Vanessa Gross

 

Smiles all around. This is my final year at Mesa State College as I will be graduating in May. Well, I sure hope to hell it is, because I just don’t want to think of doing this whole school thing another year. Good grief, not another moment! So by the grace of God, and if my sanity stays intact, I am outta here! 

After an uneventful summer, I am looking forward to getting back to the mundane, but structured schedule of school. There are some things that have been good to see coming back to Ole Mesa. There is the completion of some of the buildings like the bookstore and bigger and better pedestrian walkways. And of course the familiar faces of years past.

For me, I have five professors that I have had before and recognize about 95 percent of my fellow students in those classes, a first for me.  

But as it has been for years, parking is complete chaos, and just trying to drive down a street without hitting someone or something can be entertaining. I contemplated buying a parking pass, but then the thrill of not knowing if I could find a parking spot two minutes before class would be gone. Usually I could get lucky and find a parking place in either the pay-to-park by the library, which is now occupied by construction or the pay-to-park across from the dining hall, which now shares half the lot with a few modules. Oh yeah, the thrill is still there! 

My first day of classes went well, and as I sat in my Monday night class in the Wubben Hall and Science Center, I enjoyed the brand new classroom. With the large window connecting me to the outside world and the nice new, comfy chairs (and way too small desktops), I thought to myself, OK, all the crazy construction we all endured the last few semesters was so worth this moment! A nice new building was worth the wait and frustration of the construction zone mess.

The next morning as I was getting myself and my kids ready for our second day of school, I glanced at my schedule to see where my 8 a.m. class was located. I did a double take. Did I read that right? My class was in ‘Module B?’ Where the hell is ‘Module B?’ I said a word out loud that I am praying my four year old son and 18 month old daughter didn’t hear, but where was ‘module B’?! So for the first time ever, I had to look at the campus map and figure out where I had to go.

After finding the place I would spend my own personal hell in for the next semester, the professor comes in and begins class. Not 20 minutes into class, the construction vehicles turn on and rev up. I thought to myself, “You’ve gotta be kidding.”

I closed my eyes as tried to capture the feeling I had the night before. Sitting in a new classroom with all new fixtures, furniture and how pleasant that feeling was. How I told my husband after class that night that enduring all the mess of construction on campus was worth it when you get to enjoy the results.  

As I opened my eyes I took a deep breath and realized two things. One, I have to get a ‘C’ in this class to graduate and two, Mesa State in going to look amazing when all is said and done. 

But damn, it is going to be a long semester.