It's a library. I had to work on that in my vocabulary and learn it was for studying. And I am getting ahead of my vocabulary again.
When I was at university 1, I not once stepped foot in the library, and I certainly didn't know what studying was. Every Monday and Wednesday, I'm now devoting 5 hours to the library, studying, doing homework, reading the chapters in the book. Amazing what a difference a few years makes. I grew up, I'm an adult now, and much more mature. It's a very exciting time!
I'm finding since I'm in upper level classes now, that there's no more playing around, it's serious business, these classes, and I'm taking them very seriously, more of that maturity, life lessons stuff. More things that cannot be learned in a classroom. Interesting how that works.
Happy studying!
:)
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Never a good idea to buy books before classes begin
First off, let me start by saying, this is not the end of the world, or even a large catastrophe. Just a little speed bump.
I took Calculus I at Community College this Summer, and am taking Calculus II this fall. When I looked online, I noticed the book listed for my class this fall was different from the summer class book, so I made arrangements to get the books and return the rented book by the deadline. I get to class the first day and realize, I'm really supposed to have the same book I used in the summer, the website was wrong, and that the book will get us through all three semesters of Calculus. JOY. So after a mild panic, I decided to do the smartest thing. We had to order the homework off a website, and the eBook was an option to go along with. I evaluated the cost of getting the book again, and having it for a year, versus just buying it from the website I will be using for my homework. It was VERY much cheaper to get it eVersion, and now I just get to do that math to make sure I'm straight with my parents, who paid for books. Luckily, Math's kind of my thing :)
It's a new thing, eBooks, and it's very interesting. I never thought, as technology minded as I am, that I would like an eBook, but as they are so much lighter and portable, I have to say, I'm converted! :)
Happy studying!
:)
I took Calculus I at Community College this Summer, and am taking Calculus II this fall. When I looked online, I noticed the book listed for my class this fall was different from the summer class book, so I made arrangements to get the books and return the rented book by the deadline. I get to class the first day and realize, I'm really supposed to have the same book I used in the summer, the website was wrong, and that the book will get us through all three semesters of Calculus. JOY. So after a mild panic, I decided to do the smartest thing. We had to order the homework off a website, and the eBook was an option to go along with. I evaluated the cost of getting the book again, and having it for a year, versus just buying it from the website I will be using for my homework. It was VERY much cheaper to get it eVersion, and now I just get to do that math to make sure I'm straight with my parents, who paid for books. Luckily, Math's kind of my thing :)
It's a new thing, eBooks, and it's very interesting. I never thought, as technology minded as I am, that I would like an eBook, but as they are so much lighter and portable, I have to say, I'm converted! :)
Happy studying!
:)
Day #1
Ready or not here it is! About the last week or so before classes, in that break between my summer class and the start of fall classes, I started to get antsy. I'm ready to go! I see the future before me, the change in the air, and I'm getting excited!! Then it arrives. Day 1. I wake up at 5:30 with a start and jump out of bed. I was so excited (like a child) that I didn't really sleep well, but I never noticed that. I get ready, pull all my stuff together, perform all my checklists to ensure I haven't forgotten anything, and leave the house. I get to the interstate and realize I've left my phone at home. If I were going to work, I'd just forget it, but I was going to be an hour away from home, and on the first day? I needed my phone. Luckily I had left early, so I had time. I went back home, got my phone, and set out again. I danced in my car the whole drive down, which was not that bad, I might add. It certainly didn't feel like an hour.
