Wait a second, let me scratch that last one off the list. It doesn't seem so unrealistic anymore, because next week I am headed to my new student orientation. I get chills just typing that. I haven't been a student for the last nine years. I've been cramming (I say with glee) for my placement tests, and while I'm getting high marks in reading comprehension and composition, I rediscovered my loathing for math. Oh numbers, why do you torment me so?I know this might not sound very exciting to everybody else, but it's been my dream for nearly a decade. When I got out of high school, I had to start working. I'd always planned to go to school eventually, but things kept coming up. The next thing I knew I was married with babies.
Don't get me wrong, it's been a great journey and I wouldn't change a single thing, but as far as writing went, I always felt like I was missing out. I can feel the problems in my writing: the flow is off, the dialogue needs cleaned up, or there's a general wrongness I can't quite pinpoint. For some reason I've convinced myself that there is only one cure for what ails me. School.
So now I'm thumbing through course catalogs and trying to reacquaint myself with finding cubed roots and other headache-inducing equations I've long ago pushed out of my brain. I'm excited, but I'm nervous, too. There's so much I don't remember, and so many more things that are new. (Do people even use pencils and paper anymore?! Oh, and my third grade teacher totally lied when she said I'd need to know how to write in cursive for college. I think I'm the last person of my generation that can even read cursive! Thanks, Mrs. Caciatis.) I don't know what to expect, but I can't wait to find out.I won't actually start until January because I'm still waiting for my federal aid to come in, but in the meantime, I'm looking for advice from all my Proser friends. If you could pass on only one word of wisdom about going to college, or share one favorite memory, what would it be?
Don't rely on your adviser to tell you what classes to take or how many credits you need. Do the research yourself. I know way too many people that had to tack an extra semester or two onto their degree because of incompetent advising. Also, don't buy textbooks until you're sure you'll need them. Plenty of professors list a textbook on their syllabus and then don't touch it all term. When you do buy, I recommend Amazon for cheap used textbooks. And keep your eye out for previous versions. Textbook publishers are infamous for changing two or three words and then releasing a completely new version at twice the price.
ReplyDeletePS - Where are you going to school?
DeleteI've looked into credits but I'll make sure to know for sure. Thanks for the tip on textbooks!
DeleteI'm going to Arapahoe Community College first, but there's a transfer program into Adams State University down in Alamosa, Colorado.
Very cool, Trisha! I second what Adam said about checking into things on your own. I've also heard too many stories about advisers messing up students. I, on the other hand, had a fantastic adviser, so they're not all bad!
ReplyDeleteMy recommendation is to take as many crazy/fun courses as you have time for. Some of my favorite courses - and the ones I learned the most from - were electives.
Do you know what you want to study?
In high school I took a bunch of boring electives like History of the Middle Ages and Genetics. I'm not sure why. I think I thought it would help me get into a good school. (Kind of funny looking back on it now.) I intend to take as many off the wall/fun classes as I can.
DeleteOh, and I'm going to study creative writing. I figure I've waited this long, I might as well get a degree in a subject I'm passionate about.
Awesome Trisha. I loved college.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I learned much about writing a novel from college. Everything I learned about writing came from the internet and writer's forums or books on writing. From what I've read of your stuff, you're doing awesome on your own. :)
But I'm all for college. Learning anything is great for inspiration and story ideas.
My advice for math classes. Get rid of your mental blocks about it being hard. I think that is what holds most people back. And, this is the real key, keep up with the math homework. Every new concept builds on the previous one, so don't fall behind. I always made sure that I did my math homework first (even if I had a test the next day in a different subject), math always comes first. I promise if you do that, you will do well.
Good luck!!
That is fantastic advice! I will do my best. Thanks MaryAnn!
DeleteAmazing! I think you'll find that waiting until now to go to college will be for your benefit. When I went to school, I focused on cute boys, roommate/friends drama, and a major that I haven't used in ten years.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed, go for it!
Congrats! What an awesome thing to do. I'll just second the advice to take a wide variety of classes. You never know what off the wall thing will inspire you. Also, you will necessarily face conficts between your school life, your home life, and well, just life in general. Take the time to find out what the most important thing to accomplish is in those situations (most of the time schoolwork will win out, but there may be a point where snuggling w. someone you love for a few minutes is the most important thing ever).
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous of you, I can hardly stand it! I'd love to be starting over in college. I'm afraid my college experience was exactly like Sheena's. I'd love to go back and concentrate on classes this time.
ReplyDelete