One of my exciting adventures this fall is taking a Latin class. I enrolled mostly for mental refreshment, since I studied the language eight years ago (!!!) in college, and the chance to get student-rate health insurance. Those practical reasons aren’t at the forefront of my mind right now though, because I’m having fun getting back into the school-groove of studying, homework and even taking tests. Yes, I said “tests” and “fun” in the same paragraph!
flashcards - what ecstasy!
I love autumn and I’m grateful this year’s cooler weather brings opportunity to use my favorite school supplies: 3×5 flashcards, skinny sharpie markers, 3-ring binders and post-it notes. With my mug of peppermint tea, a warm hooded sweater to keep out the chilly breeze, homework in my lap, and joyful anticipation for a visit with some Hillsdale girlfriends next week, I’m having serious college flashbacks right now. And so, in this spirit of reminiscence, I share a poem I wrote nearly eight years ago when I first began learning the mother of all romance languages.
“an ode to latin”
This language has passed: it is dead, it has died!
But study I must, though I can’t – I have tried!
So many new rules, my brain’s full – it is fried!
“No more nouns or verbs!” my poor eyes, they have cried.
“A cinch,” I was told, “Its easy,” they lied,
But poor grades like these, parents fail to abide.I start out my homework with paper and pen,
Someday I will finish – the good Lord knows when.
Grammar and vocab – it’s all beyond my ken.
The sounds are so silly, they’re starting to blend.
It’s worse than Beowulf with his mean monster Grend
Latin is stupid- was it made up by men?
I was still waiting for Aaron to ask me out when I wrote this, which may explain the gender-jab. Angst!
school supplies
“…the grammar of even one language is more than enough to make life a perpetual agony.” ~ Erasmus, “The Praise of Folly”
abby hummel 
Yay, Wheelock!
Ooh, Abby, you and Elena and I should have a Latin flashcard party! We’re starting this fall, too 🙂
I love this! I am taking an Excel class this fall. It is super fun to flirt with being in school and enjoy all the fun parts of learning.
Are you going to HOMECOMING! I am!!
Emily, we’ll just miss each other! Bummer! I think we should all go back for next year’s homecoming (wouldn’t that be the 5 year reunion for us?), or plan a group trip to somewhere with better lodging and more entertainment… perhaps the Mexican Riviera. Mostly for the abundance of guacamole.
Your excel course is probably more useful than my re-taking of Latin, but it’s good to be a little academic again. The only thing better would be if we were in the same class, drawing barber’s scissors and my potential bouquet on our notes.
Nancy, yes, I would love to drill Latin with Elena sometime. We would all get a kick out of it!
Oh Wheelock’s! Good luck with Latin, Abby. You’re going to rock it.
I noticed your response to Emily about drawing barber’s scissors. Haha. I loved the fact that there were about 6 of us sitting in the front row of that class and none of us were really ever paying attention.