Getting Started

PCC stands for Portland Community College. This is where I'm trying to go back to school.

I woke up later than I wanted to this morning. I got ready and headed out. I had an appointment with a counselor today at Sylvania Campus. I believed that to be the campus closest to me.

I got to the campus that is closest to me and did admissions paperwork. The online admissions form requires exact dates for graduation from other educational institutions. I can give month and year but not the exact date.

I looked through the catalog trying to zen my way to a field of study. Unfortunately everything is interesting and I need to have some testing to tell me what I should be doing with my life.

I'm looking for a field that I can still happily participate in when I'm 100. I don't expect to retire. Not because I'm incapable of amassing the fortune needed but because I can't see life as a retiree being interesting.

All I have to look forward to on the retirement score is harrassing staff at an old folks home about where my gaming dice and books are and trying to convince them that there are kobolds in the basement.

Back to the topic, I got all my paperwork done and hung out for a little bit before I realized I might be in the wrong building of the campus. I hadn't looked at the campus maps closely.

I went over to the information desk to ask where I would find the building and counselor I needed to meet and found out I was at the SE campus and not Sylvania. I was deeply agitated by the mistake and didn't even think to try and call the counselor until I'd walked half way home.

I couldn't get through and even if I could I probably wouldn't have been heard over traffic. From my view I'd just wasted the admissions fee plus bus fare trying to do something impossible.

I caught public transit home, hitting the store on the way, and was called by the counselor just as I was settling into a depression. I let her know I went to the wrong campus and she gave me the name and number for a career counselor at the SE campus.

I have been feeling very desperate because I've been unemployed for the last 18 or so months. This lady rallied me and made me feel like all was not lost. I will be making an appointment with the SE campus counselor and taking placement testing later this week.

I am hoping to actually start this quarter.

Beginnings