Proof that I'm a Total Nerd

I've had re-occuring nightmares for as long as I can remember. When I was little I had this dream about a Catherine wheel that I was tied to. I would wake up in a cold sweat and run as fast as I could to the bathroom to throw up. I think that the dream was my body's response to already being sick {or maybe it made me sick?} but, regardless, it always resulted with me sitting on the bathroom floor with my head in the toilet.

The strange thing is...at the age that I was having that dream, I didn't even know what a Catherine wheel was. I remember trying to tell my mom the dream but I could never find the words to describe it. The only words I could think of were 'wooden wheel' and 'pressure'. Gratefully, I haven't had that dream for years.

Since that time I've had several of these re-occuring dreams. I guess I've always just assumed that everyone has them. (Anyone?) They do seem to change throughout different life stages. For example, when I was a teenager I always dreamed about bad things happening to people. It was always people in my family and it always had to do with them being physically hurt.

Well, the past few months or so I've started having one that gives me nearly as much anxiety as that first one....

It starts with me being in a school. I don't recognize the school but in my dream it is the school I'm supposedly attending. I immediately feel anxious as I realize that I'm late for class but have no idea how to get to where I'm supposed to be. I frantically search the hallways and there is not a soul around to help me. When I finally make it to the classroom it is English class and there at the front of the room is my high school AP Lit teacher--Mrs. Cross. {Ironically I really liked Mrs. Cross so I don't know why she is part of this nightmare...} Anyway, I'm sitting in class and she starts talking. She speaks of things that are due that day, things we've been 'discussing' for the past several weeks and I suddenly realize that I haven't been going. In fact, I realize that it is almost the end of the semester and I haven't attended since the very first day. Immediately my mind races and I go into complete panic mode. ("How could this happen?", "I've never gotten an F before!", "I've never even gotten a B before!", "Where have I been?", "What are they talking about?", "I have to get an A!", "This can't be happening!") And then, it is over. I wake up completely stressed out and not rested in the slightest.

So, there you go. There is your proof that I'm a complete nerd. Who has dreams about failing English on a consistent basis anyway?! And who says school stress ends at graduation? ;)