Box Making 1, 2, and 3

I completed a Woodcraft three part Box Making class last night. I brought home a semi-completed box that I built over the three classes. We made a box with a veneered panel - one side mahogany and the other side walnut - mahogany lid frame and box sides, and walnut splines.
Each of the three classes was from 6:30PM to 9:00PM. The first night we concentrated on the lid. The instructor, Mike Novak, covered veneering the panel, and we cut the dado in the lid for the panel, sized the panel and glued the box lid together. The second night we installed splines in the corners of the lid, cut dovetails in the box sides, and sized and cut the box bottom. The final night we used hand planes to remove the excess wood on the splines and the dovetail ends and planed the box and lid tops and bottoms. We also cut and installed dividers for the interior of the box.
I did learn new things and did some things for the first time. I have used my own Leigh dovetail jig to make many boxes and drawers but I had never added splines to mitered corners and had never used the different planes in so many ways.
At the same time I left the class with some mixed feelings. I wanted to learn to use veneer and not just talk about it but I realize that it would have been a time consuming step to actually do within the class. I disliked the mixture of mitered corners for the lid and through dovetail corners for the box but I accept that the real purpose of this class is to acquaint people with various woodworking methods and to sell merchandise. I came home with a box that I really don't want to finish because I am assuming that the mixture of mahogany and walnut will not be pleasing but I hope I am wrong.
My wife, Mary Lou, strongly suggests that I finish the box and not let it sit undone. What I decided to do was remake the lid with a combination of woods that I think would be more pleasing. I am intending to use birds eye maple on both the top and bottom of the lid panel instead of the walnut/mahogany. I will then complete the box, put on a finish, and add the hinges.
I know a lot of my dissatisfaction comes from the issues above but are also influenced by two time issues. This class had seven participants and every step became a "do your thing and then wait" for six others to do theirs. There was entirely too much time wasted. The second time issue for me was the drive. I spent almost exactly the same amount of time going to and from each class as I spent in class. I have usually enjoyed the Woodcraft classes from this same instructor and others but I think I learned that the class structure and time are important considerations in taking a class in the future.