I arrive on campus, and I had it all set out where I was going to park, I get to that parking lot around 7:30. And it's FULL. (mini-short-lived-panic). I have no idea how to get around campus. Luckily, I had a handy parking map and a GPS. So, while sitting in traffic, I plot a new place to park and program the GPS. I get out of traffic with little event, and arrive a few minutes later at an almost empty parking lot. WOOT! I park in it, and celebrate my victory, until I realize the time: 7:50. I have all of 10 minutes to make a bit of a hike. I put my tunes in and power walked all the way to class. Make it in the nick of time, sweating like I've just run a mile. :)
First class goes well, and I'm energized. I go to the lab for the class, and it's simple stuff, just an introduction really, then I go to the library, and am in awe. It's so big! I wander up to the third or fourth floor, and pick out a nice table next to a window and set up my computer and start working on a few things. Time passes quickly, and it's time for my trek to lunch and my second class. I decided I had enough time to drop off a few things at my car to lighten my load, so I start off towards my car. I get on the sidewalk on the main road, and I'm walking along, enjoying the weather, people, and watching the traffic and scenery, when suddenly, the sidewalk comes up and meets my face. I've tripped on a raised section of sidewalk, and the momentum propelled my backpack into the back of my head, and I hit it on the sidewalk. A very nice student helped me up, and I continued on. My pride was bruised a little, and my knees, elbows, and head scuffed up a little, but I was fine. I dropped the stuff off at my car, went to the restroom to clean myself up a little, and went to class. After class, I went over to the health center and procured a band aid for my knee, and proceeded back to the library.
I stayed at the library doing my homework until after 5, then made the trek home.
It's rejuvenating being in the campus atmosphere, makes my brain feel empowered.
Happy Studying!
:)
I arrive on campus, and I had it all set out where I was going to park, I get to that parking lot around 7:30. And it's FULL. (mini-short-lived-panic). I have no idea how to get around campus. Luckily, I had a handy parking map and a GPS. So, while sitting in traffic, I plot a new place to park and program the GPS. I get out of traffic with little event, and arrive a few minutes later at an almost empty parking lot. WOOT! I park in it, and celebrate my victory, until I realize the time: 7:50. I have all of 10 minutes to make a bit of a hike. I put my tunes in and power walked all the way to class. Make it in the nick of time, sweating like I've just run a mile. :)
First class goes well, and I'm energized. I go to the lab for the class, and it's simple stuff, just an introduction really, then I go to the library, and am in awe. It's so big! I wander up to the third or fourth floor, and pick out a nice table next to a window and set up my computer and start working on a few things. Time passes quickly, and it's time for my trek to lunch and my second class. I decided I had enough time to drop off a few things at my car to lighten my load, so I start off towards my car. I get on the sidewalk on the main road, and I'm walking along, enjoying the weather, people, and watching the traffic and scenery, when suddenly, the sidewalk comes up and meets my face. I've tripped on a raised section of sidewalk, and the momentum propelled my backpack into the back of my head, and I hit it on the sidewalk. A very nice student helped me up, and I continued on. My pride was bruised a little, and my knees, elbows, and head scuffed up a little, but I was fine. I dropped the stuff off at my car, went to the restroom to clean myself up a little, and went to class. After class, I went over to the health center and procured a band aid for my knee, and proceeded back to the library.
I stayed at the library doing my homework until after 5, then made the trek home.
It's rejuvenating being in the campus atmosphere, makes my brain feel empowered.
Happy Studying!
:)
Friday, September 2, 2011
Deadlines are nice little goal marks
I especially like them if I can beat them...by a lot. There was a starting date for registration. I made sure to have my advising appointment two weeks before that. When I arrived for my advising appointment, I had already created a spreadsheet from analyzing the degree requirements, and I had "decided" tentatively, which classes I would need to take prior to graduating, and I put my current credits in there, so I knew exactly how many classes/hours I would need to graduate. To toot my own horn, my advisor was a little impressed :)
Meeting with my advisor, we decided which class I would take in the Summer, and which two classes I would take in the fall. Yes, only two classes. After I get these two out of the way, I can actually take other classes (pre-requisites). After this, I put a considerable amount of energy in developing my fall schedule. I am not only trying to commute as few days as possible, I'm developing a work schedule around all this. So I figure it out, and it's a really good one.
The deadline approaches and I register for classes. I take the last spot in my calculus class. Hehe, the adrenaline rush :)
Then I get my parking pass all straightened out and get ready to start classes.
Now that I've really got all the back story out of the way, we can get to the fun stuff :)
Happy Studying!
