After saying sayonara to the disaster that was Friday night Biology-1, I decided that I wasn't going to waste my newfound freedom. An invite to train with WriteGirl had been sitting, starred, in my inbox for a few weeks, so I opened it and RSVP'd immediately.

I had first heard of WriteGirl while marching along somewhere in Downtown LA during Women's March way-back-when. I had just been plodding along with my, "We Deserve Better <3" sign when someone asked me if I was a writer. I said yes, occasionally, and they handed me a flyer and lured me to one of the white tented booths that lined one of the march's paths (the march was so huge it leaked into several streets, not just the one that was planned for the march). I was intrigued!

Women's March, right before the speeches.

I had just about given up hope that there was some kind of organization that rolled my love for writing in with my want to help others. On the east coast, where I had lived for 3 years, there had been plenty of opportunities with conferences, critique groups, workshops, etc. and so forth. I had tried to establish a Meetup Group in SoCal when I returned, but it fell through. So when I heard of WriteGirl, I definitely wanted to get involved. A coworker brought it up during a meeting, asking for volunteers, so I sent in my info.

I attended the training last Saturday, which was from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Armory Center of the Arts in my old stomping grounds, Pasadena, CA. I sat there with many other women who were interested in being involved as well, and participated in a training/presentation about what it meant to be a writing mentor. It is different than being a tutor, which is what I had pictured being a mentor was like. We're there to guide the girl's writing: to help them become a better developed version of the writer they are.

Our training session, with me in the front row (center of the photo). I met some awesome, inspirational writers, each one diverse in their experience and ready to help young girls become better writers! Photo via WriteGirl's Instagram.

WriteGirl's program targets at-risk girls in the Los Angeles area, most of whom are Latina/Hispanic and Black. We were told stories of how school counselors have told these girls that they aren't college material. Yet WriteGirl has a 100% success rate in getting their girls to college.

If I am chosen to help (which I hope I am), I will either be paired with a girl for One-on-One sessions where we meet once a week for about an hour to write, or I would participate in the monthly workshops where I may be paired with one girl or with a group of girls to do writing experiments. I am unable to participate in the In-Schools program, which goes to the schools to work with girls during the day, due to work commitments.

We were given this book featuring writing from the WriteGirl girls themselves. It was an impressive tome!

During the end of the day, we were given mini-interviews to determine our availability, and given the yearly published compilation filled with the girl's poems and freeform writing. I thumbed through the book as I waited for my interview, finding myself impressed with what I read. Some of the poems spoke to me directly, especially one that drew comparisons to sewing and societal expectations. These books are available for sale, so I strongly recommend you (my dear reader) picking up a few to show support.

I let my interviewer know the genres I am great with, but I also let her know that I do illustration and graphic design work as well, in case they need these skills for any upcoming projects. I volunteered for the Education and Communication teams, hoping to get a spot to help girls pursue their college dreams (just like I am doing now with myself!).

I was so inspired when I left that I returned home (after a trip to Whole Foods, of course, to stock up on yummy gluten free treats) to continue working on the short story I will be submitting to Brave New Girls Vol. 3.

If you would like to volunteer for WriteGirl, head over to their page!

In what ways do you use your experiences to help others? What volunteering experiences have you had while in school? How have they shaped you as a person?

As someone who works full time and also attends school full time (or tries to), I take every opportunity I can find to get the classes I need. My schedule allows for evenings and weekends, so I usually register for weekend classes if I can.

Most of the classes available during these times are the basics: Psych 1, Sociology 1, English 1A, etc. Unfortunately, many classes I need are not available during weekends as they are more "Sophomore" level classes. This leaves me to fight the rest of the Chaffey non-traditional student population for a place in these classes during the evenings, which more often than not leaves me waitlisted.

Sometimes, however, classes are available on Friday evenings. I can see why. No one wants to be in class on a Friday night, especially those like me who work 40 hours a week and really just want to relax. However, often I am left with no choice but to take these classes because they are the only ones not waitlisted.

Usually, when I register, the classes don't even have a teacher assigned. The faculty section just says STAFF and I can't employ ratemyprofessor.com to know what to expect until the week before the class starts. By then, it's too late to change classes and you are kind of stuck.

I have twice registered for Friday night classes, and twice have had to drop. This semester's casualty? Biology 1 with Lab. I found myself dreading this class, and not enjoying it as much as I have enjoyed pretty much everything else. This time, unlike Math-425, I didn't wait until the midterm to drop. I knew by understanding my own way of learning and being true to myself that I would just not thrive in the class.

