Our niece Nina started her first day of school at Southeastern Louisiana University on Monday. Hearing the story of her day (she set the clock wrong, got up early, showered/dressed, and was heading out the door when she found out it was 7:30 not 9:30) was funny, but, brought me back to the first time I stepped onto the Southeastern campus.
A friend drove me to school (from New Orleans) and dropped me over at Lee Hall. This HUGE new dormitory was built in a square with a round central building housing the TV Room, Dorm Office, Reception Area, and Recreation Room. I was too sure I could handle anything at 18 years of age to be scared. How did I ever have the balls? I didn't. I used a little of my "wee" Irish mother's piss and vinegar, my old man's bullshit, and a healthy dose of scared to get me going.
Anyway, after checking in to my room, I headed across campus to find my advisor. In the lower level of the Biology Building I found a room with all the Health & P. E. Professors sitting at lab tables advising students. My name was on a list and I was assigned to Harvey Theriot.
I think I called him Doctor Theriot about 80 times during our ten minute conversation. Harvey (God Bless him and may he R.I.P.) was a great teacher, advisor, and person. He not only helped me with my first schedule....he helped me every semester schedule and then some to keep me on track to a degree. He talked to me as a Father would talk to his son. That day he completely set me at ease during an uncertain time. At the end, he told me to call him Coach Theriot.
Then I went off to play punch card roulette. In the cafeteria, by departments, they gave out punch cards with the course numbers and sections on them. Had you checked the Master Schedule you would know what professors were teaching what section of a course. I was completely unaware of the Master Schedule (that was the one and only time).
Under this system, punch cards in each section were to be "rationed" out so that students (such as me) registering last would have a chance of getting just about any section of any class. Unfortunately, the system was bullshit. I was stuck with what I got. It did not become lost on me that the first thing I needed to do the following semester was get the right punch cards! Call this my first lesson at Southeastern. I became quite the student in the registration process aka punch card roulette.
Wide eyed, with my waffling self assurance, and with Coach Theriot's swift kick in my ass I went forth to conquer this thing called college.
Looking back I wonder how the hell I made it. True reflection would tell me that with the help of a lot of friends, fraternity brothers, and some outstanding teachers is how! Did I mention the fear of failure exalted upon me by my parents?
Viva Southeastern
Viva Harvey Theriot!
Peace Out
1 comment:
Ah the memories of Dr Theriot. We would play basketball at noon every day with Dr Theriot Dr Lee and M. Gibson. They were the epitomy of old school and us young pups were lucky to even stay close every so often--winning was out of the question (and we were pretty darn good players too). Dr Theriot was known for using his elbows to "create space" after rebounding the ball. Dr Lee was responsible for rule enforcement (see also: rule manufacturing). M.Gibson was a rather short budgy guy (also claimed fame as my advisor and one of THE nicest guys I have ever had the pleasure to meet) whose job it was to shoot the ball with a mostly one-handed set shot from anywhere in the same zipcode as Hammond. By the time you were halfway thru patting yourself on the back for coaxing him into taking such a ridiculously long shot, you could hear it ripping thru the net behind you. Oh those were the days my friend.
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