First Day of School

Laura was dead on. It has been a very, very long Summer break. From early November until March i have been predominantly working, drinking, eating and watching cricket (not necessarily in that order). There was some trepidation as the new semester approached but an odd calming nothingness as i boarded the 396 bus to campus. Been there. Done that.

Things started stereotypically. With an IT issue and an inability to get our lecture slides on the projector. The economics lecturer traipsed through the door with the air of Ben Folds. Not so much rocking the suburbs but maybe there's always someone cooler than you. His black shirt, seemingly carefree demeanor and laid back attitude were well received. Although, being an economics lecturer, there is always someone cooler than him.

The subject is based around Game Theory so, whenever the lecturer said we were going to do some games later on in the class, my ears pricked and excitement grew. Not a heads down, thumbs up proposition or even celebrity heads though. It was a trap. Not the kind of games that interest me. More strategic decision making in business decisions assuming rational players and full information. As a great mind said, players gonna play, haters gonna hate but I'm just gonna shake. Shake it off. Unfortunately the games were mandatory to our overall grades so i could not simply shake them off.

Interesting characters are an absolute given in any university classroom. A melting pot of cultures, ideas, hope, possibilities and perspectives. Truly a stimulating experience. At times. The hipsters help the international students feel better as they both seem to be wearing Western clothes from thirty years ago. Cliched over-effort facial hair, the usual YUPpies in suits with briefcase and a late coffee and mature age students needing the Masters for the promotion they have almost definitely worked hard enough for already. Some familiar faces for a change too, though. And it is nice to know people. Lovely people at that.

Every semester there are laughs to be had at the expense of others. One of my favourite people at university is the student who has willingly skulled their company's Kool-Aid. In fact, i think i even spotted an IV going into the person's veins this time. We were talking about strategy (game theory wise) and she managed to regale us all with CBA's Mission Statement before being cut off. This was a new world record. The same person seems to be the epicenter of my irritation and earned strikes through an unfound, sweeping political remark, questioning why the industry i work in exists because she only heard about it now and by being competitive in these games that are not games at all. I mean, come on, mate. Last year my nemesis was an American and i thought i could forgive his apparent shortcomings but this time she is perhaps, a little too Australian. Self-loathing does not look good on me.

And after what felt like an eternity i find myself walking to the bus stop, trudging that well worn path lined with student-debt, goon sacks and people who struggle to function in the real world.