Prepare to be frustrated. Prepare to say, “DAMN YOU, JIM GROOM, I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO.” Prepare yourself for regret, anger, confusion, and utter depression when you realize that this is a 100-level class. You will work your ass off for this class and every scrap of patience you have will be tested. Late nights and hours trying to get a program to work, or attempting to upload a video, or doing something else that you would never have considered homework while your other studies go neglected will often make you wish you had decided to take a History elective instead.
That is the nature of the beast. It eats students alive.
And you’ll be eager for more. For all the shit that Jim Groom will put you through, every time somebody comments on a post you made will make you look forward to the prospect of creation. Every time you post something you put so much effort into and you get recognized for it will feed the growing craving to send your hard work out, to push yourself harder. This class doesn’t just teach you the tools of the internet, it teaches the essence of internet culture.
Sure, Jim Groom might be the most frustrating teacher you’ll ever meet- you’ll want to hate him but you can’t because he loves this material too much and his goodwill will act like a shield against your ire.
Three things you’ll want to remember if you make the right choice and stay in the class:
1.) Stay calm. Your anger might be good fuel for a blog post, but no assignment you’ll ever do is worth raising your blood pressure. If something’s not working, don’t get upset.
2.) If something’s not working, you can usually find a tutorial for it online. If THAT doesn’t work, tweet Jim Groom or Martha Burtis or one of the other nice people working for their evil organization. They often figure out the problem within a day, if not sooner.
3.) Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, to expend some energy, to have fun. In the end, you will create so much stuff, so much interesting stuff, you’ll look back and think, “Well, look at that. What do you know, maybe this class wasn’t such a bitch after all.” Then you will think a little harder and think,“Nahhh.” But it wasn’t an insufferable bitch.
In the end, that’s all you can really ask for.