I wish I was in grade school ~ When there was NO FINALS! 🙂.
Category Archives: wimped out
DARE TO BELIEVE ~
You are wondering if returning to college is a smart thing for you to do right now. The economy is going through a great deal, money is tight, the future feels uncertain. Think about that for a second. There is ALWAYS going to be excuses and reasons to not go back to school.
when I told my husband that I wanted to return to college, he said if you can find a way to pull it off, go for it. That is exactly what I did. I knew I was going to have to go into debt to do so, but I have faith that it will be OK. The old saying is very true, “If you want something bad enough, you will find a way.”
If you can dream it, work to achieve it. Bottom line. Visualize it, feel it, speak it into reality.
Going back to college as an older adult is very difficult and can be overwhelming. There is work, family and friends, and commitments, You just have to find time management tools. Use calendars, date books, whatever you need to keep track. You will be fine. You will be better than fine ~ YOU’LL BE GREAT!!!
Enjoy the journey.
Feels like a spiral staircase ~ KEEP ON CLIMBING! ~
Don’t build a cottage ~ BUILD A PALACE!!
When the student is ready~~
When the student is ready~~
This is incredibly true. I remember when I attempted to go to college as a teenager, I was not ready. I blamed my failure on my professors and anything else I could think of. I was not mature enough to take on the challenges of college. However, when I went back to school at 47 years of age, it was significantly different. I was ready.
Returning to college this time was amazing. I allowed myself to open up to the experience. The saying above was very true, when I was ready, the teachers appeared. Going back to college at any age is difficult. The challenges are many and sometimes you feel very lost and overwhelmed. I am here to tell you that you will get through that. Only if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities, open to instruction and direction.
Once you are open to the journey, it will all fall into place. You will be less stressed (now I did not say no stress :-)), I am saying less overwhelmed. The “TEACHER” may come in many different forms. Not just the instructor. The teacher could be a tutor, or a mentor or another student.
Most Universities offer mentoring programs. This is an excellent way to connect with someone who really knows and understands what you are going through. The mentor can explain how they did it, what methods they used. A mentor can also point you in the direction you need to go if it is out of their realm. Utilize this program as much as you can and you will find a great friend.
Tutoring programs are also offered. Use them as well. I cannot count the number of times that I went to tutoring, especially in Math and Science. I do not think that I could have successfully completed those classes without the help. Individuals who tutor do it because they truly enjoy it. They do not judge you. They know how hard it can be to pass a class that you struggle with. Do not be shy to ask for help. It is your education and you are paying for it. Make the best of it.
Get to know your classmates. This is a powerful way to get through your class. You can have a study group or just a classmate to cut loose with and maybe go out for dinner and a drink with. You may be surprised as to how many students are just like you. You can help one another.
Now that you the student are ready, let the teaching begin! 🙂
Enjoy your journey.
Don’t build a cottage ~ BUILD A PALACE!!
Reading this motivated me and I hope it does the same for you. You no longer have to settle. By going to college you can now build a PALACE :-). Think about it. You were limited by what you could do without a degree and you had to settle for those limitations. Now you can create a whole new destiny. Isn’t that exciting!
You no long have to remain in a rut and always think of the “What ifs” or “Had I only.” Those are past tense now. Getting your degree is going to take you higher than you ever dreamed possible. You are building your future on a solid foundation instead of grains of sand.
Don’t take your education for granted. Don’t just get by. Shoot for the stars, work hard for those grades, become an honor student, be PROUD! Work hard for those honor societies. You must remember that it shows future or current employers how hard you are willing to work. Especially in todays job market, you want to stand out. You want a potential employer to say “Wow, this person is dynamic!”
Your resume is your palace, build it to be OUTSTANDING & STRONG! Think about how many people you may be competing with, if you build a palace then there is no competition right? 🙂
When you are sitting in class and you are exhausted or frustrated, take a deep breath and visualize your future. Do not ever forget your dreams as they will keep you going. The more successes you experience, the more driven you will become.
My alma mater saying is “ONLY THE DRIVEN.” That is
Feels like a spiral staircase ~ KEEP ON CLIMBING! ~
Here you are, in your first week of classes  Whew, it is overwhelming! You feel like you are climbing a spiral staircase that never ends. This is especially true during this first week of classes. Did you get the right books? Do you know your classes? What is your professor going to be like? Do you have any assignments due the first week? If you are doing online classes, have you figured out the system? Are you having any glitches? We you able to download everything you need? Did your books come in yet? OH NO! I’M SOOO OVERWHELMED! I’M SPINNING IN CIRCLES! SAVE ME FROM THIS CRAZINESS! 🙂
You don’t need saved, you just need to breathe. Inhale, hold it, Exhale. Do it a couple more times. There you go. Much better. Ok, now, take it one step at a time. Let’s say you haven’t received your books yet. No problem. Most Universities offer three weeks of chapters that you can print out. If not, you can copy the pages from a classmate. You received prior to the quarter/semester your class schedule. Start a little early and head out to the University and find them ahead of time. If you are taking the classes online, then it’s easy. They are already listed for you on the Blackboard. As far as what your professor is going to be like, that may take a couple of weeks to get a good feel for that. Ask other students who may have had him/her before and see what they say. Remember however, that whatever they say, it is their opinion. Do not prejudge. keep an open mind. You should have received a copy of your Syllabus, therefore you should know if you have any assignments due. Do not wait until the last-minute to do them. That will frustrate you even more. If you are taking online classes and you are having problems. Contact Tech Support IMMEDIATLEY. They get inundated with calls and it is no excuse not to get your work done. If you have to go the a public library and use their computers until the issue is resolved.
It feels like a spiral staircase when you stress instead of rationally thinking about it. You cannot procrastinate. You have to be your best advocate. Do not be nasty with the staff or fellow students. That will definitely not earn you any points. Seriously. Be a professional and find ways to make it work for you. Do not make excuses and saying I can’t do my work this week because of this that or another. You are a college student. You have to take responsibility for your own education and assignments. Buy yourself a date book where you keep all the information you need such as; dates assignments are due, professor information, tech support and so on. Stay organized. It will save you in the long run.
You will reach the top of the staircase and like Rocky you will be able to jump up and down, scream and raise your fist because YOU DID IT! Keep Climbing my friend and I will see you at the top!
Peace
Time Doesn’t Matter – JUST DO IT!
This is perfectly stated. I cannot tell you how many times while doing my undergraduate work that I heard people say, “This is going to take me forever, I can’t take three or four classes at a time.” Hearing that often made me feel sad. Why? Because people were putting undue pressure on themselves. As an adult student you have more responsibilities than just school. Many of you have jobs and families. Some of you are caring for an elderly parent or a disabled child. You don’t have to keep up with anyone but YOURSELF. You have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the opposite is true. You a lot to be proud of. You are still going to college in spite of all the obstacles.
It does not matter how long it takes you as long as you JUST DON”T STOP. You will get there. When you can, take more classes, when you cannot, take only what you can handle. Do not take anything on that will cause you to possibly fail. That defeats the purpose. Do not set yourself up to fail. Set yourself up to SUCCEED! Then when you walk across that stage and hear your name, it will mean even more.
I started off taking one class at a time, then when I felt more comfortable I took two. It wasn’t until my junior year that I could take three classes. Even in my senior year a situation happened that forced me to take only two classes during one-quarter. It actually was the best thing I could do for myself.
Do not listen to the other students bragging about how many classes they are taking. They are not you. You do what is in your best interest. Keep your eye on the prize – GRADUATION! Allow yourself to enjoy this incredible journey. 🙂
Peace
Are you a Caterpillar or a ~ BUTTERFLY~
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