Defying Expectations, Tuesday Period 3

[glacial_queen]

Karla had gotten to the island early today so she could hunt down the moose in the office and clear up a few things. Little things like: how had she become a teacher? Where was her class? When was her class? What was her class? Did the school normally just inform random people that they were teaching now?

She'd gotten a shrug to her first question, a copy of her class roster for her second, third, and fourth, and an eyeroll for her last. She hadn't even known moose could roll their eyes. But the roster had the really relevant information, like what the Hell her class was even supposed to be about, so overall the visit was a win. A few hours in the Perk had been enough to cobble together something to get her through her first class, which, if memory served, was all introductions anyway.

At least with the time difference between Kaeleer and Fandom, she'd have two more weeks to put together the rest of the class--and break the news to her Court that she was now teaching on the island.

Good times.

"Welcome to Defying Expectations: Staying Yourself in the Face of Destiny," she greeted the class when the bell rang. "Or, err," she checked the roster again. "Staying Yourself in Spite of Destiny. Whatever, close enough. We'll be calling it Defying Expectations for the rest of the semester anyway." She debated informing the class that she'd just found out she was teaching this semester on Saturday, but in the end decided not to undermine herself quite so immediately. "I'm Karla, Fandom alum, and this is actually a topic I struggled a great deal with when I was attending classes here. I'm a Queen, which means something a little different in my world than it likely does in most of yours, but the bottom line was that I knew that after I graduated, I was going to have to go home and rule my entire Territory." Which was an abbreviated version of things, skipping over pesky details like the murder of her parents and a civil war, but that wasn't really relevant to the topic at hand. "At a time when most kids were thinking about what college to apply to or what occupation they wanted to enter, I was trying to figure out how I was going to rule over an entire nation of people. It was intimidating as Hell, to say the least."

Still was, most days.

"One of things that always scared me the most was thinking about the ways I would have to change when I left Fandom. I would have to go from being 'Karla', the person I am, to 'the Queen', a person who was a mystery to me. I was afraid I'd lose myself, that everything that made me who I was would get subsumed by this faceless entity that existed only to rule and to govern." She shrugged. "Obviously, it didn't happen, but it was a very real fear of mine that manifested in nightmares and some really unhealthy behaviors. Now, I can't promise that at the end of this class, you'll walk out of here completely confident in whatever future you've got ahead of you--and, considering this place, could be anything from the next king or queen of a kingdom to the chosen one destined to save humanity. This is more about learning strategies that can help you find and keep your footing, as well as compromises you can make that won't leave you feeling out of touch with who you are."

With a smile she added, "But all of that starts next week. This week is the time-honored introductions week, which you will all be heartily sick of by Friday. So, name, class, and what you've got ahead of you after your graduation. Don't worry if it's not some huge and life-changing destiny. Expectations exist all around us, from society to parents to peer pressure and all that good stuff. If you want to, feel free to add if you're feeling unsettled by whatever comes next. Do your parents want you to be a lawyer, but your dream is to dance? Are you next in line for the throne but you're actually an anarchist? Share whatever comes to mind and whatever you feel comfortable with. Also, Kaylin? The great moose in the office has declared you to be my TA. So thank you for being voluntold."

Comments

Sign In (08/26)

[glacial_queen]

As royalty!

Re: Sign In (08/26)

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

Eleanor Lamb

Re: Sign In (08/26)

[pulseof_life]

Paddra Nsu-Yeul

Listen to the Lecture

[glacial_queen]

As she rambles at you.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

Eleanor sat fidgeting in the class, wondering if it was wrong that she was here hoping to avoid her destiny, not embrace it. Although the examples near the end seemed to suggest either perspective was welcome.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com]

It was... reassuring, in a way, that Karla was the one teaching this class. She was someone at least somewhat familiar, after all. And Elsa was confident that she knew what she was talking about.

Even if she did seem a little uncertain at the start of her lecture. Oh my.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[giveherahand]

Even though Mara looked as attentive as the rest of the girls, inside she was wondering why she was in this class. It wasn't like she was going to break cover to admit to what she was training to become.

