Pocketful of Starlight

AstroWorld 101

The thing about college is that no matter how many classes you attend, no matter how many lectures you manage to sit through, there is always something new to be learned. Always something new to be taught: the problem isn't that the lessons aren't easy to comprehend, the problem is that they almost are never taught inside the walls of the classroom.
Take for instance the lesson I learned today: choosing to snooze your alarm five extra minutes on class scheduling day truly will screw you over come first day of classes. Hence, my trip to the admissions office, where I find myself surrounded by plenty of brand spanking new freshman on campus. How do I know they are freshman? It's the lanyards wrapped so tightly around their necks you can practically see them struggling to breathe. The few chairs scattering the room are all occupied, so the newbies have taken to sporadically spreading themselves apart along the walls of the room. All clearly determined to not socially interact with one another, as if the thought of actually making a new friend on the first day repulses them.
The TV in the corner of the room has had the same infomercial on for about 15 minutes now, and if I hear one more person speak of plugging a hole with a piece of Flex Tape, I may just have to go out and buy it to test its durability on my ears. Wonder if it would keep the noise out or just make my own thoughts louder?
"Nova Astron?" An older woman peeks her head out from behind the service desk. Her silver hair falling in her eyes just a smidge as she scans the room waiting for someone to answer her call. Smiling quickly at the young girl leaning against the wall across from me, I rise from my seat and wave at the woman. "Follow me this way honey," she pulls open the large wooden door next to the desk and lets me in before leading us down a narrow hallway; turning into the very last room on the right. "Take a seat darling, would you like a cup of water or anything? Not sure how long you've been waiting out there," she grabs at her own water bottle, quickly taking a sip before twisting the top back on.
"I'm all set, thank you though." She smiles at me as she quickly gets to work typing on her computer. Her green eyes seem tired as she reads something on the screen in front of her. The smile fading into more of a grimace before she looks over at me, smiling once again as she remembers I am still in the room with her.
"The first few days back are truly chaotic down here. If my head wasn't stretched to my body, I'd lose it within the first week here each semester!" The loud laugh reminds me of a teapot, hissing loudly, but instantly makes me smile along with her.
"Well, I'm thankful you could get me in today with all the chaos, I appreciate it truly!" My eyes search the room around her, looking at the pictures of what I assume to be her grandchildren. The personalized calendar directly behind her is flipped open to January, with a picture of her and what looks to be her Husband as the large photo on top. The tiny squares for dates are all scribbled in, with little reminders and what looks like birthdates.
      My Grandmother used to have a calendar just like it, always hung in the front foyer, so that it was one of the first things you saw when you got home and one of the last things before you left. Next to it always hung a small cork board with a fresh stack of post it notes, Grandma used to say "if there isn't a note with where you are, than just know that there is a policeman out looking for you." I used to think she was fibbing until the police showed up with my brother Rigel, having claimed they had "found him" at the local library. My Grandma thanked both officers dearly, sending them each home with loaves of her Banana Bread that she used to bake faithfully. To say Rigel was embarrassed is truly an understatement. He along with the rest of us never forgot to leave a post it note ever again after that incident.
     "So honey," the woman speaks pulling me out of a memory I had forgotten I had. "Looks like you are in need of at least one more class to meet credit requirements to graduate, it can be a free elective course: so we aren't hindered much on that aspect, however classes have been filling up quite quickly so let's check what we have left." Despite her older age, her fingers zoom from letter to letter on the keyboard, proving she's good at what she does and has been for years. "Oh dear," her voice trails off as she stares intently at the screen.
     "What's wrong?" Just my luck for the website to have either crashed or even better: deleted me from the system. With how my morning went earlier today, I wouldn't even be surprised if so.
     "Well, sadly with the larger class size returning from their semesters abroad, classes have really filled up much quicker than I expected them to. That, plus your already existing schedule leaves only one class available for you to take, rather than the options I thought we'd have," her eyes leave the computer to look at me. The grimace threatening to return back to her kind face if I don't personally cheer her up. "However on a side note, it's from what I hear a very interesting class, one that most do well in."
     "As long as I can graduate come May, I don't have a problem with taking any class at all! It's just a few hours a week, and if it's said to be interesting, even better!" Her tired face pulls back into the large smile that warms my heart. Her fingers type away once more before she double clicks her mouse and pushed her chair away from her desk.
      "Perfect! Here is this for you!" She steps quickly over to the printer on the far wall before grabbing the freshly printed paper off the top. "The room number and teacher are all listed on here as well as the few supplies you will need for the course!"
       "Awesome! Thank you so much again! I hope things calm down around here for you soon!" She opens the door to the hallway for me as I put the paper in my bag and stand up to follow her out.
      "Thank you honey! I hope you enjoy the class, and the rest of your semester! Hope it's- what would Professor Donati say...  "out of this world!" She laughs and pats me on the back as I pass her.
     "Professor Donati? Is he the Professor for the class you signed me up for?" confusion clear in my voice having never heard the name before.
     "Oh dear! Signed you up without even telling you what it was! Yes, love! Professor Donati is the head of our Astrology program here. You will be taking his AstroWorld 101 course! He said something about hoping the kids would hear the name and realize he's up to date with the times!" She laughs as she works her way back into her office, leaving me standing alone staring at her door.
      My knees go numb for a moment as I reach for the wall to help hold me up. The paper in my bag now feeling as if it weighs a ton. I can still hear her laughing from her office as I yank open the zipper on my bag and pull the piece of paper out reading it over in disbelief.

    AstroWorld 101
    Professor Donati, Building E, Room 315
M, W, F (2:30-3:25) as well as 3 late night classes 9:00-9:45pm- dates will vary: Professor will determine when.)

    "Astrology is the study of the relationship between the relative positions of certain celestial bodies and life here on earth. Because the word astrology comes from the Greek words astron, meaning 'star' and logos, meaning 'word', we can literally translate astrology to mean the language of the stars. In this class we will explore the wonderful world of astrology, and how it can impact your daily life."

     This semester really couldn't get any worse.
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"First off, is like to welcome you all to AstroWorld 101, as you can see, our class size this semester is quite large, much larger than usual. Think my name idea might be finally catching on!" Professor Donati states from the front of the room. He's everything I imagined him to be and then more: tall, lanky and awkward. Clearly having spent too much time reading the stars and not the social cues from those around him. His dark brown hair is cut short and his pants are just a size too big on him: held up solely by the belt wrapped tight around his waist.
"Not gonna lie, I thought it was pretty clever Sir. It got me here at least, I have to say I appreciate a corny joke every now and again." A voice says from the doorway. A voice I wish I could say I don't recognize. A voice belonging to none other than Mr. Will-You-Accept-This-Rose himself, Kade Anderson.
"Thank you Mr?" Professor Donati's cheeks flush a little and I can tell that the compliment actually means something to him. Making it that much harder to dignify hating him for no reason.
"Kade, Kade Anderson. One though refers to me as Mr. Tall-Dark and Ignorant, but I only let her call me that Sir, sorry." His eyes catch mine as he sends a wink across the room towards me. The girl in front of me stops breathing for a moment and I quickly run through the steps of CPR in my head: afraid I may have to act on them.
    "Well that's a rather interesting nickname: can only imagine what a creative mind like that looks like in the stars!" His voice and energy lifts at the thought of a reading and I can feel my own plummet at that same thought.
     "No need to wish on a shooting star sir! Lucky for you she's right here in this room. Isn't that right?" He looks directly at me, causing all eyes to turn my way including the Professor's.
This semester really can't get any worse.