One month done, 3 to go

It does help to know that I have made it through the first quarter. Week 5 starts today and it is the first week I haven't felt completely overwhelmed on a Monday. I began plotting my game plan for the week last night so that helps me keep all this in perspective. This is an interesting load of classes and each has its own set of challenges. I believe I will be sick of tests by the end of this semester. We have between 2-4 tests each week along with reading, lectures, assignments, lab, and discussions. It is keeping me very busy but I expected this. I continue to look forward to Dec. 15th when this semester will be behind me and I'll have a lighter load until next spring.
Geology has been interesting. We do a weekly lab along with a lesson or GeoTour, quiz, and our assignments. It seems like a lot of work but if you have a photographic memory, it is probably quite easy.
History has been interesting as well but the class got off to a rough start. Our first chapter addressed evolution and we had a few too many students in there who had to share their opinions on religious beliefs. Personally, I would have kicked a few out of the classroom but the instructor continues to correct those students instead.
Psychology is going well. I took this class about 20 years ago so it isn't too foreign to me. I feel like much of it is a refresher and I am still learning new theories and ideas that have developed since my last class.
Spanish appears to be going quite well but I am hesitant. We have our first test this week and it worries me a bit. I did quite well on the pretest and studied more last week so I should be on track. I am curious to see how many people are able to finish this class. Lisa, one of my favorite classmates, feels that this might be the one she needs to drop since she is trying to handle 5 classes.
That is it in a nut shell. Everyting seems to be going well. Bailey is still left alone most of the day but I keep telling myself just 3 more months. We joined the Y so she does get some play time and Audrey comes over occassionally to play with her some as well. Her evaluation is tomorrow and we will find out then whether she needs speech before school starts or if it can wait. In a way I would feel better to go ahead and get her in there now to at least get her caught up. I do not like these kids starting school behind as what happened with Patrick and Bradley. It took Patrick 5 years to catch up and Bradley is still working through it. That's all for now folks.

Back to the grindstone

Beginning the semester while on vacation is not recommended. I'm starting off behind and feel very stressed. I was smart to get some reading done beforehand but that simply wasn't enough. I needed those 4 days to familarize myself with the classes and material. I missed two assignments due last Wednesday (geesh, we were still in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico and without internet) and despite checking in Thursday morning, afternoon and Friday afternoon, I didn't notice it until Friday night. By then I panicked and called the instructor and left her an email. I absolutely despise leaving a bad first impression like that. I felt lower than dirt. Also, I was given the wrong textbook and had to exhange it Saturday morning. Meaning, that was another wasted trip to the bookstore. I'm feeling better now and already have this week's assignments finished in that class and we were just given them yesterday. I made a 95 on my first test in there also. Now I'm still behind in my other 3 classes though. So I must return to my studies quickly.

My ship has come in

In desperation, I ordered my textbooks online last Thursday. I got an email Friday night showing the order was filled. I'm going down there to pick them up as soon as Bailey wakes up. I know the order should be complete but until I get them all in my fat little hands, I'm not holding my breath. Oh my goodness, if they are truly in I am all set. That is one huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I almost can't wait to get down there and pick them up so I'll know for sure without this false sense of hope looming over me.

In the meantime, I'm busy packing and preparing for our trip. We will be gone for 10days but I only want to pack for 5 days and anticipate washing clothes 2-3 times while we are on the road. I don't know if we have enough clothes for 10 full days away. Even if we did, I don't know if our cabin on the ship will accomodate that many clothes either.

I can't believe summer break is practically over. It went by so fast. The pools close in less than a month and then the cooler nights return.

Grrrr

Why is it that I drive 40 miles to the school bookstore to buy books hoping to save a few dollars in the long run and they have nothing for me to buy? The two books I need are not in stock. On top of that, I also attempted to sell back my books from summer but they do not do book buy-back on Saturday. I was going to buy the Geology lab kit but it is exempt from the tax-free holiday since it is over $100. I left empty handed (well, except for my old books) and Bailey struck gold with yet another chocolate candy bar for her persistant patience with me. Realizing that I had just wasted another $20, I was about in tears. At least I faired better on my trip to JCPenney for shoes (they were all on clearance) and Walmart for a birthday present (we found tons of toys on clearance). Seriously, I would buy my books from Amazon but they don't carry either one of these. I'm still fuming!

