One Down Three to Go!

I tried, I can't even tell you how many times, to return to college and finish my Degrees. Finally, after  30 years, almost to the day of graduating High School, I have earned my first degree. On Monday, May 23rd, 2011 I was conferred an Associate of Arts with High Honors from the College of Southern Nevada at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Up to now you have read about the challenges of beginning an Academic Journey. Honestly, I believe the first two years of college is learning about how to learn and how to navigate the college system. Of course, you have to go to class, study and juggle your home and work life also. 

The College of Southern Nevada's 
Class of 2011

Special Thanks to Dustin Rains for the Photos in this Slideshow

I was one among a record number of almost 2,300 CSN Graduates. This graduating class also had a record number of Honor Students. Our Alpha Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa broke a record of it's own.

Under the the leadership of Alpha Xi Beta's President, Dustin Rains, Phi Theta Kappa membership was raised 28%. We earned the highest Pinnacle Award possible, raising the College of Southern Nevada's Alpha Xi Beta Chapter to a Five Star Chapter for the 2010-2011 academic year.  

This is the highest and most prestigious honor possible for the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and I am uber proud to have been a part of it. 

Phi Theta Kappa also awarded Club of the Year Photo Susana Buller

As great as these achievements are, 

these accomplishments do not guarantee the ultimate outcome of our degrees. Before the crash of 2008, even an Associate's Degree opened many doors and employment was virtually a given. This, as reported in this Channel 8 News Now broadcast, is no longer the case.

I will continue my education, in pursuit of my ultimate goal of a MLIS, Masters in Library Sciences. My next step in my Adventure as an Adult Learner is my Bachelor's with a Major in English and a Minor in German. I am seriously considering changing my Minor to Spanish to increase my workplace marketability and reserving my German Minor for my Phd. You need two foreign languages for a Doctorate.

Thank You for reading Perpetual Andragogy Adventures of an Adult Learner and sharing my trials, tribulations and triumphs with your friends. Your interest in my Academic journey and your support of education for this Nontraditional Student inspires not only me, but also anybody who has even given the slightest thought to a return to college and the betterment of themselves.

Want to Go Back to College? Start Here!
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Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Phi Theta Kappa Alumni List (I should be the first name you see :D )

Where's the Break in My Spring Break?

Ahh, Spring Break. Usually I use this time to catch up on papers and studies, read a book that's not a text, play tourist in Vegas, work in the garden, or check off chores on my home maintenance To-Do List. But not this year. Nope, this Spring Break is different.

Now I don't know why, but UNLV and CSN have different weeks for Spring Break. Maybe some wise educator, way back in the 70's, decided that it wouldn't be such a good idea to turn loose upon the Vegas community all those college kids at one time. So instead of one full week off of school and studies, I get to go to one or the other. Well, that's not so bad. But that's not all I've committed to.

Photo & Quote by Justin J. McAffee, 

President of the CSN Capitol Club  

"At least 1,500 students came to Carson City on March 21st, 2011. A state historian said this was the most people in Carson city since 1903 when Teddy Roosevelt came to town."

While at CSN, I joined and became very active in the Alpha Xi Beta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. Joining this wonderful organization and participating in as many Service Opportunities as my schedule would allow made and continues to make a great difference in my life. I've also been involved in the campaign against the looming education cuts in Nevada by spreading the word in every way I can think of. 

Setting and accomplishing my educational goals and becoming more active in my community and its well being are fine endeavors but my ultimate goal is a job I love and enjoy. I've always loved creation in design. I've had a few odd jobs here and there to support my paper and ink habit, but I really needed something more substantial.

What the Garden is supposed to look like

So I got a job. And WOW am I overwhelmed! Not by the job, the job is fine - fast paced and always interesting, it's the hours that I no longer have for watching my favorite show, reading my magazines, or working in the garden. And that last one, working in the garden, or rather, not working, is a double whammy. Preparation and planting is behind schedule and I keep getting that look from my Mom. That one that says "when are you going to have time for me?" I feel so guilty!

This is just one story. There are millions more. Many Adult Learners are members of the sandwich generation. They have to care for their children and their aging parents simultaneously, hold down a job, keep up with their social and community commitments AND have three hours of study set aside for each credit hour taken. Oh, and they have to go to class also, so figure in commuting and the time spent in class.

There are only 168 hours in a week. Where can it all possibly fit? In order for me to organize and schedule my life, first I had to know where my time is going. 

Most every Freelancer uses time tracking software of some sort. The best I've found is Paymo. It comes with a downloadable widget that I can desktop in and out of, set up my projects, and add tasks as I go.

So I tried a little experiment of sorts. I added my time spent on school, activities, work, the garden and things that need done around the house. Just please don't tell Mom I added her as a project. I don't think she would ever forgive me.

When I charted it out, I was astounded!

The orange and blue is my new job, the yucky green is my studies, and then there's all the rest. I need to find some balance or my grades will slip and I've worked far too hard to get this far. 

Now, I don't know exactly the steps I will take to manage this all a bit better, (I'll experiment and keep you posted) but I do know one thing. By tracking it and having a visual representation, I have taken the first step.

Do you know where your time is going? Have you found ways to juggle your home life, work schedule and college studies? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Well I'm off to get some work done. (notice the post time on this?)

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