Thread: Grey Haired in the Go!ZONE

All of the applications have been filled out and the answers have been received. The Financial Aid has been awarded and the schedule of classes is in my hands. I am very excited to begin my new life as a college student though I admit that I am a bit out of my league.

If you have business to take care of at the college you must check in at the front desk that is called the “Go!ZONE”. On the desk, about chest level, there is a laptop computer where you have to enter your student ID number, your personal information, and the nature of your business. I am sure for the average college student this is pretty straight forward but for me, at fifty seven years of age, there are some unique challenges. After all, the height of technology when I was last in school was an IBM Selectric and a bottle of Liquid Paper.

I know what a laptop is but I have never used one. The first problem was that it didn’t have a mouse. (No mouse?) The keys on the keyboard felt strange and I wondered how on earth I was supposed to scroll down the page. To compound matters, placing the computer chest high put the screen in exactly the wrong place for me to be able to see with my trifocal glasses. I was very glad that there was no line of other students behind me waiting as I tried to intuit the use of this odd computer. My neck got quite tired from bobbing my head up and down; trying to find the best part of my glasses to look through in order to see the screen. Finally I got to the place on the page where I could click “Submit” and pushed the left click button; proud that I had figured out where it was. Then I made my way to the row of chairs to wait to be called.

I could feel the eyes of the young woman behind the desk on my back as I walked away. My fumbling attempts at the laptop had made her a little nervous. For a moment I think we both wondered how I would make it through college, at times I have my doubts. "It'll be okay", I thought to myself as I waited to hear my name, "I have already made it this far."

Laptops are like a foreign country. The topography is sorta familiar but it doesn't work the same way. I loathe the touchpads. I'm going back to school next year. It'll be weird. Good luck to you.