Yvette's Inner Geek Blog

Because last semester was so much fun, *twitch twitch* I registered for 19 credit hours again. HA! Not gonna happen.

I figured out which class I’m going to drop to bring that down to 16 credit hours. That still leaves me with plenty to potentially learn. And remember how I said this semester would be easier because I’m not going to be learning any new software programs? Forecasting FAIL. Here’s my courseload for the Spring semester:

• 3D Modeling and Animation Essentials (where I will tackle the heavyweight Maya software and try not cry in the process. So glad I took Drawing I from the art department over the summer so I have some basic artistic concepts down)
• Flash II (with a different prof than I had for Flash I, and thankfully it will require far less work)
• Web Content Management (learning how to build a website server-side-on-up in Joomla! and then in either WordPress or Drupal)
• Interaction Design (learning how to design sites and devices with more user-friendly structures)
• Advanced Topics in Digital Media Design (learning Adobe Illustrator and its applications for the web)

The topic of that last class with the generic name was a mystery to me until the first class today. I probably could have called and asked, but hellooooo, way too much effort. All information for the Digital Media department should be available online, right? Apparently there was some snafu with the scheduling and the class wasn’t actually supposed to be taught this semester, so I really lucked out by taking a chance and registering for it. I finally get to learn Illustrator! Now I take my skills from “pathetic novice because of that damn pen tool” to the soaring heights of “amateur hack.” At least that’s what I’m hoping for!

The interaction design class worried me initially because we were split into groups that we will work with the entire semester. I’ve been in a few group disaster scenarios, probably like everyone else, and am never excited about group work in a classroom setting. But my group seems good so far. The professor made us play Apples to Apples with our group for the last 25 minutes, which was bizarre at first—but its purpose was more than an ice breaker. After a few minutes of playing, the prof told 3 of my 4 of my group members to play the game as if they were a different age. One 9, one 14, and the other 75. It was interesting how my gameplay changed, considering that the point of the game is to cater to the “judge” of the round. I think I’m going to like that class.

Going back to school has really turned the bummer of being laid off into a kickass thing for me.