So today was my orientation and advising. What they said would be a two hour meeting was actually a seven hour meeting. And that was the least of my problems.
I enrolled in Ichnology, Intro to Geology and the accompanying lab, Paleontology of Higher Vertebrate, and some course I don't know the title of where I'm supposed to learn how to critique and read academic writing. Clearly, the only thing applicable here to dinosaurs is ichnology, but too bad the class deals with burrows of invertebrates. And paleontology of higher vertebrates deals with birds and mammals. Sigh.
Besides that, I suddenly had to obtain five keys from the department. Which would be all fine and dandy, except that I had to put a $10 security deposit on each key. Granted, I know I'm going to get it back (I mean, it's not like I'm going to lose the keys here...), but still. I had to go find an ATM and get charged a service fee because my bank isn't out here, and THEN the lady told me there was only four keys and then gave me two, and then I had to go back for the other three, so I didn't even have enough money. So I guess I'll just have to wait till I go to Walmart and get cash back or something so I don't get another damn $3 service charge.
The first three keys are okay. One's to my office (it's shared, but I didn't even know I got an office so...that's cool I guess). One's to the building in case it's locked or the weekend. And one's to the office of one of my advisors.
The other two however, not so cool. We were on the orientation part of the day and they took us to a room and had us unlock it, saying it was said advisor's old office...and there's a bunch of critters in it. And by critters, I mean mealworms, crickets, crayfish, crabs, a scorpion, and tarantulas. Super awesome. Not. Especially since nobody seems to be too concerned that I'm super allergic to spider bites.
Anyway, it was like "Suprise! You get to take care of these disgusting critters at least once a week!" Um, like no way. Nobody informed me of this when I accepted the offer back in April. So now I'm supposed to feed and give water to these invertebrate creatures that I don't want to and never signed up for. The final key is to the new lab that's going to house the critters eventually.
After that, I find out I'm expected to at least once a week (probably on the day I have to take care of the nasty critters) work with this sifting machine. I had no idea how it works. They explained it in all of five minutes. I watched a youtube video on it when I got back to my apartment, so...I guess I kind of get it now, but...at this point, I don't really know.
I have a book I have to order from some odd place (not the university bookstore of course), but I just don't have it in me today. Right now I'm just feeling like I made a huge mistake. I don't know.
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