Tuesday, January 6, 2009

"Rude Awakening #457: No one really cares about your GPA"

Today was Miss A's first day back to school. And guess who had an anxiety attack?

Me.

I was telling Super J that when I was in high school, going back to school after a break or even a snow day used to fill me with SUCH dread and fear. Of what, I'll never know. This led me to actually feel sick alot, and my very sympathetic mom would let me stay home...alas, this often exacerbated the problem. When I was *IN* school, I LOVED it. Indeed, I LURVES school. It was one of the ways that I defined myself. "A good student" (not to brag or anything, ahem, but I was a good student). I loved taking notes, copious copious notes, and I loved cramming for tests and, though I procrastinated something terrible, I secretly even loved writing papers. Or maybe I loved doing the research for them. Of course, while I was in school, I got tired of the pressure of it, but still. This is probably why I have 2 master degrees. And why I'd love to get my PhD at some point. Anywhoooo, this isn't to say that I don't love school. I do.

But when I was gone for any length of time, I'd start to freak out. When I was in college, both my undergrad and graduate, I only "skipped" 3 classes. Seriously. For all three degrees!!!!! And I called and left messages with my teachers, because, well, I am a nerd and, of course, I knew I had this weird anxiety and if I didn't do something to reassure myself that my academic life would go on, who knows what would have happened (because I never found out, obviously).

So, today, after being out of school for two weeks, Miss A headed back (to kindergarten, let me just remind us all) and had a glorious time. And I felt foolish to know that my own angst was still with me. But you would be proud, Gentle Reader, because I did not say nor do anything to transfer that anxiety to my little chickadee. Nope. Instead, I just went to Taco Bell for lunch and got a Pepsi and a Chalupa.

And that's how I took care of that, thank you very much.

3 comments:

Katie said...

A little Pepsi can fix a lot.

Cindy Bassett said...

Miss L.,
I can so relate. I was just like you when it came to dreading it but loving it when I was there. I know - it wasn't rational. Good for you for not freaking your daughter out when she didn't have the same angst!

Adrienne said...

....again, why we are friends, though I cut class with nary a thought.
But I have nightmares, NIGHTMARES, where I think oh my crap! The paper is due TOMORROW!! Or I'm back in college, taking a test I haven't studied for. I'm not joking when I say these nightmares STRESS ME OUT. So you are not alone, my pal. And I think caffeine and fast food are ALWAYS good for what ails ya.