Throw Away Quarters

Since my last school term, I've coined the word "throw away quarter." I should explain.

Last quarter was a hard quarter. I took 16 units of class, I was prepping to move back to Northern California, and I was doing wedding planning among other things. So, to temper my academic expectations for the quarter, I treated my schoolwork as if the entire term were a throw away quarter... that is, I shouldn't expect great results because I have way too many things going on... things that are unique only to this quarter.

Situation: It's the end of the fall quarter and Alinna is asking me about the progress of my term papers.

Alinna: So, did you proofread your paper?
Hideyo: No way! This is a throw away quarter. It's done. I finished writing it. I'm turning it away.
Alinna: Okaaayyyyy.

Flash forward to this current winter term. I'm finding that I'm quickly calling this winter quarter a "throw away quarter." Why? No, I'm not using it flippantly as an excuse, but rather, I'm finding that this quarter is really hard, not academically. Really.

I'm newly married. I've moved to a place I've never lived before. Oh, and I missed the first week of classes due to my escape to North Carolina. This is the real reason. I'm finding myself perpetually behind. Ahh well. I'll catch eventually. Assuming that my books that were accidentally shipped to Alhambra will be forwarded to my new Sunnyvale address of course.

By the way, I did quite nicely in my first throw away quarter. Three A's and a B+, thereby raising my GPA to a 3.78. Anybody interested in hiring an A- seminary student? I'll try not to have throw away quarters/semesters/years when I work.