Going back to school after a decade off!

[MrsKreamer]

I left college in 2003 for financial reasons(and the fact that I had no direction). It was always my plan to return, but life got in the way.

Now that my youngest is almost 3, and very independent, I decided that now is the time.

After some careful thought and research, I applied and was accepted to the University of New Orleans College of Education and Human Development. I met with my adviser last week and am now registered for classes.

I am very excited but also very nervous. Things seem so different from when I was in school last time...there was no Facebook and Twitter, the internet wasn't wireless, cell phones couldn't text or take pictures, my professors didn't email yet, and textbooks only came from the bookstore.

So any advice/experience on going back to school as an adult?

 

[mrsv98]

I left college in 2003 for financial reasons(and the fact that I had no direction). It was always my plan to return, but life got in the way.

Now that my youngest is almost 3, and very independent, I decided that now is the time.

After some careful thought and research, I applied and was accepted to the University of New Orleans College of Education and Human Development. I met with my adviser last week and am now registered for classes.

I am very excited but also very nervous. Things seem so different from when I was in school last time...there was no Facebook and Twitter, the internet wasn't wireless, cell phones couldn't text or take pictures, my professors didn't email yet, and textbooks only came from the bookstore.

So any advice/experience on going back to school as an adult?

Congratulations! It can be tough but very rewarding. I didn't start college until I was 24, and while it was odd being the "old lady" I was SO much more focused on my studies and got much more out of it because I really wanted to be there and was ready.

Good luck!

 

[OhioMom02]

Good luck!! I went back after 20 years. I found that I was a MUCH better student as an adult (all A's and B's) as opposed to the careless attitude I had as a kid. (C's mostly) I think the fact that I was paying to go to school had something to do with that. But seriously, I enjoyed it much more as an adult but it was a lot of hard work with juggling school, kids, work, etc.

 

[OhioMom02]

Oh, and getting books from Amazon.com was WAY cheaper than the bookstore!

 

[Luv2Scrap]

Congrats! I too am back in school again (and again and again, it seems!) My advice goes along with ordering books from Amazon.

Once you have whatever verifications Amazon requires you can get Amazon Prime student FREE for six months, and 50% off the annual fee after that.

This gets you free 2-day shipping and $3.99 one-day shipping on everything shipped by Amazon, plus access to tons of free digital content.

Info: http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info

 

[Disworldluv]

Good luck!! I went back after 20 years. I found that I was a MUCH better student as an adult (all A's and B's) as opposed to the careless attitude I had as a kid. (C's mostly) I think the fact that I was paying to go to school had something to do with that. But seriously, I enjoyed it much more as an adult but it was a lot of hard work with juggling school, kids, work, etc.

I did the same thing ( not 20 years) and never looked back. As an "older" student I had direction and a much more serious attitude towards my studies. My grades
were much A's and B's with one perfect (4.0) semester.

 

[MrsPete]

When I went from high school to college, I found the transition rather easy. I was already used to studying, and I just had to adjust to harder material and a greater quantity of reading. After finishing my first degree, I took two years off, worked, got married, bought a house . . . and when I returned to school to earn my second degree, I was amazed that my brain had turned to oatmeal! I'd not stopped reading, of course, but I wasn't reading difficult textbook type material anymore, and I found it difficult to get back into the swing of things. I'd lost the habit of reading for hours at a time. It took me a semester to "get back on track".

As such, two suggestions:

- Plan an easy first semester schedule. Consider relatively easy classes or a half-time schedule.
- Start yourself on a reading regimine NOW to acclimate yourself to the study schedule you'll face soon.

 

[MrsKreamer]

Congrats! I too am back in school again (and again and again, it seems!) My advice goes along with ordering books from Amazon.

Once you have whatever verifications Amazon requires you can get Amazon Prime student FREE for six months, and 50% off the annual fee after that.

This gets you free 2-day shipping and $3.99 one-day shipping on everything shipped by Amazon, plus access to tons of free digital content.

Info: http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info

Wow thanks for the link, I will check this out.

When I went from high school to college, I found the transition rather easy. I was already used to studying, and I just had to adjust to harder material and a greater quantity of reading. After finishing my first degree, I took two years off, worked, got married, bought a house . . . and when I returned to school to earn my second degree, I was amazed that my brain had turned to oatmeal! I'd not stopped reading, of course, but I wasn't reading difficult textbook type material anymore, and I found it difficult to get back into the swing of things. I'd lost the habit of reading for hours at a time. It took me a semester to "get back on track".

As such, two suggestions:

- Plan an easy first semester schedule. Consider relatively easy classes or a half-time schedule.
- Start yourself on a reading regimine NOW to acclimate yourself to the study schedule you'll face soon.

This is one of my concerns. After 3 kids and 10 years, I feel dumber. I don't know how to explain it, but I guess oatmeal brain is a good description.

I read everyday. It isn't textbook material, but I do try to challenge myself. I got a college prep book, to try to remember how to do college math and essays. I am going to go full time, but I got a lot of advice on which classes and professors to take. I am hoping to get my book list soon, so I can get a head start on reading those.

