or last, A Line is a Line Narrative *

Lines Check-In was only a series of lines Some long,some short - all just ordinarylines.

10:45 a.m Line One Waiting to enter the gym Mom shifts worriedly Dad looksat his watchagain

10:47. The linebolts forward You are inside A seriesoftableseach with a letter on them block your path The gym is alittle bit cool,butnotuncomfortable. Youlocatethe "B"tableand getinLineTwo

Linesduring class registration rangedfrom four, asshown, toforty, whichall butfilledup thehallway. The Records Officedevisedafifteen-minuteschedule, based on studentsocialsecurity numbers and class rank, to try to regulate the traffic. Todate.ithasbeenaneffectiveandtime-savingtoolforthestudentbody.

10:50 "Name?"theyoung ladywithastackofcomputerpapersasks. She listenscarefully and begins flipping through her stack "Jody," she smiles, handing you afew sheets "Overthere," shepointstoanotherline.

10:58. Still inLineThree. Yourparents arestilllookingthroughtheLineTwo papers,tryingtomake senseofthem

11:03."Ineedthispaper,"saysavoiceas thehand takesapaper from your mom's outstretched hand. The man behind the voice types athiscomputer and watches the screen "Okay,"he smiles, "thelady attheendoftheropeswilltellyouwhatto donext."

You lead your parents down a 50-foot ropecorridor

11:05 The skirt-clad girllooks atthe paper and sends you to another table marked "B". LineFour.

11:12. "Name?"asksanothergirlseated behindanotherstackofpapers Shelooks through the pile until she reaches your name. She hands you apiece. A second girlhandsyouacardandfills outaslip of paper "Followtheropeandsomeonewill helpyou atthe end."

11:14. "Do you have a Guaranteed Student Loan?" asks the person at the end of the rope. You shake your head "Then you go thatway," hepoints.

Good, you get to skip LineFiveandgostraight toLineSix.

11:26 You finallyreach thefrontofLineSix."Go to the next available table,"a young man instructs. A table opens almostinstantly "Ineedthispaper,"says the lady with thecalculator She adds a few things on to the billand addsitup Sheputsdown the total and initialsit. "Tothebackofthatline," shepoints. LineSeven.

11:43 You reachthefront Mom istired and dad keepstryingtosmile thoughhis impatience

"Do you have a scholarship?"asks a man holdingawheeloftickets. "Ya...a Presidential." He hands you a blueticketand instructsyoutowaitinthe blue section untilyour number is called. LineEight.

11:59 They callyournumber A man looksthrough afew ofyourpapersanda few ofhis. He jotsdown hisinitials and theamount ofyourscholarship "Followthebleachersuntiltheendofthe counseling tablesand thenyou are ready forthe cashiers."

"You'realmostdone,"hetellsyourmom reassuringly.

12:07p.m.. Yourstomachrumblesasyou Continued on page

An

Studentsreviewa listing oftheclassesthey are enrolled inaspartoftheregistrationprocess.Theverificationsheets alsoincludedanyrequestedclasseswhichhadbeen closed.

The maze-like check-in process confused many students at the start, butproved helpful. The steps included checking into thedorm,collecting guaranteed studentloan

•Check-ln AT - • T •

^ A Lineis a Line

Continuedfrom page 142 enter Line Nine. It moves along fairly quickly

12:12 Yousit down withabespectacled ladywho flips through your papers while theotherhand works athercalculator. "That'llbe$1,897.34."Shelooksatyour dad whoswallows hard "For thesemester,"sheadds

Your dad reachesforhischeckbookand scribbles outthesum. Another student glancesathim, abitenvious, asshewrites a seriesofpre-dated checks.

"Ok," thelady says,taking thecheck

She initials a card you received earlier and tellsyouto hold ontoit Shetakes anotherpaper from thepileandinitials it and sendsyouonyourway

12:31 You're intheback ofLine Ten Mom mentionsherfeet, Dadhis stomach Williteverend,you wonder.

12:37. Frontoftheline.The table attendant smiles up atyou You smile back "Pre-registered?" You nod your head "Kindacute,"youthink

"Right there,"thesmile points "This isn'tsobad,"yousaytoyourself. "Name?" The girl looksthroughapileof schedules "Jody?"sheasks, handing you aslipofpaper.

"You'll want these,"says asecond girl

"ThisisyourLibertyWayandsomeinformation aboutLiberty and thecityofLynchburg Ifyou'll make your way to the door, someone will be there totellyou wheretogonext."

12:40. You'regiveninstructionsonhow togettothe cafeteriaforyour IDpicture and meal planvalidation LineEleven

12:57. You close your eyesjustas the guy takesthe picture.

1:12. YouhaveyourID inhand and they take thetwice initialedcard. You'renow anofficial Libertystudent.

1:16. Dad suggests Red Lobster for lunch.

Check-in Justafew linesandone great smile.