New people

Friday:

I went in to TAFE yesterday to do my two classes. Due to stuff being all over the place on that particular day I had to go in more than an hour late and leave half and hour early, and also take my daughter Jasmine with me! She was fine sitting near my classroom with her iPad and headphones and snacks, but I was conscious of her being there waiting for me. It was just that one day though.

Strangely, most of my classmates were new to me. Hardly anyone I knew from last term, even though these people must had also done those classes at some point - these classes built on previous study. I only knew a couple of people, and none of my particular friends were present. My best friend from last term, Cathy, is currently working so she's doing the course online and is in at least one of my online classes and we also text each other sometimes. No idea where Sarah has gone. Everyone is nice though, I'm sure I'll make new friends. There is around 12 people in each class, mostly the same people morning and afternoon with a couple of changes.

I was very happy to see my favourite teacher in the morning class, back from a few months off. She seems to teach the more technical classes, I know I'm going to enjoy it.

In the afternoon class my teacher (who I've also had before) went around the class and got us to introduce ourselves. On average, library technician students are mid-thirties with a career behind them and probably a family, female, and friendly; but of course in reality there is a lot of variation and I thought I'd tell you a couple of the more interesting stories.

I'd noticed Nerida last term, hard not too, she was so overweight it looked like she had trouble walking and fitting in chairs. I dropped out of the only class I shared with her and didn't know anything about her. This term she is still very big, but I think maybe she has lost some weight. She told us she used to be in the army but hurt her knee and was invalided out. She didn't go into any more detail but it got me wondering. Even if she ended up in a desk job, she must have started out with a certain level of fitness. Did injury stopping her moving and maybe depression at losing her career send to her food and spiralling into obesity? Study and weight loss may indicate she has now turned her life around. Of course this is all speculation on my part.

Jake, one of the rare males, wears glasses with bright pink lenses. Not sure if this is a fashion statement or if it helps with dyslexia or something. He seems to always sit curved forward with his arms crossed over his abdomen like he is protecting a gut injury. Probably just bad posture. He described himself as a gamer (ie seriously into computer games) and said he has around 300 pets - dogs, cats, chickens, lots of animals. Don't know if he lives on a farm. He definitely called them pets though, not just animals.

Michelle was a real youngster, straight out of High School. In contrast to the rest of us who are mostly confident speakers, she huddled in the corner and barely spoke above a low mumble. Aside from being forced to introduce herself I don't think she said a word.

Jessica, ah now Jessica was a puzzle. She sat at the front of the class, mid-twenties I'd guess, with an unhealthy bloated look and a incipient moustache, and as soon as she sat down she put her backpack on the desk and rested her head on it and appeared to go to sleep. We weren't waiting around for the teacher or anything, she came into the room with us, but Jessica kept her head down while we all introduced herself and had to be shouted awake when we got to her. She lifted her head but didn't sit up, told us her name and a few sleepy slurred things about herself like that she was hoping study would motivate her but it wasn't working so far, then went back face down into her bag! So rude and strange. Our poor teacher wasn't sure what to do about it (and by the way why sit right up the front where you are so obvious?) and just went on with the lesson. After an hour, we did a little group exercise. Jessica was roused again and told with as much sternness as our gentle teacher could muster that she had to sit up and participate. She did sit up for the rest of the lesson, she was in my group and didn't contribute anything, sitting slumped and dopey. Drugs or just tired? If she couldn't stay awake she should have left the room. I'm interested to see if she's like this every week, and if she'll get kicked out of class! She must have passed first semester or she wouldn't be in this class.