Well, when I started working here I was introduced to a new field - Adult Education. I'm very happy working here and getting a lot of experience. In order to move up here I will need to get an advanced degree. A little over a year ago I looked into University of Phoenix but when it got to the part I had to put in my credit card information I freaked and backed out. If something like that scared me off, I knew I just wasn't ready yet. My work had also recently announced a huge reorganization (who knew the government would reorganize??) So I was hesitant to spend all this time and money when things might turn upside down. In hindsight (20/20 anyone??) I should have just moved forward.
When the dust finally settled and Chad started working a new work schedule I finally realized I was more than ready to get this thing going. Well, then I ran into some problems with University of Phoenix and again I felt back to square one. (I just looked and it seems they now are offering that degree program in Missouri again... figures.)
That's when I heard a commercial for Kaplan University. It had the degree program I wanted and the convenience of online classes. I really wanted an online degree program due to the fact I have to travel a lot for work. It makes sense for me to be able to do work from a computer anywhere instead of needing to be in a classroom and missing material. So I got some more information from them and it really seemed like a great plan for me.
I was all ready to start in the beginning of December, however they decided it would be more beneficial for me to wait a term so there would be more students in my class to interact with. That made sense to me. So now I am starting in less than a week on February 2. You read that right, I am starting my master's degree in 3 short days.
So how does that make me feel? Well... I have a mixture of feelings going on. I'm feeling happy to get started, to have something to work towards, to get moving on this career path. I'm also feeling scared, scared about failing, scared about writing papers, scared I won't be able to 'hack' it. I'm feeling excited and nervous and a whole of of things. When I say I'm starting school on Wednesday I don't exactly know what emotion to attach to it. Is it 'I'm starting school on Wednesday, eek' or 'I'm starting school on Wednesday, blah'? I'm not really sure. It's weird to not really be sure, but not a bad weird just a weird weird.
It's been 4.5 years since I've been in school (which happens to be the amount of time Chad and I have been together) I think this go around will be different from undergrad.
- I care more about it - I know what paying student loans are like, I have to be serious about it to want to incur more of them.
- I am more interested - I am actually excited to learn about some of this stuff. Education has always been interesting to me, so this seems right up my alley.
- I have had a break from school - toward the end of undergrad I had been in school for 15-16 years in a row. I was honestly sick of it and ready to do something else
- I'm doing online - I really think I will work better in an online classroom
- (and for fun's sake) I have DVR - no longer will I be slave to television schedule
So there you have it. My new adventure... wish me luck!!
And just for fun - here's a picture when I graduated with my undergrad degree from Truman State University. (check out how light my hair was - not the greatest look)
2 comments:
I think that you will do just fine. I took a year off in between my bachelors and masters degree and I also thought "I just couldn't hack it." But I can tell you from my experience that my masters was easier to obtain than my bachelors. I was working 60 hours a week at Walgreens and going to school once a week for three hours a night, and it was still doable. You have to realize that you probably have more of an advantage going into this than some of your classmates- you recently graduated college, so you still have the work ethic, and most importantly, you WANT to learn it so you will do well. I think you will be surprised just how easy it is once you start going to classes.
It's sad, but I had been considering going back for a second masters degree, in English, but the only thing holding me back is that my school district will have to pay me more and with me not being tenured and the financial crisis we are in, that puts a huge target on my back to not renew my contract.
I'm glad you are doing this for yourself!
I'm sure you will do great! It will be an adjustment but like you said you've had a good long break from school now and this is a topic you are actually interested in. If you need any help I'm more than happy to try to help you. Good luck! You go girl!
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