One article I read this week emphasized the importance of not only looking at the end results but to also look at the process and observe what happens during the process. That is one thing that I want to do with this blog – examine my journey from the beginning to the end, and how I feel about it while I am on it.
I am beginning to feel more confident and have an understanding about what I need to do this semester in regards to coursework and expectations. Is there a lot to do? Yes! Can I do it? I sure hope so! I am taking two courses right now with one focusing on motivation and the other focusing on research. There is a lot of reading, reflecting and writing to do. I do take time on Sundays to complete a schedule for myself, but to date, I have not been able to stick to it. There are days that I feel that I am just playing catch up and treading water while other days I feel more confident and know that I am on top of things. I want more days like the latter and not the former. It is a juggling act, and one that I will get better at doing as the semester progresses.
One advantage to taking an online class is that I do not have to drive to a school, find a parking spot, take my class, and drive home. I can do that all in the comfort of my own home. It means that course meetings can be scheduled in the evenings or even in the early mornings. I have to admit that this is a huge bonus for me. My education is not interfering with my work. I can meet with my adviser at 9:00 in the evening after meeting with members of a newly formed writing group at 8:30. It takes minutes to log out from one place and to log into the other. I don’t even have to move out of my chair! This is something that as a group I think that we are going to have to take more advantage of. Right now, I do a lot of work on my own, but if I can meet with my adviser at 9:00 at night, why not schedule a group chat or informal get together sometime during the week, too? I think we need to reach out more to each other. Something that is more easily done in a face-to-face meeting than not, but something that we can do.
Would I recommend that someone start a program like this? Well, I am only three weeks in, and I can say that it is working for me. It is forcing me to read and to reflect on my own ideas when it comes to education. Is it easy to do? No, but that is exactly what makes me value it even more. Now, if I could only get my life to follow the schedule that I plan for it on Sunday, life would be great!
Melissa Vervinck 