And so begins Graduate School...

This school stuff is definitely weird. Deep thinking, long winded academic readings - heavy stuff.

Here's how this will work: I'll have readings to complete each week (along with other assignments) and then I have to respond to a discussion question based on the reading. After posting my answer, I also have to log at least two additional peer responses (responding to posts by other students) to get my rubric points.

So far I've managed to get through a convoluted reading and complete my discussion answer. I had to describe the connection between culture and ethics.

Pfft. I don't know! I haven't read any academic journal-type things since December 2006 - when I was wrapping up my bachelors degree. Even legal jargon and rich, meaty articles and presentations on Dodd Frank weren't as confusing as this article. Bleh.

But yes, I eventually got through it with minimal scars. A few classmates even responded to it, and positively. Then, my professor chimed in.

Professors also respond to student discussions?! Wha? This will be either really good or really not so good.

She wrote: "Nice logical presentation. Do you think that culture is always stronger than ethics - I'm guessing that means more resistant to change? Does that mean that we would always have to change culture to change ethics? Please explain.
Additional note - I don't see a Trevino reference. Citations and references must match (except for personal communication)."

So yay for a logical presentation, but she nailed me on my inability to use APA citations. Well, not so much my inability, but my confusion since the author of said article was referencing someone else's work, which flummoxed me. I won't reply to this explaining how I really feel about APA citations, but I will work on it.

I think it should be a good class, I'll get back into the swing of reading things as the class progresses, and based on reading the introductions from my classmates it looks like a good group. I definitely win for farthest away. Others are all over the US - California, Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington DC - all over the place.

We have a huge portfolio project at the end of the semester, so I'll be starting research and doing stuff on that in the next couple of weeks (an outline is due the third week). I might have to juggle a few things to make time for upcoming planned trips (like Oktoberfest and London), but I'm up for the challenge. It will make Oktoberfest beer all the more tastier if I can get ahead in class before I go.

And with that, if you'll excuse me - I have to go brush up on APA citations. And study a little German.