We started classes back up on Thursday, Jan. 3. I guess OSU starts back so early to try to squeeze all the days they can in our short 10-week quarter. I would have loved to start today like most schools, but I won't complain since my Freshemn year we started on Jan. 2 right after New Year's Day and our Fiesta Bowl win. I'm just glad my 1st class got cancelled on Thursday! No 9:30am for me. And how convenient for this new "go to your Monday classes on Friday" thing (an OSU initiative to make up for the Monday we lose for MLK Day) to start up right when I don't have any Friday classes.

Winter Classes:
Soc 487- Types of Sociological Inquiry 11:00am and 9:30am
Comm 642- Mass Communication and Society 2:00pm
Music 205.02- Athletic Band (the pep band that plays at Basketball, Hockey, Gymanastics & Wrestling events) 4:00pm
Buckeye TV Whenever am & pm!
Credit Hours: 18

I wasn't too sure how my Sociology class was going to be because it's solely about research, and the book and lectures are so boring, but my professor is nice and tries to make the class as painless as possible. All I have to do now is come up with a Research topic, and it can be about absolutley anything, and I don't know what to choose! They say to write about something that intrerests you, and the project will be fun. I say write about something you can find a lot of information on instead because I don't know how many times, I have chosen a topic I liked and couldn't find enough info on it to research. I think I might want to write about how activities and relationships can affect a students G.P.A. But I'll let you know what I decide, and quick since our Topics are due next Tuesday.

My Comm class is okay. It's actually quite interesting since all we've been talking about is the effects of mass media on society. So it's been pretty laid back so far, but that's just the type of class that can surprise you in the end and get all super difficult, but I hope not. I have a lot of my Journalism friends in this class and my professor is also nice. Maybe I should do the reading. I'll at least try to since all my friends in class said that they've read the 1st chapter already and kids on my floor got their books early and are already 5 weeks ahead in their reading! I'll just be thankful if I read the right chapter before class.

I have to say that I was a little apprehensive to see how Athletic Band was going to be. I haven't played my Alto Saxophone since high school, and I didn't know how demanding the schedule was going to be. I am blessed to have one of my friends from Gospel Choir in the band with me to help show me the ropes. I knew the Band Room was in the Stadium but I didn't know where exactly until I saw the huge BAND CENTER sign around gates 12 and 10. A guy I knew from Atlanta is also in the class. The Band looked pretty acquainted already. Not only were there only a handful of minorities, most of them were Freshmen. So the band zipped right through all the music, and I knew that some intense practicing was in order for me, especially since I had to play at my first Hockey the next night!

It went better than expected though, I just tried to follow along as best as I could, the ol' fake it to you make it trick. This one freshman in my section told me all the songs we would play, showed me some of the choreography we do and was so helpful and nice. So the band might not be as "cliquey" as I thought. There's about 200 people in the Band, and they split it up into 3 groups so we all don't have to play at every event. What a blessing, only 2 games a week!

Overall, my Winter quarter courses seem to be rather swell, and I'm taking all the free time I have right now to the max before Buckeye TV kicks in!

Me and some of my Journalism friends on High Street this weekend