However, the decision to drop didn't come lightly. I struggled with it for about a week, as dropping the class meant I'd have to take it next semester, and it went against my goals of having Statistics and Biology done by the end of this semester. Dropping the class would leave a considerable hole in my school schedule, leaving me with only taking one class. But the truth was, I wasn't going to be successful in this class.

Here is how I knew this class wasn't going to work out for me:

The professor and I were not a good fit.

In case this is the first time you've read my blog, I'll give you a quick insight into who I am and how I learn. I am introverted, but in the class, I like a good discussion and debate. I like hands on, engaged learning but can tolerate traditional "here's my detailed Powerpoint" lecture-based classroom settings (otherwise I would not have passed most of my classes, and with As to boot). I am also 35 years old, respectful, but understanding of my freedom as an adult (I haven't been in High School since year 2000). I will copy down Powerpoints word for word if I can, and I utilize all material for studying. I appreciate a good study guide from the teacher but I can make do without one as long as can work with these materials. I can tolerate a few group projects a semester, but honestly do better on my own to better results (but I do know that group work is how the world turns, so I am not completely against it, nor do I think it is realistic to expect to have a class without at least one group project).

That being said, the professor for Friday night Biology did not provide any study guides, moved through Powerpoints way too fast, did not elaborate on anything within the Powerpoints (which were an outline of concepts at best, and did not delve into material, relied on small group projects multiple times each class session, and had a lot of rules for governing the class that made me feel like I was in 9th grade again. She also played a lot of Youtube videos that were hard to understand, in place of lecture. Moreso, I felt as if we were "talked at" for the duration of the class period, which is different than "teaching to."

The professor did not utilize the entire class period and we were often let out early.

If you're thinking, wow, that's awesome! It's...really not. I don't want to be there late on a Friday night, or spend 3 hours of my Saturday in school, but I had already resigned myself to these sacrifices. When we are let out an hour ahead of time and I still feel like I have more questions than answers about the material, I don't think it's a good thing. I do ask questions, too, but still felt as if I left with more questions than answers.

The class was taking too much energy on my part that was detracting from my other class.

I found myself not only falling behind in Biology in trying to guess everything that was required since there was so little guidance that I was starting to suffer in Statistics. Both are higher unit courses, so I expected them to have an equal amount of work. This was the ultimate deciding factor in dropping Biology. I decided to cut off the dead weight and move on with Statistics, with a professor that everyone fought to have, who engaged the class, utilized the entire class period, and allowed us to ask questions and participate in discussion.

Freeing myself from Biology allowed me to do stuff I wanted to do, like a volunteer opportunity and take on other classes during Track 2 Fast Track.

When the semester started, I was invited to take part in a volunteer opportunity that I really really really wanted to participate in. But since Biology took out a chunk of my Saturday, I had to pass. By dropping Biology, I was able to re-enlist. This excited me so much! I actually have my first meeting this Saturday, which I would not have been able to do if I kept Biology. I felt immediately better, and as if the decision was more in line with my purpose (why I want to be a teacher in the first place). Plus, this opportunity will get me some hands-on experience with teaching.

But since I did drop the class, I had a huge gap in my school schedule. I decided that I was going to take two Track 2 Fast Track classes which start up in October. These classes are faster paced, like Summer classes, with one being online and one being in class. I may only keep one, but I am hoping by then I will have regained my footing in Statistics (I spend the whole past weekend getting caught up and feel so much better), and can focus on these classes.

If you aren't learning in a class, it is probably not the right class structure for you.

And lastly, Friday night classes are just not a good thing for me.

I've decided that two strikes is out for me. No need to try a third time! I figured I could just suck it up and take a Friday night class and just deal with it, but the truth is, I can't. I've given it a good try. But Friday nights, I just want to curl up with my cat, some Netflix, and a glass of wine. I need to let go of the notion that if I am not doing something that I am not being productive, and thus, it is not good. This is not my idea. It is a product of my upbringing that I have struggled with all my life. I basically need to force myself to relax, and I think this whole experience just means that I really need to do just that. And I'm OK with it.

What's the takeaway?

I've said it before and I am saying it again: Not all professors will be the right fit and sometimes you have to bite the bullet and drop (if feasible, sometimes you cannot because of credits needed for financial aid or the class is a prerequisite). I do know there are a handful of people in that class who thrived of this type of class structure, and I wish them all the best of luck. But what works for one person won't necessarily work for me (or you). And that is OK!

In the end, I need to be true to myself. I've already been through one frustrating college journey in the early 2000s, and I want to emerge from this experience knowing that I actually learned something, and am proud of myself for this effort. But the end message is: if you aren't learning, the class has no point. You are in college to learn, and that that is the ultimate goal for your future success.

Did you ever struggle with dropping a class? What did you do and why did you do it?