First Day of Classes, or “Get Into the Groove”

Posted September 29, 2025 by Will Romey

First Day of Classes, or “Get Into the Groove”

My first day of school! Last time I started an academic program, I was half the age I am now. That passage of time doesn’t just make me feel existential dread, but also appreciation for all the experiences that took me where I am today – standing next to a towering humpback whale skull by the entrance to SLIS West. 

First, I drop my lunch bag in the fridge (a tin of smoked trout, a hunk of comte cheese, cherry tomatoes from Astarte Farm, a slice of homemade bread). I head upstairs, where SLIS West Program Coordinator Eric Poulin is easy to find. He’s directing people to classrooms, making introductions, and crucially, has brought coffee and doughnuts.

My first class is 488 – Technology for Information Professionals. This foundational course surveys technology use in information fields. As we go through introductions, it’s clear my fellow students have a wide range of backgrounds and goals. This will be great as we explore the field together.

After lunch and a stroll around campus is the next class – 471: Photographic Archives. This class is much smaller, with only six of us. That helps us get right into some deep discussions on the history of photography and how to analyze a photograph of unknown origin. A thunderstorm rages outside, but it’s cozy and calm in the classroom. 

My first day at SLIS West went great – I’m excited to get back into the academic groove.