I have really wanted to take a few religion classes but ultimately don’t need the credit really. I do have one lone, ubiquitous elective credit (????) that I need aside from all my required credits but I have no idea how to go back and take this religion class from an audit to a credit course and…after reading the syllabus yesterday, I don’t want to. Soo much to do for  a lower division class.

BIG FAT NOTE HERE: If you take online classes from a recognized university, NEVER and I repeat NEVER let anyone tell you that they are easy, not real classes, or that you don’t have to work. I can and will hold up World Religions 201 at American Public University as a prime example.

It truly feels odd and a little anxiety causing to know that whatever I do in this course doesn’t count for anything and will not show up on a transcript with anything other than a big X for audit. That means that I can pick and choose what I want to do, literally do nothing but read other peoples work, or virtually never do anything at all since the registrar already has charged my credit card and ultimately nothing I do or say here makes any difference to anyone.

My good student work ethic is pushing me to follow through as I would any other class. I am actually having to restrain myself, slow myself down and remind myself that this is for self-interest and nothing more. I can participate or not as I see fit. Speaking of participating, I can see people dropping like flies when the realization hits that this class is intense. Lots of people in the class, busy people by the way who are working on degrees while working full time. If they are taking other classes now as well, God (no pun intended) help them. I consider myself a good student and an excellent manager of time and I don’t think I could even keep up, especially next month when Social Deviance begins.

Lots of people who were raised Catholic and some who are still practicing Catholic but seem rather vague on what a practicing Catholic is. I clearly defined myself as agnostic leaning toward atheist in my intro and am probably being judged (if anyone besides myself actually reads the intros) as really out there simply because I asked the instructor for any resources or recommendations regarding female centered religion, aka: mother goddess worship, aka: paganism and wicca. I really think this topic might fit somewhere later in my Senior Seminar and who better to use as a resource than an instructor who is a double major in both Sociology and Religion!  And a Catholic who voiced in her intro that she was considered the black sheep in her family for her questioning of Catholic doctrine. I think I could learn a lot from her but how incredibly intimidating to consider taking an upper division class with her as the instructor.

Did you notice I am using the term instructor? This is an odd concept for me. No matter what our professors say regarding how we can or should address them I never sway from the title of Professor So-and So. It is simply a sign of respect that I believe they all deserve. Many are quite open and ok with calling them by their first name, but usually I can’t and won’t, that is until now. Why? Probably because subconsciously calling her Elizabeth instead of Professer W… helps me to step back and not take this class too seriously, to remind myself I don’t have to work my ass off for a grade here, that it is self-interest, that I can relax.

But of course, I do have a plan. I fully intend to participate in the discussion because that’s how I learn and I like discussions. I also think I will take the tests, maybe . As to that 8 page research paper, which by the way is not a simple comparison of two world religions. Oh no, it is a compare/contrast a specific, undefined aspect of two religions with a personal interview of two different people who practice your two chosen religions. I don’t know anyone who actively practices two diverse religions so how in the world would that little requirement be accomplished? Do I show up at a Buddhist temple and start asking question?  Can you do a Google search for “willing Muslim interested in being interviewed regarding the Qur’an?” This is one research paper, thankfully that I will not be spending 8 weeks on.

Auditing a class…..I might be able to get used to this.