:)
Meeting with my advisor, we decided which class I would take in the Summer, and which two classes I would take in the fall. Yes, only two classes. After I get these two out of the way, I can actually take other classes (pre-requisites). After this, I put a considerable amount of energy in developing my fall schedule. I am not only trying to commute as few days as possible, I'm developing a work schedule around all this. So I figure it out, and it's a really good one.
The deadline approaches and I register for classes. I take the last spot in my calculus class. Hehe, the adrenaline rush :)
Then I get my parking pass all straightened out and get ready to start classes.
Now that I've really got all the back story out of the way, we can get to the fun stuff :)
Happy Studying!
:)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
There's always a backstory
Mine is fairly simple. In 2006, I graduated from high school. That year, both of my parents got re-married, I moved to a new house, and started college that fall, and I knew everything (of course). I was NOT ready for college. I didn't have to study in high school, I was a mostly AB student, so I had no idea what studying is. I also went way overboard in regards to what I was involved in on campus, and none of it was educational, except in life lessons. I failed one class my first semester (English) because I didn't go to class. About halfway through the semester, I found out my grade was an A (In ENGLISH, that's unheard of, I'm a math/science person), so I got cocky. I stopped going to class, and ultimately failed. I made a D in Calculus I for the same reason. That, and it was right after my English class. I got threatened, and not by the school. Make all As and Bs or be withdrawn and attend Community College while living at home. That was enough motivation for me to work my rear end off getting As and Bs in my 4 classes second semester, and cutting some extra curricular activities. It was not pleasant. About two weeks before the end of class, I was melting down every night, on the phone with my mom, in tears about how tired I was, sick of being in classes, wanted to come home, etc. It was bad, really bad.
That summer, we evaluated my position and it was realized I was not mature enough to continue full time at University A (I won't name names, that's not nice). I was working PT at the office my step-Dad works at, and I went FT that summer, and started working on an Associates and Community College. I did the PT school (one, max 2 classes each semester) thing for two years, fall 2007-Spring 2009. Then I took a semester off to decide what I was doing. I wasn't sure about my degree path and didn't want to spin my wheels, waste time and money taking classes I probably wouldn't need. One semester turned into two, which brings us to Spring 2010. August 2010, I had surgery to fix an issue in my right shoulder (I'm right handed) so school was out that semester. I then started exploring options to return to school FT and cut hours at work. I was at the point where I decided what I wanted: A Bachelor's of Science Degree in Computer Science (That, for short would be a B.S. in C.S.). I also wanted to return to full University, instead of Community College. Explore options continues, and I decide to attend MTSU. I missed deadlines to register for Spring 2011 classes at Community College to start wrapping up the last bit of general education courses. So I retook Calculus I this summer at Community College, and then this week started my core curriculum at MTSU, which brings us current.
I'll post more specifics about my experience so far in other posts.
Happy Studying!
:)
That summer, we evaluated my position and it was realized I was not mature enough to continue full time at University A (I won't name names, that's not nice). I was working PT at the office my step-Dad works at, and I went FT that summer, and started working on an Associates and Community College. I did the PT school (one, max 2 classes each semester) thing for two years, fall 2007-Spring 2009. Then I took a semester off to decide what I was doing. I wasn't sure about my degree path and didn't want to spin my wheels, waste time and money taking classes I probably wouldn't need. One semester turned into two, which brings us to Spring 2010. August 2010, I had surgery to fix an issue in my right shoulder (I'm right handed) so school was out that semester. I then started exploring options to return to school FT and cut hours at work. I was at the point where I decided what I wanted: A Bachelor's of Science Degree in Computer Science (That, for short would be a B.S. in C.S.). I also wanted to return to full University, instead of Community College. Explore options continues, and I decide to attend MTSU. I missed deadlines to register for Spring 2011 classes at Community College to start wrapping up the last bit of general education courses. So I retook Calculus I this summer at Community College, and then this week started my core curriculum at MTSU, which brings us current.
I'll post more specifics about my experience so far in other posts.
Happy Studying!
:)
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