As of yesterday at 11 am PST, I am no longer a student of first-year literature. My class ended as quietly as it had started with a quiz on short stories and Amy Tan's "The Kitchen God's Wife". It went relatively well until after the instructor had posted information on the marks for our final essay. Some of my classmates returned to the room that the rest of use were still writing the exam in and started a discussion with the instructor about why the marks weren't posted already. (They didn't read that they would be posted soon)

This caused a huge distraction for me and thus I was unable to gain back my focus. I'm sure that I did alright but the distraction started a chain reaction of unrelated ideas which finished with the realization that I hadn't put on any mascara that morning. I just couldn't shake the horror of knowing that there was nothing to balance out the incredibly glittery eyeliner that I am accustomed to wearing. That was the moment I knew that I had lost my writing edge...

Regardless, I slogged through the last 45 minutes and finished things up. I'm now officially finished my class and the weird work shift that I was doing to make up time. It made me realize that I should probably not work full-time and take a course at the same time.

That said, I really must say that I enjoyed this Literature class even though I don't see much point in ripping apart other people's writing. This class had an awesome instructor, awesome classmates and some pretty interesting reading. It also helped me to realize things about my own writing and perhaps now I can get off my ass and actually write a book and thus check that "To Do" thing of the rather long list that I have.

Now I am free to have a social life and not feel guilty.

I also will remember to put mascara on before I leave the house in the morning...