Starting School

L

Lex411

Cathlete
Yikes! Tomorrow I start school! It's a new school for me, Glendale Community College. The education snob in me hopes the teachers are good, I was going to Northwestern University College in Chicago, but I need abour 30 credit hours of really good grades before I can apply to a University. A CC seemed like the way to go...cheap and I can get core courses out of the way.

I see people of all ages on campus, too, so it looks like I won't be such an old fogey there after all.

I'll be taking Algebra, First Aid (can't wait for that one, it will touch on my athletic trainer dreams), and Health Ed. I thought I'd be nervous, but I'm not? I think that's a good thing and it's because I've been to the campus so many times to register and stuff.

Any other adult students out there like me? My goal is to have those 30 credits by the end of next fall semester, all As and a few Bs, and apply to USC and Cal State (USC preferred) to major in Kinesiology (Athletic Training track) and possible minor or double major in sports nutrition too. Not TOO much of a load,huh? Luckily I only have to work part time, if at all.

And thus begins my academic road...
 
Congratulations!

Hey Lex, I went back to school 4 years ago when I was 27 to get my AAS in paralegal studies. I chose community college too. It was FABULOUS! I really hit it hard and went 4 nights a week plus the weekends for half of each semester and got my degree about a year and a half ago. I was working full time the whole way, so I can appreciate your undertaking here!!
I had left university in my younger days after two years because I just couldn't decide what I wanted. I was SOO in the wrong major (bio med)
I was just getting ready to start at UNLV this winter when my fiance got a job in Los Angeles. He leaves in two weeks.
I am staying here in Las Vegas for a year to make sure it works out, then around December 2001 I am going to start looking for work. I will be going back to school there now, and I am kindof nervous about the whole life-change. Leaving a great job, etc. But my immediate family is in San Diego, so it's all good.
How exciting for you! The people at college, especially community, are just great. I had ages in my classes ranging from 18 to 80, on a regular basis.
You are so charismatic on e-mail I bet you end up being a major force. Gear up Glendale, hear comes the Lex-a-nator!
Best of success!!!! ENJOY!
 
RE: Congratulations!

You're too funny, the lex-a-nator! Never heard that one but I like it. I'm a typical Aries in some ways, kind of overbearing and bossy, but I also have double Gemini in my sign so it's like there are 2 me's. There's the outgoing, fearless me and the sometimes I feel kind of shy and quiet. I guess I'm a schizo.

Your schedule was WAY harder than mine. I'm fortunate enough not to have to work right now. If anything, I might work part time as a trainer or something else I enjoy just to make money to pay for my own books and to have my own spending cash. But my honey is super supportive and he's just thrilled to see me so healthy and happy now. I'm THE luckiest gal in the world to have him in my life, I swear. But I have no prior college behind me so I have 4 years, at least, ahead of me. No sweat though. My physical and mental age seem to be about 24 or 25 since changing my health and all that, so I'm not stressing about how old I am or when I'll graduate. I'm trying to enjoy the present moments more and not fixate on goals as much. I used to really only look ahead and then you miss so much cool stuff going on right under your nose.

But thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I'll have your words in my head as I stumble around looking for my classrooms tomorrrow!

If you do end up in LA, you'll be in my neck of the woods. I love it here, lots to see and do; beahces, mountains, desert...it rocks. This weekend we drove up 5,000 feet and went off-roading in the snow! Then came back down to sunshine and 60 degrees. Not a bad way to live. You'll have to let me know if and when you move.

Ok, hockey game's on...gotta get my fix! Someday I hope to be behind the bench fixing these guys up. :)
 
Lucky You!

Hi Lex411,

I kind of lurk on this forum for the most part, but when I read your post I just wanted to wish you good luck. I'm 30 years old, never been to college, and regret it. I hope to go to school someday, maybe when my kids are older.

I'm sure you'll do great and enjoy this experience very much! Go for it!

Oh, by the way, I'm an Aries, too, hence my screenname (April 13th). Is your birthday the 11th? :)


Michelle
 
Michelle

Never give up on your education if that is what you want. Lots of programs offer weekend classes. A great many have day care too. Others offer on-line classes. You could take one little class at a time. My friend took two photography classes and ended up finding her calling! Being a mom is a career all in itself that I am sure you are very proud to claim, just don't assume you can't go back to school too if that is what you want! :)
 
RE: Lucky You!

How funny, Michelle, I never really thought about it but my bday is April 11th. I just picked 411 because it used to be my secret code so Chris would know when I was paging him from an odd phone number. I just picked it, I guess subconsciously.

How many kids do you have and how old are they? My mom did her undergrad and law degree at night while I was little, and she was a single mom. But I don't necessarily recommend that, she and I still have a tenuous relationship and I now realize that she was never around and it bugs me.

