Week 1.

My Schedule [as of yet]:

Monday: 800am-1030am, Calculus; Sociology*; 400pm-520pm, Chemistry*
Tuesday: 930am-1050am, Int. Ballet; 1100am-1220pm, Int. Volleyball; 345pm-650pm, Women's History
Wednesday: 800am-1030am, Calculus; 400pm-520pm, Chemistry
Thursday:930am-1050am, Int. Ballet; 1100am-1220pm, Int. Volleyball; 700pm-1000pm, Political Science.
Friday: 100pm-150pmpm, SAS Chemistry Lab; 215pm-520pm, Chemistry Lab

*I'm taking Sociology 101 Online, with Prof. Lund, lectures/assignments are posted week by week, Mon.-Sun. and taken down after those days. You can do the work anytime you want, it just has to be within that time limit.
*Areas typed in grey, I'm still trying to crash.

I've made a bunch of new friends at AVC, it makes class a lot more bearable. It isn't that anything's hard, it just takes time. I know I have to work on my time management skills and I'd advise any HS Seniors to start working on those too. Procrastination isn't going to work anymore.
If I get into Chemistry [and I almost hope I don't] then I will definitely drop a 3-unit class. Maybe even 2 3-unit classes actually. Nadia warned me against overloading myself too much in my first semester. I'm scared of accidentally doing that, but I'm almost scared of taking too few classes. I want to stay one year ahead, and maybe even get another semester ahead as well. I have one extra year to fall back on, in case I screw up on anything, but I'd really rather not take any chances.
Calculus and I have never gotten along. I really do hate it.
Ballet/Volleyball is incredibly fun. I know I made the right choice when I signed up for these two things. :] I was so sore after our first Ballet class [and still am, actually!] but it's definitely the happy kind.
Women's History is nice. Thank the fates the Prof. isn't a 'femi-nazi.' Nadia is in this class!
Political Science is going to be a drag. There's no way I can possibly come home on a Thursday night and do homework from different classes. I was hoping to keep Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as my No-Homework Nights. Unfortunately, I think it's turning out to be Thursdays and Saturdays.
Sociology is a little confusing right now, I'm not sure how to work this Blackboard thing but I'm figuring it out.
As for Chemistry, I do hope I get in. It's just complicated.

Syllabi

They frighten me greatly. But whatever. A piece of advice: read it completely. Front and back. From top to bottom. I thought my Syllabus for History 113 [Women's History] was really just a Syllabus. But it has my first two homework assignments in it. One of which needs to be completed by the first time our class meets. Continually check your school account and make sure there haven't been any files posted you may have missed.

Current Thoughts & A Bit of Advice.

Current Thoughts: I made the Varsity Girls' Volleyball team for my Junior year in High School. Due to complicated reasons, I was unable to play. Today were the tryouts for the 09-10 school year. Purely out of sentimentality [come on, this is the last time I'm ever gonna have a chance to play with my girls!], I attended. This is the second time I've had cause to re-think this graduating early thing. I want to stay for HS, I do! But I have long years of schooling, experiences, and fun ahead of me too. I feel selfish for wanting to stay.
On a different note, part of me wants to pour everything out onto this blog so other people know it's okay if they're feeling overwhelmed and scared. At the same time, I know a lot of this "stress" has to do with personal issues. My paternal grandfather has had cancer for more than 30 years, because of his age, it's flaring up again and he has relapsed. I start school on Monday, so the timing of this is absolutely horrible, as selfish as that sounds. All I can say, is take it one day at a time.

A Bit of Advice: Know your counselors! I have an index card I keep in my wallet with all my school's extension numbers [from Admission and Records to Counseling to Technical Support to Transfer Center to Library, etc.], call me OCD but this has saved time, effort, and unnecessary stress many a time. I've never really found it hard to talk to adults but some people might. Keep your head held high, but don't be rude. Be nice and respectful, but don't kiss butt. Remember, you need them to help you get whatever it is you're having trouble with. &Chances are, they're having just as bad a day as you are. But also keep in mind, you're paying Tuition. Therefore, they are your employers, so don't let anyone push you around!

Textbooks/Tuition; Fall 09

Textbooks: I probably should have posted this the day I bought them. But anyways, I bought them! Because I'm attending a JC/CC [AVC] textbooks were a lot cheaper than at uni. Overall, it came out to be just under 400 dollars. &That's for only 3 classes. I'd strongly advise you to make sure books are required for your classes. A lot of these books are recommended and not required; checking RateMyProfessor.com helps too. Someone usually comments on whether or not the book[s] was/were necessary.

Tuition: I don't know how much tuition is. But for 4 classes and a total of 12 units, it came out to be under 350 dollars. All I really learned here was that tuition isn't 21 dollars anymore and AVC's Cashier doesn't accept checks or American Express. Sorry, can't be more helpful.

Planners & Psychology.

I don't think I can stress this enough: my planner keeps me sane. There are so many dates and events I need to remember regarding academics and maybe someone with a 720 MB memory could remember everything, but I simply can't. This planner of mine goes with me everywhere. &I mean everywhere. Even small trips to the grocery store or Blockbuster. I'd be screwed if I lost/forgot it somewhere, and that's probably a bad thing, but I continue to rely on it more and more everyday. I'd recommend you get one.

I took a Psychology course over the '09 Summer at Antelope Valley College. I am so very proud to say I aced it. :]

Checkout/Graduation.

Today was my last first day of high school. August 10, 2009 is the wonderful day I checked out. For kids who need to checkout but are scared HS Staff might say something to your parents, I'd highly recommend going for it the first day. Everything's so chaotic and such a mess, no one really has time to notice the kid that wants to check out. Attendance, Library, Student Store, and Health Office. Make sure you get a few official transcripts! PHS's cost about 8 dollars; it probably varies from school to school.

Today was a happy day. :]

Great Resource

Since it's obvious I'm not that faithful of an update-er, I'll direct you to someone who's rather dead-set on covering all major topics:

Luis. http://unconventionalcollegestudent.blogspot.com/

How it all began.

Hi, name's Desh. I was introduced to the CHSPE my Sophomore year [07-08] around October. Back then, my priorities were still really messed up and I put off any thought about leaving high school early; I was more into my social life than anything academic related.

Junior year came along and I started to really consider this option. In January, I talked it over with a friend, Luis. We decided we'd take it together on the next available date: March 21, 2009. One month passed and April 21st [the day before results were to be posted online] came. [For anyone taking the CHSPE, check it the night before it's supposed to be posted.] Results were up and we both had passed! Now came the decision-making.

My family [especially my Mommy] weren't too sure about taking this route. My brother [Age 22] was [and still is] completely for it. I talked it over with friends my age/older, family, and counselors. High School counselors are completely against it, probably because they lose one source of money every time a kid leaves. College counselors don't really care.

It's now August and my mind's been in a whirl since April. In 5 days [August 10th] I will be checking out of high school, officially. &In 19 days [August 24th] I will be beginning a not-so-normal way in the local CC: Antelope Valley College.

I'm making this blog because Luis and I had nothing to really advise us on this. So we're walking pretty blindly. If anyone else ever thinks of doing this, at least they'll have 2 people's input.

:]