had to drop the course. Better luck next time.*

Well, regardless of how many theories I can write about her, I must thank her for two things: The ability for me to give someone ever so deserving the name “Boobs”, and for giving me something to write about on my blog. Ain’t life grand?!

My current university (I say current because this is my fourth transfer in four years…)has students perform their registration on-line. I truly do appreciate this, because I have been at a university that did not have this process. I remember long lines, and loads of stress due to the possibility that I might not get the courses I needed.

I was looking forward to this hassle free on-line registration for the Spring term, especially with having exams galore during my registration period.

So I log into the system…

“Please enter the call number of the course you wish to add/drop”

I enter the first one, and it goes just fine.

*confirm adding this class*

I performed it with ease, also adding one more course after it. At this time I would like to point out that these courses were general studies electives. I didn’t need them for the term at all; I was using them as “fillers”.

I then proceed to add my third course, an advanced chemistry course. I entered the call number, and then went to add it. At my school they want you to enroll in a lab section before you enroll into a lecture, which is fine by me. Anyways, I went to add the lab/lecture for this course, and the call numbers that they had listed in the registration guide, were NOT the ones that the system was using now. Matter of fact, the Chemistry lecture/lab didn’t even HAVE a call number.

WHAT THE HECK?!!! How do I add a class without a call number on this bloody system?

You can’t.

OK, fine…I’ll just stop by the Chemistry department in the morning after my day from Hell, and get them to add me into the class.

Next class that I had to have was a biology course. I went to enter its call number. That went fine; they didn’t change that on me.

“Confirm Add”

*click*

“Prerequisites for this class have not been met”

^$#$%&()$%()*&$#%(*&#&!!!!!!!!!!

I KNOW I met those prerequisites for the course, and I know they are in the system.

Apparently, the Biology department is connected to another school.

OK, another class I have to register for at school.

Fast forward to today…

I went to the Biology department to register for the biology course.

“Ok, I see that you do meet the pre-requisites. Just so you know they changed the dates and times of the lecture for your course, as well as the lab times”

Oh what fun…I get to rearrange my life.

“You need to take this prerequisite waver form to the professor, have her sign it, and bring it back to me. The professor’s office is in room 208, with her office in room 232. She should be there, I saw her today.”

At this point I am feeling like crap. In other words “ I-pulled-an-all-nighter-just-taking-two-exams-back-to-back-and-I-have-cramps-from-hell-that-painkillers-aren’t-killing”

I didn’t feel like asking her “If it shows in the computer that I have met the prerequisites, why are you having me go and have the professor sign a prerequisite waiver form?”

I took the paper, gently, and proceeded to go upstairs to find the professor.

OK, Room 208..

The lights were out.

Fine, I’ll go find her in her lab. To make sure I had the number right, she even had it posted on her office door. “Lab is in Room 232”

I proceeded to look for Room 232.

It was a broom closet!

Man, they must not like her or something.

I gave up on finding her, took the paper back to the Biology office. The girl said she would see if her supervisor can sign off on it. She wanted me to come back in a couple hours, I told her I would come back in the morning.

On a side note, at least my chemistry courses were added IN THE OFFICE, without a hitch.

I didn’t have to fill out a pre-requisite waiver form. I didn’t have to track down a professor. I didn’t have to rearrange my classes because the course dates/times had changed.

I swear, there is a conspiracy going on in the biology department. I wonder if they are performing field studies on how to confuse and irritate students to the best of their ability!