Nine Classes, Nine Professors, Nine Syllabi, and ZERO time

Dear Friends and Family,

As the New Year is well underway, I thought that it was only fitting and proper that I send an update on my college life. The one month break that I had between semesters was great, and I was reluctant to head back to Lynchburg, VA. However, I boarded my plane last Saturday and arrived without any complications. I bought all my books (they were fairly expensive, as you are no doubt aware) and started classes this Monday. Here’s a typical week at Liberty with yours truly, Jonathan Granger.

**BEEP***BEEP****BEEP*****SLAM

It’s another Monday. Yes, my alarm clock went off; although, it is much better getting up at 8:15 in the morning this semester opposed to 7:15 AM last semester. My roommate, Ronnie, and I head off to our first class, GNED 102 (Contemporary Issues II). The teacher, Mr. Matthews, I had had last semester for GNED 101. There are about 250 or so students in the class, and Dr. Matthews is great.

Next, it’s off to convocation (aka Chapel) to hear speakers such as Dr. Tim LaHaye, Thelma Wells, and Mike Huckabee. It is required to attend, but “convo” is a great way that Liberty ministers to the student body.

Lunchtime! Off I go to the ROT (aka the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall OR “the mess hall” as my mother would call it). It’s the ROT because the food rot’s your insides, just kidding.

At 12:35 PM, I have ECNC 110 (Economics) with Mr. Robert Rencher. There are about 100 people in his class. He doesn’t have an attendance policy, all of his tests/quizzes are online, and there is no final exam during finals week. I do have a project that is worth about 30% of my final grade though. This class should be one of my easier ones.

Right after that I head back to the same room that my GNED class was in to have BIBL 105 (Old Testament Survey) at 1:45 PM. This is another large class, but the teacher Dr. Michael Smith seems very nice and interesting (he speaks/reads Hebrew too!)

Well, unfortunately I don’t get to move after this class because I have EVAN 101 (Evangelism) in the same room at 2:55 PM. This is the time in the day when I get a smoothie or a cup of Starbucks to get me through the final hours of the day. The syllabus is 15 pages long and covers everything from how to e-mail the professor and how to do your book reports to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the upcoming Presidential elections (just kidding, but it really is 15 pages long). He grades on an 8 pt. grading scale, but Mr. David Wheeler very nice and gives plenty of opportunities for extra-credit.

Now, I get five minutes to get to my THEO 202 (Theology) class which is a hybrid course. This means that you go to class for three hours once a week and do the rest of the work online. Most of the time he will let us out an hour or 30 minutes earlier though. Pastor Mac (or Dr. Alan McFarland) commutes three hours to teach two classes on Mondays and then goes home to pastor his church in North Carolina. He seems like an amazing man; and he said, “I am on the Board of Trustees, so if I want to give you an A, there’s no one stopping me.” This is going to be a great class, I can tell J!

That’s it for Monday (which is the same for Wednesday and Friday with the exception of THEO 202). On Tuesday, I have EDUC 125 (Intro to Education) at 10:50 AM until 12:05 PM. This should be a fun and easy class to pass. The lady who teaches this class Mrs. Melissa Bengds seems very passionate about teaching and wants all of us to excel. We get into groups of eight to have discussions and do projects.

On Tuesday and Thursday, I have ENGL 102 (English Lit) at 2:00 PM with Dr. Mark Hamilton. He’s a whack job! He had us hum the Imperial Death March (aka the Darth Vader theme) when he came into the room and he openly admitted that if there were a visual manifestation of his ego it would be the size of Fat Albert. Yeah, a really kook! That class should be interesting, to say the least.

I have one class in the evening on Thursday (EDUC 126), but it’s only an online computer practicum for educators so we don’t even have to attend the classes.

Finally, my ninth and final class is every week I get 30 min. private piano lessons with a professor.

Nine classes, nine professors, nine syllabi, and I have a feeling I will have zero time this semester. Only 18 credits, but hey I made it through once before with 17 credits….what’s one more? Until I send out my next update, have a great new year!