Back to school

I'm in. I got my acceptance letter today for the public policy Master's program at Stony Brook University. Almost exactly two years ago, as I graduated from MSU, the thought of sitting in another class for even just a minute made me gag. While I considered myself a serious student, that last semester was just one too many. With each consecutive class it was harder to concentrate on the professor's droning voice, harder to pry my heavy eyelids open, and nearly impossible to keep my mind from thinking about what in the world I was going to do next. I started ditching my after-work, late-night cram sessions for the bar. Missing a Cell Bio class (fine, almost all of my Cell Bio classes) was OK if I didn't feel like walking across campus or taking a nap instead. I just wanted to pass, get my degree, and be done with it. Now, somehow, I'm ready to return. I actually miss it. At least I think I do. I've always missed parts of college, really all of the non-class parts: friends, freedom, parties, games, tailgates, and the newsroom where I spent almost my entire collegiate career. But I think I'm also starting to miss the actual academic part, that cheesy stuff that sounds like it belongs on a university's promotional brochure: exchanging ideas, challenging yourself, learning. Like I said, I THINK I miss this. Ask me that after a couple weeks of assignments and tests and I might have a different opinion.