Miss 4.0

Miss 4.0 GPA

I am oh-so-happy to report that I have completed my first three courses at JSU!  I’m even happier to report that I have maintained my 4.0 GPA (woohoo ~ happy dance)!  It was easier than I thought it would be, but still pretty demanding.  It requires some serious dedication to staying on task and major time management skills. 

Algebra was the class I was dreading the most and I managed to get 100% on the final exam!  (go me!!!)  I feel much more prepared for Intermediate Algebra starting in January.  American History was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.  Seriously, I loved it.  The tests were extremely difficult though.  I’m looking forward to American History II  also starting in January.  I think English was my favorite.  Really thought-provoking assignments and challenged me and now that I’m older (and somewhat wiser) I appreciate that.  My professor really took her time and I took her constructive criticism to heart.  I appreciated her thoughts on what I did well and what I could have done better.  I can’t imagine having hundreds of papers to read and evaluate and critique.  I was grateful for the personal attention.

So I have signed up for three more classes starting January 6, 2014.  I will be taking Intermediate Algebra, American History II and Introduction to Disaster Management.  I have also decided to double minor in Public Safety Telecommunications as well as Homeland Security.  I’m excited about what I will be able to achieve with this degree and hoping it will open some doors to fantastic opportunities.

One of the downfalls of working full-time, being a single parent and going back to school at my age is my complete lack of time to post much on here at all.  I am working on my time management skills and I am hopeful that will improve.  I feel a bit overwhelmed, but honestly it is mostly my own fault.  I am guilty of procrastinating and I tend to wait until the last-minute sometimes to finish assignments.  More than a few times I found myself wildly typing a paper in the last hour of the day it was due.  I must change my habit of doing that.

Although short, I did want to give you an update on my progress!  I am determined to do as well next term and have managed to talk a coworker of mine into going back to school and suffering with me!  She is really nervous and fretful that it will be more than she can handle (much like I was), but I know she will succeed.  Thanks to all of you for your support!

Embracing the Nerd in Me

As you know, I have recently gone back to school and some of you have inquired how things are going. I am thrilled to report that it is going very well indeed! History is fascinating to me and so far I have earned three “A’s” and one “B” on my exams. I have eleven more to take; one each week. These exams are SO difficult! It is so much more than memorizing dates and battles and who won what. English is also really fun for me. I have my first essay due this weekend and I am itching to write it. My professor is extremely knowledgeable and gives really great advice in her comments and corrections when she grades my papers. She even used one of my paragraphs as a good example for the other students to view! I am such a nerd that I smiled so big it felt like I had a hanger in my mouth! And algebra isn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be. I still need to finish the first chapter and take the test, but I’m fairly confident I will succeed.

I have been surprised at how much time is actually involved for each class. I’m not sure I will take three courses next semester. Working dogwatch has helped tremendously with giving me time to study when it slows down in the 911 center. I have driven my coworkers crazy trying to perfect my English papers before I submit them. I stress out and sigh and growl and constantly count and recount the number of words or sentences I’m allowed for each assignment. I know, without a doubt that I make things too hard sometimes. I have such a strong desire to do well that even the “B” I got on my history test bothers me. I really want to graduate with honors. Working full time (and quite a bit of overtime) and trying to raise a teenage daughter who is extremely active in sports is exhausting. It seems like I just take a test and in the blink of an eye it is time to take another one. I’m not quite sure where the time goes.

So thank you to those who have inquired about how things are going. I have been so busy that finding time to blog is difficult to come by. I am hopeful that I will learn to manage my time a bit better in the near future. I have several topics I have started to write about, but have not found the time to finish. I would love to hear from other working mothers who went back to school. Any words of wisdom regarding how to not lose my mind would be greatly appreciated!