I’m going to start off with one of the biggest surprises that I have found so far this semester is how helpful that this ALS class truly is. It is something that I wish I would of utilized a lot sooner in my online learning career. I am probably taking this class for a much different reason than many of the people that are going to read this. But before I get to that lets start with some of the reasons that I have found about why online learning is best for me. Then I will cover some of the challenges that I have faced so far in my online learning career.
The biggest reason that online learning is best for me is because I am having to work to be able to pay for school. Being an online student has helped me to be able to still work to help pay for school along the way. Another reason that I have found a love for online schooling is being able to do the work at my pace. Instead of having to sit through a class where most of the time I would probably be day dreaming about being anywhere else. I have found that by me having to keep track of what is going on it has actually made me a better learner because I am not doing work because a teacher is watching me, but because I want to learn.
Now lets get to why I am currently enrolled in this class. I am going to get a little personal here but I hope that maybe someone can learn from some of my mistakes and challenges thus far in my college career. To start off this is my second and a half year as a student on Ecampus at Oregon State University. Only one and a half of those I have been allowed to take classes. I was kicked out of school for about a year due to life circumstances and personal hardships. I am not going to get into all of the reasoning behind my suspension, but I will say that the biggest thing you can do as an online student is make sure that you utilize all of the resources that are available to you. Whether it is a death in the family or having to pick up a second job to help support your family there is always someone that you can talk with at Oregon State to help you get through your hardships. Don’t always assume that you can get through everything on your own because the next thing you know you will be falling behind. And believe me you truly don’t know what you got till its gone, because before my suspension I took school pretty lightly. Since I was reinstated however school means the world to me!
Hello!
I think it’s great that you are managing work and school! I’m taking school full-time and taking care of my children so I cannot imagine having to pick up a job as well. Although, it would be nice to get out of the house sometimes. Perhaps when they are a little older. I agree with you about liking the aspect of working at your own pace with online school. I got really anxious when I was in school because I was so shy so taking online classes really helps me just focus on my schoolwork instead of worrying about anxiety. I’m glad you got another chance at school and I wish you luck in your studies!
Juggling school and work is defintely not an easy task but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. And thank you I am very great full for my second chance at school and this time my mentallity is pretty different after I found what can happen if you just try and squeak by.
This is my 2nd term online and in college. I am taking this class because I wanted to make sure and have enough credits to be classified as full time, and my advisor told me about it. Now I am glad I am taking it because it is helping me become a little more organized. Thanks for the advice about utilizing resources. Now I just need to figure out what resources would benefit me in some of my areas of struggle.
Well I have found that the biggest resource I have found is my counselor. I went to a community college in my area and I talked to my counselor maybe once or twice just because you could never get ahold of them. I have talked to my counselor probably at least twice a month in most of the terms I’ve been here and she has been fantastic. I have never had a counselor that has been so helpful in school. Not even my high school counselor was as good as here at OSU
Totally honest and cool that you are being honest! That is helpful to me….
While I have not been precisely where you have been, I wish that I had learned any sort of good learning habits and utilized my learning preferences earlier in my school career. Just learning that I have multi-modal learning preferences and that alone is a distraction for actually choosing a course of study leading to a career earlier in life would have been helpful. As it is, I just kept going to community colleges wherever I was living and didn’t settle down to university level till after I turned 40. Hmmmmm, so much to learn!
Thanks so very much for all that you have said…… And it can never hurt to remind me about my resources….they are there…..just have to reach out! It can only help.
Sorry I didn’t get back to you right away, but yes that has probably been my biggest lesson in school thus far. And that is being honest with myself especially. I used to act like I was in control, but that lead me to find out that I was nowhere near in control. Thank you for your kind words.
This class is great! I think all incoming freshman should have to take this class. It would probably keep them from having so many issues in their first semester. I am sorry to hear about the suspension and glad you are using your second chance in such a good way. It is amazing the amount of help you will be given just by asking. Most people don’t think that anyone cares anymore and that just isn’t true. It may be harder to find someone who will help, but usually colleges will take many things into consideration and give you either time or help to accomplish your goals. I’m glad you shared this with us, it may be of a lot of use to someone.
Yes it was a little more of a thought in my head that I didn’t need help because I would get through it. Definitely changing that mentality now!
Like you said in a reply above, you gotta do what you gotta do. Good for you for realizing that! I had a bumpy transition from high school to college as well. It had to do with a number of different factors, but it took a kick in the pants to make me wake up and see the phenomenal opportunity I was just skating through. Maturity, or lack of, was also a huge factor. But getting through that and sticking with school is a huge step. Good for you!
You’re right about the usefulness of this course. There are some things you just don’t know until someone shows you. Getting through college requires study skills, organizational skills, bureaucratic skills (or at least, how to navigate through one), and, as you note, juggling skills. How could anyone know how to do any of this unless they are shown? This class may not make the other classes easier, but I think the strategies and self-knowledge we get from this class will definitely make learning the material in the other classes easier (if that makes sense).
You are exactly right that it is the strategies that this class gives you the are going to be able to help in the future.
Your honesty and desire to share comes shining through. What a wonderful post! Without a doubt your readers are “listening!”. I love the strength you exercised in working your way back and fully appreciating the value education has for you this time around. Could it have happened any other way? What a message!
If you have the chance to stop back by this blog, I wonder if there are any stand-out resources you would recommend to others that helped when you needed it most – if so, would you mind sharing any?
Yes I will say that in my opinion the stand out resource that you have is your counselor that you have been working with since you started in school. For one I wouldn’t be in this class right now if it wasn’t for my counselor. The best thing about using them as a resource is that they are basically your way to figure out problems that you have with classes or anything else by being your face on campus. They are able to help facilitate problems that you might not be able to do otherwise.
I am also having to work to pay for school! It is very hard and takes a lot of time management. I am working part time mostly, but a few weeks every month it’s more full time hours. I too remember sitting in classes wishing to be anywhere else. Being an Ecampus student allows me to sit at home and learn that way. I will say it I am not the best at “teaching myself” so that is something in certain subjects that’s a bit more challenging. I applaud you coming back and sharing that with us! Good luck with managing work and school. Once you receive your degree, all the sleepless nights and exhausting days will be worth it. 🙂
Good for you. I am so glad that you have been reinstated and are able to follow your dreams once again. It reminds me of a situation I had during my second year of college. I was taking a required Physical Education class at the time and my son was too sick to take to the day care center so I stayed home with him and missed the PE class. He was feeling much better the next day so I put him in the child seat behind me on my bicycle and pedaled to the gym and asked the teaching fellow, the instructor of the PE class if I could make up the class I missed because my son was sick. She stated that because all the other students didn’t get that option that I couldn’t have the opportunity to make it up either. Once again, I love the flexibility of online learning.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Like you, I am not a “brand new” online learner. This is my fifth term. And I’ve done okay, but not as well as I would like. I wish this course was a requirement for first term online learners… the information we are covering is imperative for success in school, and often are tips or practices one might pick up from peers in a traditional classroom.
Once again, I appreciate your candor in sharing your experience. Being able to admit our struggles can be very liberating (for ourselves) and is a generous way to help others.
Your “new” attitude is apparent in your post and replies. I have a feeling you are going to make it through with flying colors this go-round.