The lure of taking extra classes

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Princeton University! I hope you all had a fantastic and relaxing intersession, as I did. My intersession happened to last for almost three weeks due to the fact that my ONE exam was on the very first day of exams. I'd advise you to take a moment to be jealous, because believe me, you are entitled. Moving on, coming back to school, at any age, after a vacation is always tough. I remember dejectedly plodding from the parking lot to my first class after winter break in high school, and feeling that I might never again know freedom. Unfortunately, this is one of those few things that doesn't change once you get to college. After two and a half weeks of bliss, including pleasure reading, which I'd almost forgotten existed, and sleep, an equally elusive concept, it's back to the grind. Now, for us, it is the time to begin new classes, meet new people, and ponder how in the name of Nassau taking five classes could ever possibly have been a bright idea.

Oh, how carefree I was signing up for spring classes! How joyously I flipped through the course catalog, jotting down those classes that struck my fancy, cheerfully appreciating all these learning opportunities that awaited me at Princeton, eagerly awaiting the time when fall semester was complete. How unabashedly I chose TWO lab sciences, a three-hour seminar, and two additional classes! In my euphoria at the impending end of fall semester, I honestly believe that I completely lost my sense of reality from when I opened the SCORE server until I closed it. For those isolated moments in time, I was no longer Noelle Muro, cautious but enthusiastic college freshman, but rather Noelle Muro, psychotically inspired and ridiculously ambitious masochist. After surveying some surrounding peers who had sadly realized their similar predicament, I have a theory that there is a disease that infects freshman heading into their second semester. We are all so relieved at having survived our first semester at Princeton, that we forget that we are indeed mortal. Sure, I can take FIVE classes! Sure, I can handle a 7:30 p.m. to 10:20 p.m. seminar! I'm tough! I am INVINCIBLE!!

Well, like all good things, my delirium came to a screeching halt once I realized that I actually have to back up these pleasant thoughts with hard work and time commitment. Not to mention the insane amount of money I have just spent on purchasing books and Pequod packets. So now I'm pretty much broke, a little frightened and slightly nauseated. I trust that I am not alone in these feelings, and anyone wishing to commiserate can feel free to come over to see me in Butler. The only requirement is that you do one or more of my assignments so that I might have the time to spend with you. It's a small price to pay for the human interaction we will all so desperately need during this coming semester.

And yet there is light at the end of this tunnel. Perhaps this qualifies me as a grade-A, bonafide nerd, but I'm actually looking forward to the challenge. Who needs sleep, free time, or a social life? This is college, not a free-for-all! But seriously, folks, I'm pretty excited. Each of my classes seems so completely interesting that it almost seems impossible that I won't enjoy myself. I already found myself skimming my books, so I'm thinking that there must have been a shred of sanity at work after all.

Although I choke to say these words, the work will be worth it. We might actually survive yet, and good gracious, we might have fun AND learn something too. It is entirely possible that this utterly crazy, busy semester may well be the best I've seen. Of course, if I'm wrong, then this may be the last you hear of little Noelle from Connecticut. Either way, it'll be quite the show.

Noelle Muro is a freshman from East Haven, Conn.