After I graduated high school, I came to the conclusion that I deserved to take a year off from school. At 19, I enrolled in my local university in the fine arts program. I completed a couple of preliminary classes per semester with satisfactory grades over the course of a year, then I simply gave up. I was intimidated by the sheer amount of degree choices within my program, I was afraid I wouldn’t excel in upper level classes, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to make a career out of an arts degree. I quickly lost my determination l and decided that college wasn’t right for me.
Then, when I was 24, I decided to enroll in some classes last minute. However, no sooner had I started, did I run into the same problem. The truth is, I still felt lost most of the time (even before I started schooling) and I thought that college would remedy that feeling and give me a purpose. In hindsight, it did the exact opposite. I became overwhelmed with the fact that I had very few elective classes left before I would be required to pick a definite path. I let my grades slip and dropped out after just a few short weeks.
4 years later I am proud to say that I’m re-enrolled in school and I feel that this is undoubtedly the right time for me. I am determined to prove to myself that I can finally complete a degree. Until now, I haven’t truly understood myself, my interests, and my possible career path. It’s taken me almost 10 years, since graduating high school, to believe in myself and know that I can excel in whatever degree path I choose.
I don’t want to give the impression that my decision was easy, because it wasn’t. It took me years to build up the confidence to say to myself, “I am a writer” and actually believe it.
It’s been a long and twisted journey towards discovering myself and my place in the world. Let me share what I’ve learned on this voyage. Hopefully, for those of you thinking about going back for your first degree or hesitating over a secondary degree, I can convince you that you can do it — it just needs to be the right time and place for you.
What to Study
This has been the biggest issue keeping me away from further education. I had no idea what degree program would fit my love of arts, but also felt practical and would give me the tools towards a solid career. Along the way, I’ve realized that one constant in my life has always been my love of writing. As I look back at all of my schooling and previous jobs, I see that reading and writing always came very naturally to me. I’ve always enjoyed being creative through writing, and when given writing projects, I was able to complete them with ease. As such, I have decided to return to school with an English degree in mind and I feel very confident in doing so.
I don’t want to give the impression that my decision was easy, because it wasn’t. It took me years to build up the confidence to say to myself, “I am a writer” and actually believe it. I encourage you to look within yourself and maybe even write down the smallest of tasks that you show proficiency in. I think you’ll be surprised at what kind of career could come out of it.
What’s more, I’ve always been worried that I will be unhappy with my career. I want more than anything to settle into a life that allows me to do what I love. For many people that means providing for themselves and their families. So, if you are struggling with which path to choose, do some research on some lucrative career choices and that just may give you some insight as to what direction is a fit for you.
Online Classes
My second largest concern has been keeping my job while I go to school. Being 28, I have made some life choices that require me to keep a job while I further my education. For example, I own a home, car, and I’d like to get married in the next couple of years. I have some financial obligations that I simply can’t forgo and some others that I’d just like to achieve for myself. Either way, I know that I can’t return to school full-time.
Online classes aren’t something I’ve thought about doing in the past, but I have taken night classes while working full time. This time around, I plan on taking a combination of both to fulfill my degree. Since I haven’t taken online classes in the past, I decided to do some homework to see what I have to look forward to. Almost every resource said the same thing, “make a set schedule for your studies and follow it”.
This means you need to be committed to sitting down every night (or almost every night) and completing work during your designated “school time”. Not only will this keep you on top of your assignments, but it will also help you retain the material better.
…look within yourself and maybe even write down the smallest of tasks that you show proficiency in. I think you’ll be surprised at what kind of career could come out of it.
Online classes do not equal easier classes. It just means that you can finish the work when it best fits your schedule. You’ll still need to log in daily to see what discussions your professor and classmates are having and what assignments need to be completed and turned in.
How to Study
If you’re not sure what study style fits you best, it’s time to do some research. You’ll need to know whether you’re a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or reading/writing type of learner. Visual learners like to see the material in literal picture form or visually see how the information interacts together. Auditory learners retain information best when someone explains it to them or they hear their own voice out loud. Kinesthetic learners prefer to “do” the action themselves or perform the task in order to personally connect themselves with the information. Lastly, reading/writing learners are great note takers and can absorb the information easily through reading and writing text.
Do some experiments on yourself using the learning styles above. You should be able to narrow in on exactly which style or styles work for you (you don’t have to choose just one). For example, I know that I am mostly an auditory learner. As such, I plan to record lectures on tape and play them back to myself while I’m studying. In addition, I learn text best when I read outloud to myself. So, I’ll need to find a quiet space for that. Finally, I plan to talk to other people about my studies. Discussing concepts with others is one of my favorite ways to retain information.
One final note for this section, take your time when studying. Cramming in a study session right before a big test is not effective. Science shows that studying in smaller increments allows our brain to make long lasting connections and we will be able to recall the information faster on the day of the test. Studying quickly right before a test crams a lot of information right into our short term memory, which can easily be forgotten once we sit down to take the test. Allow yourself a leisurely study session. Your mind and body with thank you and so will your test scores.
Taking the Test
For many students, especially returning ones like me, test taking can be the most stressful part of returning to school. Personally, if I know the material (as outlined in the last two sections) I usually feel quite confident in my test taking abilities. Although, not everyone feels that way. Many people “freeze up” when it comes time to take the test. In order to combat this, take some time preparing for a test in advance. Use the advice from the last section to go over your material and study well in advance, while taking breaks in between study sessions.
Science shows that studying in smaller increments allows our brain to make long lasting connections and we will be able to recall the information faster on the day of the test.
After you’ve done this make sure that you understand how the exam works before you take it. Online exams can work a variety of ways and you need to know exactly what is expected of you. Check your work as you go along. You can always re-read every question before you turn in the test, just to make sure you’re confident in your answers (depending on time restrictions). If you’re stuck on something, sometimes it’s best to move on and come back to it later. Lastly, take note of every question that was difficult for you. This will give you an opportunity to discuss it with your professor, spend time with a tutor, or maybe just study a little bit more in that area so you can do better next time.
There’s no question that getting back into school later in life can be intimidating. However, keep in mind that your education is important no matter what age you are. As long as you are passionate and dedicated to your studies, you are sure to succeed. Use that fire and get involved in your degree program. Building a career network can be just as important as getting your degree. Whether you’re taking online classes or not, get in touch with other students and your professors. You never know what opportunities will await you by connecting with like minded individuals. Happy learning!
