Monday, April 24, 2006

College Days

I'd say I was going back but I've never really been in the first place. Unless volleyball and piano count. Don't ask me what I was thinking.

I went in today to take the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) placement test for our local community college and meet with an advisor. Reading and writing I aced with no problem. I knew that would happen, that's my love, talent, whatever. She was surprised how well I did on the math portion considering what I told her about my highschool math history - which is embarrasing to admit, but zilch. Nada. Except for a book called Algebra The Easy Way that I'm reading with J, and only the first three chapters and mostly just the story of that. She said I had a natural bent based on all I picked up from reading a book. Who would've thunk. She advised taking two courses, along with my 20-30 hours a week job of homeschooling and parenting and relationship with my hubby. It was nice she understood all these things. I won't be able to take the 16 week course and she still recommended two courses for the 12 week course. She said given she's known me all of five minutes from what she saw that I appear capable, motivated, and bright. She said she thinks I'll be able to handle it, get off to a good start and want to continue on. Sounds like a plan to me.

The college process has been really exciting, intimidating and overwhelming for me all at once - I ended up in tears when I was there last week. That's a long story though. Now the first steps are done and I'm getting really excited about this possibility. I'm inclined towards getting an Associate of Arts, in teaching if I wanted to narrow it down. I've wanted to do that since I was little but at this point it doesn't sound very exciting and I'm thinking I'll concentrate my courses elsewhere. If I end up teaching I'd prefer a private school any way and at this point not a whole lot of them require a teaching major. Any ideas on what else would be intriguing? Based on your thorough analysis of all my postings of course : ) .

I won't be registering until the fall so I don't have to pay out-of-state fees as I'll be a legal resident then. Given that, I have lots of time to sit back. Read some more. And figure out what other course I'm going to take besides math. Psychology looks interesting.

Now I'm off to be a more attentive audience for J's and S's plays they're coming up with. Mostly consisting of lines such as, "Try harder, you're acting like a girl!"

6 Comments:

Courtney said...

Good for you!!! I can't wait to read about all of your school adventures!

Kimberly said...

yay for you!! Good Luck with everything; I'll be right in there with ya...I start grad school in a few weeks!

Jesse said...

College can be a bit like heroine, I'm afraid I'm addicted to higher education. Or I was. After an 8 or 9 year college epic I am finally winding to a halt! Whew.

In any event, I don tknow your situation but if you are as interested in all things as you appear to be it might be worth trying to take classes that will transfer to a university. Many CCs specialize in helping with just that. That way if you really get into it you can take your course load at the CC and probably get an associates and have the possibility of a BA in the not too distant future.

Again, I'm not sure that's your cup of tea but I found all the different courses of study interesting, so I may as well get a university degree out of the deel. Thena gain, I think many of the associate degrees now have a university style course load wher eyou have to vary your subjects. Bah! What do I know.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine and your kids will get a kick out of mom going to school. :)

my life is brilliant said...

That's exciting that you're going back to school! The one thing I would have done differently would be to explore more unfamiliar options as majors and career paths. I stuck with things I knew -- English, band, journalism -- when considering a major. I went all through college planning to be a TV reporter. I even interned twice at a TV station to see what I was getting myself into. I was always a bit apprehensive about a few things with the job, and the closer I got to graduation, the bigger those apprehensions got.

I actually thought about going to grad school for three years for speech pathology -- something I've never taken a class in. It was more along the lines of what I wanted my career to be -- flexible, helpful, something that makes a difference, in high demand...

I'm happy with what I'm doing now *for right now.* I'm using my degree, so it didn't go to waste. But will I be using it in five years? Who knows...

Good luck with whatever you decide, though!
(And yes, it's Dallas. I couldn't live in Austin -- it's enemy territory! Boomer Sooner!) :)

Cecilia said...

Wow! I'm so glad to see this side of you. You are a driven girl, aren't you? (and I sound like a proud Mama, hey!)

Based on how I'd grown to know you, I think you'll do great on Psychology (that was my second choice for my Univ major but went for Biology instead). I agree with "my life is brilliant" above in that if I would have the chance to go back, I would have probably gone for something different...probably into arts.

You're great with your kids and I can really see you becoming a teacher. What about creative writing? More importantly, what about arts or design? You have a knack for the art activities you do with L and B Guys...plus I'd seen how you create your home decos, buy funky furnitures and re-design pieces. You won't be limited with your choices, that's for sure!

I wish you all the best in whatever you would go for. And most of all, HAVE GREAT FUN!!!

Allison said...

Okay, i realize how lazy I have been that I have read all these posts and not commented yet! I am HORRIBLE!!!!

This is SO very exciting and I am so proud of you! An education is one thing that you can only benefit from, and no one can take it away from you. You are a wonderful person, wife and mother!

And I cant wait to see you again!!!

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