For my first semester I will be taking Personal Health and Wellness, Child and Adolescent development, Intro Sociology, Intro Secondary Ed, and Louisiana History. 16 hours, that way I have room to drop one class if I have to.

 

[pookybean]

Congrats on making the decision to go back to school!

I just graduated with my BSW in may after 5 loooong years of going part time while working ft (except for this last year where i quit my ft job to do practicum )

amazon is a great way to get books, but also check chegg. they have rentals and a small selection to buy (especially if you can use an older edition). i have always gotten my books super fast and saved more than i would have buying and selling back.

as for oatmeal brain, i had it too...for a long while! i felt that being older and having worked for some time i had a different view of the world than some of the younger students. it made for interesting class discussion though and many of my classmates told me they appreciated our debates.
that being said, there were many times that i felt i didn't belong or i wasnt as smart as the others. my grades and prof. comments proved me wrong i was hard on myself at first but as soon as i stopped, that is when i started getting a's and b's.

you are only one person, schedule your time and stick to it. i could never get any work done at home, even late at night. many times when there was a deadline i would go and sit in starbucks or panera and work for 5 hours to bang out a paper. lots of things had to go by the wayside, my house wasnt always as clean as i liked and my kids did more chores than they would have liked but everyone is still alive and thriving! when i was home, i was home. i was mom there and that was it. you can only do what you can. and there is only one of you. it is impossible to give 100% to everything, so dont try. you will drive yourself to exhaustion!

however long it takes you to finish, the time is going to pass if you are in school or not. keep going! this quote kept me at it when times got tough:

“Imagine that day, where you can finally say, “I did it!” When you can say,
“I never gave up, I never quit!” Imagine that day when you walk across that stage and receive that diploma. Where these moments of pain turn into memories for that goal you wanted to obtain. It might take long to reach that moment, but as soon as you get there you’ll thank your self for the rest of your life.”

and you will. as soon as i stepped off that stage i went to my kids and just cried. i did it. you can too.

 

[atomicgirl]

congratulations!!

I went back after several years as well. one of the things I had to come to terms with was that any free time I had was school time. I was working full time & had 2 small children (they were 4 & 6 when I started). So, after the job was finished & the kids were taken care of, I did school work. The house did slide a bit, but my DH was a tremendous support through all of this, so I could get it done.

 

[MrsKreamer]

Congrats on making the decision to go back to school!

I just graduated with my BSW in may after 5 loooong years of going part time while working ft (except for this last year where i quit my ft job to do practicum )

amazon is a great way to get books, but also check chegg. they have rentals and a small selection to buy (especially if you can use an older edition). i have always gotten my books super fast and saved more than i would have buying and selling back.

as for oatmeal brain, i had it too...for a long while! i felt that being older and having worked for some time i had a different view of the world than some of the younger students. it made for interesting class discussion though and many of my classmates told me they appreciated our debates.
that being said, there were many times that i felt i didn't belong or i wasnt as smart as the others. my grades and prof. comments proved me wrong i was hard on myself at first but as soon as i stopped, that is when i started getting a's and b's.

you are only one person, schedule your time and stick to it. i could never get any work done at home, even late at night. many times when there was a deadline i would go and sit in starbucks or panera and work for 5 hours to bang out a paper. lots of things had to go by the wayside, my house wasnt always as clean as i liked and my kids did more chores than they would have liked but everyone is still alive and thriving! when i was home, i was home. i was mom there and that was it. you can only do what you can. great advice, thank you
and there is only one of you. it is impossible to give 100% to everything, so dont try. you will drive yourself to exhaustion!

however long it takes you to finish, the time is going to pass if you are in school or not. keep going! this quote kept me at it when times got tough:

“Imagine that day, where you can finally say, “I did it!” When you can say,
“I never gave up, I never quit!” Imagine that day when you walk across that stage and receive that diploma. Where these moments of pain turn into memories for that goal you wanted to obtain. It might take long to reach that moment, but as soon as you get there you’ll thank your self for the rest of your life.”

and you will. as soon as i stepped off that stage i went to my kids and just cried. i did it. you can too.

Thank you so much! This is very inspiring! Thankfully, my DH is 100% behind me on this. I have already told him that I will need time out of my class schedule to study away from the house.

 

[marthachick]

I was early 30s when I went back to school. DS started Kindergarten & I went to Community College. I had an older perspective also so in Sociology class the instructor would often ask for my opinion in discussions. I should have made a 'B' in his class but he gave extra points for class participation so I got an 'A'. In my first math class the girl behind me was straight out of high school. She kept bragging about how easy the class was and how bored she was. Blah, blah, blah! I later heard she failed the class & I made a 'B' or 'C'. (I had to grin about that. )

DH learned to do laundry & he helped with housework a lot. Yes, it is better to do homework before your family gets home if at all possible. DS would beg me to play with him & I would feel really bad if I couldn't. I mostly got work done during the week when DS was in school & DH was at work. DH was my best cheerleader! He supported me 1000% or I never would have finished. Graduated with High Honors, 3.8. I was so proud! And so were my guys!