I am so upset! In nine days we are heading south for our vacation. This is the only time we can take a vacation as a family this year due to our school and work schedules. Our last scheduled event is my family reunion on Sunday and we are free until school starts. Little did I know back in January when we were scheduling this trip that my school would start back while I am on the cruise (the school calendar for 2008-2009 was not available at that time). Now I may not be able to purchase my last two textbooks until the 23rd while classes start on the 18th. I am not a happy camper right now! In my attempts to get ahead of the game, I did get my first assignment for Geology so that I can at least get the reading part done for that class. It would be nice if I can do the same for the History class since I already have that book as well.

Other than that dilemma, I am really enjoying this break! I am well-rested. I have cleaned house. I have the boys schoolwork for the past year in their notebooks. I shopped all the clearance sales that I needed to. The boys are geared up for soccer. I have almost all my shopping done for the cruise. I just need to get our medications together and we will be set. It would be a bonus if I could finish my de-cluttering and get some scrapbooking done as well. Oh and I even wrapped Bailey's birthday presents and saved two for the cruise since her third birthday will be on the 20th, while we are still on the boat. Life is good right now but once we return home from this vacation, it will be very chaotic since I'll be behind in schoolwork, Bailey's birthday stuff, and getting the boys' ready for school.

Another Marathon Completed

It's hard to believe I have just finished another marathon. I am realizing that it is difficult winding down afterwards. I am going as fast as I can despite feeling completely worn down and then bam, it's all over. I can handle the start up fairly easy since we start off with orientation and then start really getting hit hard a bit later but going wide open at the very end makes it hard for me to settle back into a normal routine. I'm now waiting for my final grades to appear but I finished well above a 100 in both classes. Once again, I can't believe I worked so hard when it wasn't completely necessary but it is just how I am. I completed every bit of extra credit even though I didn't need any of it. It has been that way for every extra credit assignment I have done thus far. I really need to chill out more! If I am not applying myself 100% all the time, I stress that I am not working hard enough. Somebody slap me!

Anyway, we are now working on preparing for our cruise. I'm spending extra time with the kids doing fun things for them everyday now. I'll try to keep this up until we get off the cruise ship and by then, my classes will already be back in session. Fall classes start on Aug. 18th and I'm signed up for History, Psychology, Spanish, and Geology. This will be the heaviest semester so far with 13 credit hours but after this, it should be a bit easier unless I push myself for 12 credits in the spring. It's hard to believe I still have 3 more years of this to go but at the same time, I'm amazed with how far I have come and how much I have learned. Now I understand the true meaning of what a well-rounded education is and can appreciate for what it is truly worth. Seriously, every child should have this opportunity if they desire it regardless of academic history. This is how the community college system is designed, to give everyone the same opportunity. Well, I'm doing this now and now is definitely better than never so I'll continue to drudge through this and absorb every ounce of it that I can.

Camping with Homework

I am not so sure if I recommend attempting this task again. Surrounded in an unfamiliar setting, using my laptop that dh has taken over (which by the way is a whole nother complaint), and not being able to escape into a separate room each made this almost impossible. It was easier reading my book without my internet dictionary and being interrupted every other sentence than trying to get any research accomplished. Then we have the added disruptions of all the storms coming through. Geesh, it doesn't rain for a month and the one weekend we decide to take a trip and it storms ove and over and over. Poor puppy is suffering from diahrrea, a swollen mouth, and swollen eye (she couldn't even open it). I just don't know if this trip was really worth all the hassel. I would have much preferred to stay home and take this trip in August after I'm done with this summer schedule. Now I'm really concerned about how I'm going to handle the first week of class for fall semester on the road too. Obviously I have plenty of planning to do before then!

Summer Semester

You can tell it has been chaotic since I haven't posted since this semester started. The American Literature class seems a bit challenging since it is so abstract to me. I can read and read this stuff but always wonder whether or not I understood the full concept. It is very confusing and I get frustrated because a lot of the others seem to breeze right through it. I read it, then browse through some educational links online and then form my own conclusions. Good thing I don't want to teach this type of class! The humanities class is much easier and more on my level so far. It is very similar to Sociology and since I am still winding down from that class, this is like an extension of it although on a smaller scale.

I'm ready to get this semester over with though. I'm so tired and only half-way done. I dread the fall semester but it might be my last heavy load in the online program here. I'm going to try to complete another two classes next summer so I will only have 0-2 classes to finish up next fall in 2009.

In the meantime, I have brought up the Amazon Kindle product and questioned why we are in an online degree program but buy books that we can only use once and then are deemed useless and tossed into the landfill. I am hoping with continued harrassment, I can convince them this is the route they need to consider for the future.