Drop out

About a week ago I made the decision to drop my classes.

I'm only taking two classes, but they equal six credits and I just can't manage that right now.

Part of me is very relieved and a part of me feels like a failure. 

I never dropped a class in college this far in.  I remember dropping an art history class that was just way over my head.  I wasn't an art major and it was more than I could take.  Any time I made a change in my schedule, which was basically never, I did it within the first couple classes.  This time, I'm nearly through the spring semester and am going to loose a lot of money on tuition and books.  That sucks.

But it's better than getting Fs, which is what I was heading for.

With wedding planning, house renovations, travel for work, a new puppy... my time was just too scarce.  This upsets me also because if I'm going to ever make a career change I need to get these classes done.  I have an entirely new degree to earn and at the pace of one or two classes a semester I'll be 40 by the time I get my own classroom.  

But I was three papers behind in one class and who knows how far behind in the other class.  I haven't looked at it in a while.  

So, here I am.  A beauty school drop out (name that movie!).  Ok, I wasn't going to beauty school I just couldn't resist that Grease reference.  

Honor roll

I recently found out that I got an "A" in both of the classes I took this semester.

Yay!

It took some work at the end of the semester to get caught up and all of my assignments turned in on time, but I did it.  And it was a good thing I did!

I'm beginning to have visions of being a 4.0 student this time around, something I was not my first time through college.

So far, so good!

Schoooool's out...

for the semester!

(You know that tune...Alice Cooper School's Out for Summer!)

And as of last Thursday I was done with my first two classes back in the books.

It was a learning experience on several levels: I actually learned a few new things; but I also learned what it was like to be a "non-trad", how hard it was to work full-time and keep up with my assignments, and what to expect from here on out.  It was an experimental semester, if you will.

I got all my assignment in with good grades on everything.  I even had an A++++ on an assignment and the professor asked if she could use a different project for a class example.  I will get docked in one area though - the "class" discussions.

Both of my classes were online and we had to contribute our own answers to discussion questions and also reply to several of our classmates.  I didn't do all of that.  I was much more concerned in getting the high ticket items with lots of points in.  So, I may not be a gold star student this semester.

Next week, I have to meet with an advisor to figure out a game plan for what classes I have to have in order to get a new degree - and a new career.

It's been nice to have some days off and a homework free weekend!

Parenting styles

In one of my classes I had to do a project on parenting styles.

I've had to do a few projects now, and while I mostly think they're silly (I guess I'd rather do them than a paper though), this one was really funny to Todd and I.

For this particular project we had to choose a combination of parenting styles predetermined by the professor.  I chose Warm/Authoritative versus Permissive/Indulgent.

And, at JWG's suggestion, I used Rigby to demonstrate the differences.

Check it out:

Pay no mind to the incredible amount of dust under that chair, something I didn't notice until I was looking at the photo...

He is such a good boy! What other dog would let you put your old Halloween halo on its head, or a shoestring, and not even try to shake it off or paw at it?

School girl

Did I tell you I'm in school?


Yep.


I took the plunge and signed up for a couple online classes at the community college this semester.  It has been 11 years since I've taken a college class.  It's hard.


Let me clarify: It's not that the actual school work is very difficult, it's the balancing of the reading (and there's lots of it!), projects, and online class participation with working a full time job that requires me to travel, doing home renovations, working out, spending time with Todd and Rigby, cleaning...and the list goes on.  


But I've been wanting to make a career change from PR gal to high school teacher for, well, several of the last 11 years.  I love the industry I'm in and have gotten to do a lot of really neat things through my jobs, but PR's just not my final calling.


Not only do I think I'd make a good teacher, but with Todd's final job location not secured yet, teaching will give me the ability to also have a career in whatever town he gets moved to.  


Maybe Todd will carry my school books...