Perhaps this class was a test, then.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[shippedtomaine]

Emma was pretty sure there'd been a paperwork error, because the closest thing she had to a destiny was that one day she'd age out of the system.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

TIMETOLIETIMETOLIETIMETOLIE. Minako haaaaaaaaaaaated lying. But it wasn't as if she could tell the truth. So, um, time to pick a lie.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[notamascot]

Kaylin was listening and feeling more than a bit nervous since she'd told Hannibal she would consider asking Karla about help in learning more about the healing thing she did. However, her head shot right up in complete shock when Karla said she'd been picked to be her TA.

The Great Moose? Kaylin hadn't even heard of that before!

Introductions

[glacial_queen]

Name, class, "destiny" (or whatever is waiting for you after Fandom), and what worries you about it, if you want to share.

Re: Introductions

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

"My name's Eleanor Lamb, and I'm a junior," she began. "My mother ... intended for me to be the savior of all of humanity. The Messiah. She went to great lengths to try to make me into one."

This was an understatement, and a polite one, at that.

"I don't -- I've rejected that destiny," she said, firmly, "and I hope I never see her again."

Re: Introductions

[pulseof_life]

"I am Yeul," she said, when it was her turn. "I don't remember my class name."

She probably could remember it, if she tried, but the entire topic of the class left her feeling out of sorts and so Yeul didn't want to remember it.

And because she was fairly certain saying her death awaited her, perhaps even before graduating from school, was too melodramatic, not to mention had the potential to upset other people, Yeul just... left her introduction there.

Maybe Karla wouldn't notice?

Re: Introductions

[iceolatedqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm Elsa, of Arendelle. I'm in my junior year, and..." She took a deep breath. Might as well just be out with it, already, for those who weren't yet aware. "... and in a few years, I'll be crowned Queen of Arendelle. As for what worries me about it...? It's... complicated."

Yes, 'complicated' was a good way to put it.

Re: Introductions

[giveherahand]

"I'm Mara Jade," Mara began, "and I'm a freshman? Freshwoman? I haven't put any thought into my destiny at all."

Re: Introductions

[bjornstjarna.livejournal.com]

"My name is Soren Bearstar, I'm a senior... and, well. I've already pulled at the threads a little, as I've dedicated myself to Baldur's service, instead of Odin's, as I was supposed to." He paused, considering. "I suppose what worries me about it is how people back home will treat me because of this decision."

Re: Introductions

[shippedtomaine]

"Emma Swan, senior, and..." she shrugged. "I don't know."

Re: Introductions

[beautifulsenshi.livejournal.com]

"Uh, Minako Aino, senior - which is totally weird to say - and, um, my destiny? Go back to Tokyo and do high school again because time runs differently and my mom thinks I've only been at summer camp," she said, making a face. "My mother wants me to get into a good high school and then go to college and get a good job, but I'd rather just finish high school and become a professional volleyball player or an idol."

ALL TRUE! She'd just left a few bits out.

Re: Introductions

[justwantedfriends]

Seriously Mama Yukimura, what the heck was up with these classes?!

"Uh, hi! I'm Kira Yukimura, and I'm a sophomore," she said. "I don't know what my destiny is, I guess? I know my parents want me to graduate and go to college, and my dad's like, super smart so I worry sometimes that I won't get into the kinds of schools he wants me to go to." That, at least, wasn't untrue.

Re: Introductions

[notamascot]

"My name is Kaylin Neya and I will be a... freshman?" Kaylin still wasn't quite certain about the names for all the classes. "And when I am done here I will be a Hawk for the Halls of Law."

She was quite proud of that fact. At least she hoped it was a fact.

Talk to the TA

[glacial_queen]

If she's here!

Re: Talk to the TA

[notamascot]

Kaylin was here, if still rather confused about the Great Moose thing.

Talk to the Teacher

[glacial_queen]

Who will feel very weird to be addressed as anything other than 'Karla' on the island.

OOC

[glacial_queen]

Guess who started writing Navaan's class before remembering which character had class on which day!

Re: OOC

[shippedtomaine]

"Your destiny is to one day be legal, whoo!"