An Odd First Day of School

I don't write a lot about writing, but that's a big part of who I am. I've had experience writing everything from personal narrative to hard core news. I even tackled a children's book (still in the editing phase, but a draft is there).

At work -- I'm a managing editor for home building trade publications -- I write short articles; design features; a variety of online copy; and short, catchy blurbs that go into our TOC (table of contents) or on the cover. For the most part, it's been journalistic, nonfictional type stuff.

But lately, my interests is in information and -- gasp! -- promotional copy. Biased copy that is supposed to lure unsuspecting readers into my cause for structural insulated panels! Steer them to my link to free information from our Major Sponsor! Beckon them to register for an economics Webinar that will knock their socks off. 

And what really gets me going these days? Business reports. That's right: those documents that get passed to team leaders across the country who would rather be planning strategy are exciting to me.

In short, I'm crossing over to the dark side.

Don't get me wrong: I'm still able to produce journalistic writing and enjoy it at that. But the direction I'm headed is what I was trained to avoid. I can do it -- I pride myself on being able to write for whatever project's thrown to me -- but I'm not trained in it. I can't spout off marketing lingo. I question the terminology behind what I'm seeing and writing.

So I signed up for an advertising copywriting sequence of courses that includes marketing through Northwestern's School of Continuing Studies, and tonight's the first class. I'm nervous and leery for several reasons:

• I haven't been in school for seven years. A lot has changed. I know that kids these days bring laptops, but I really don't want to lug my 7 pounder to class. But will that decision designate me asan old-school, out-of-touch-with-technology fogey? Thank God I got Internet on my phone two weeks ago, I find myself saying aloud.
  
• I really don't want homework.
  
• I haven't received ANY information about ID cards, books, etc., and my digging around online has turned up zilch, too. I figure I'll show up on the first night, suss out the situation and get what I need tomorrow.
  
• I worry said approach is being lazy. Shouldn't I have physically gone to the bookstore? Called the admissions office? Back in day, I would have been on the phone asking all these questions in July, when I registered.
  
• I'm a different student now than I was in college, when only senior year did I realize I had been putting more effort into things than I needed (not to say it wasn't valuable -- just misdirected energy).
  

By the way, I sat down to write this blog as a means to procrastination: I've got a feature to write. At least I'm procrastinating by practicing my craft, right?