This semester, however, is shaping up to be historic in my long — some would say far too long — and not-so-storied career at MSU. Through various circumstances, I am more unprepared for the start of school than any semester ever before. And I’m even including the semester after I returned from an extended break in my education.

I’ve managed to combine all the worst sins of nonpreparation into one giant fiasco.

To begin, my schedule is an absolute mess. For the first time ever, my indecisiveness has led to a situation where I’ll be forced to hunt down an override.

I’m sure many of you are wondering why it’s such a big deal. Overrides are a normal part of the college experience.

Normal as it may be, it’s something I’ve been able to avoid until now.

While in all my previous semesters I’ve been able to chuckle to myself as I watch the students scrambling for the needed override, I’ve suddenly become that desperate student begging to be given a chance.

Karma — she is cruel.

Books also are a problem, obviously, what with the schedule issues. Let me tell you, I’m looking forward to marching to the bookstore and admiring all the brand-new textbooks with inflated prices just waiting to empty my wallet. And my bank account. And my credit card.

It’ll be even more fun at the end of the semester when I find that all the books have lost 80 percent of their value. At least I’ll probably get enough money back to buy myself some Taco Bell.

On the bright side, buying books late means there’s a greater chance I can avoid buying the unnecessary book. The book that is listed on the syllabus and then, for one reason or another, is never actually used by the professor. Everyone’s had one, and if you think you haven’t, you’re lying to yourself.

The giant pile of laundry in the corner is my final indignity. The last reminder of holiday fun.

It would be cliché at this point to say I keep pledging to be more organized for the next semester. Sadly, the way I operate, I’m so busy trying to juggle school, homework, the job and bar trips that by the time I get my feet under myself again the beginning of the semester has faded like the nightmare from a couple of weeks ago.

It doesn’t help that the length of time between the beginning of semesters is just long enough for me to forget the horrors of the previous ones.

The reality is probably that I’m not nearly as disorganized as I think I am. Even if I were, it’s not going to be the end of the world.

Of course this could always be the semester in which instead of remembering how to swim in the waters of MSU, I drown in a most spectacular way.

Great, I just depressed myself. If you need me, I’ll be the person in the fetal position in the corner.

To commiserate about disorganization troubles, e-mail entertainment reporter James Harrison at harri310@msu.edu.