But it is truly never too late. My great aunt is in her mid 50s and she's going to her local CC now for fun for a few classes. Or maybe you could just take one class at a time? You'd probably love it. Check out your local community college and see if anything grabs you. I used to go one night per week in Chicago while I worked, it was fun.

We Aries are quite the trailblazers, so whenever you do feel inspired to go, I'm sure you'll do well.
 
Hi Lex,

I hope your first day back in school went well. Let us know how it went. I went back for a short time when I was 25 (yikes, that was almost 10 years ago) and I loved it. I didn't finish because I couldn't decide what the hell I wanted to do "when I grew up". That was always my problem - I loved to take classes but couldn't decide on a major and then I lost all motivation since I didn't have a goal in mind. One of these days, I'm gonna figure it out and then go for it. Good luck to you in college.

My bet is that you'll graduate top in your class.

Lisa
 
RE: Good Luck Lex!

Hey gals! Well, the first day is officially behind me. I have to tell you, I almost didn't end up getting to class at all. I had my first class at 10 a.m. and I got there at about 9:15 a.m. and startes looking for parking. You have to drive, there's no other way to get there and you have to use the parking lots because the whole residential street parking thing near the school is permit only and you have to live there to get the permit. So, I looped through 3 lots over and over, staked out areas to sit and wait for a spot to open over and over and got a spot at about 10:35 a.m. Yep, when I was supposed to be in class. What kills me is that I hadn't bought one of those student parking permits, for $40, and now I'm glad. All those people were waiting in the same lots as me! The permits just mean you don't have to feed the meter, but it doesn't get you into a bigger lot or get you a spot. I honestly got so flustered and upset I called my honey, who was little help and what could he do?

I kept thinking about how you have to go to your first week of class, especially the first one, or they drop you from the list. And I was just fuming. Am I supposed to get there 2 hours early just to park for 2 classes? I used up about 1/3 of my full tank of gas driving around looking for a damn spot.

But I went in to class, where there wasn't a single empty seat for me, which ticked me off. But here's good news. I'm guessing half the class will drop it because the teacher is this adorable and well-meaning young woman with THE THICHEST CHINESE ACCENT you have ever heard. I'm really used to asian accents and usuall have no problem with them at all, I've had so many friends with accents like that. But it takes about 15 seconds to process and figure out what she's saying. But I'm not giving up. I figure with enough studying and maybe time to get used to it, I can do this.

Then I went to my next class, First Aid. That was awesome! Really cool guy teaching, I just call him Coach. We even chatted for a few minutes after class, he seems like he'll be a lot of fun. And we'll end up with a First Aid card and a CPR card, which is way cool.

So the parking thing is the only problem here. As I drove towards the expressway I was looking around and I think I have an idea to circumvent the mess. I will simply park farther away, about a 10 minute stroll, and walk from the car! What a concept in LA. I saw some areas where it looked like the only signs posted were No Parking between 7-9 a.m. When I was in high school I used to walk all the way from Belmont and Sheridan to LPHS, a pretty lengthy walk. Or I'd take the bus and walk several blocks through the neighborhood. I can easily do that again, and since it's usually so nice out, that's even easier. And it's a nice area. So I'll try that tomorrow. Otherwise, I'd be at my wit's end, truly. I'm not doing the parking lot battle every day.

So that's how the first day was. Tomorrow, I try Algebra again, on time I hope, and see if I need to drop it or if I can get through it with a good grade (my whole point in being there is to get a good GPA so USC will accept me.) I might end up needing to drop and take it with another teacher, who knows? But I'll give her a shot.

Thanks for checking in and being such great buddies to chat with all the time. You're all a bunch of classy broads!
 
RE: Good Luck Lex!

Good Luck. If you need help in Math I can help. I am thinking of going back for teaching. I have a B.S. in Math and an M.S. in Computer Science. However, I can't work at being a systems programmer anymore. ( I can't go in in the middle of the night when there are problems and syat all night.) I can substitute and teach in college without going to school, but can't make up my mind. Anyway, good luck. If you need help....
 
RE: Good Luck Lex!

you can do it--hockey girl, Chicago girl--Aries. i am sagitarius--fellow Fire sign. got a BA in French in 1973; MBA in Marketing in 1982; MBA in Finance in 1984; Certified in Fitness by ISSA last year and this year at 49 I'm going for another undergraduate BS in Chemistry, for fun. After that--will be astronomy, physics and photography--in that order. And, for a living--I work in management in Corporste America. I think by the time I get there--physics and photography will be in a different format than they are today.
 
Hey, Lex

The walking idea is great, but just you wait a couple of weeks--that's when all the non-returning-students (who are only there because they don't know what else to do after high school) stop coming to class, and the parking lots get a lot more deserted looking!
Keep enjoying yourself :)
Wendy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top