New semester Last semester

Hello nontraditional students. I know, I know it has been forever since I posted a Post. I don’t know if it is because I am older or if it is because I generally don’t have much time to spare but I am guilty. The good news is that I’m posting a post today and hope to get back into a regular habit of it…here goes:

The upcoming semester – Fall/2011 – will be my last here at CCU. You can’t see my facial expression nor can you feel my excitement but believe you me I am very excited. I have been pursuing my higher education since 2006, so it is time and I am ready to quit being a student. Graduate school you ask – let’s not discuss that yet.

Preparing for the upcoming semester has its ups and downs. On the upside this is the last time I have to prepare for an upcoming semester. The main downside is that I have to review all my notes and determine whether or not to continue saving them. For me most of my archived notes have been used and have been helpful so I’ll probably end up keeping most of them. I wonder what I’ll do with my notes after I graduate? I’ve never had to wonder what a graduate does with their college stuff so that will be interesting: what will I keep, how long will I keep what I’m keeping, and why do I want to keep what I’m keeping…to name a few wonders.

Anyway, another upside to this upcoming last semester is not purchasing another book bag, satchel, postcarrier bag, roller book bag, huge pocketbook, or some other type of bag that holds my computer, books, notes, etc. I guess this also means that I can get rid of the old ones with half a handle or a broken zipper. Good, less clutter!

So, in just a few more days I’ll be walking into the classroom of my first class of my last semester. All of the classes I am taking are interesting and I’m sure I’ll enjoy them. It will be sad though – even though I’ll be the only one that knows it – and happy at the same time. I have thoroughly enjoyed attending classes and doing my best to produce quality work. My last semester I got 3 B’s and only 1 A for the first time since 2006 and it really made my GPA drop. Most assuredly I will be doing whatever I possibly can to turn those B’s back into A’s.

Some of you might be saying what about B’s, that’s great, you don’t have to make all A’s, etc. etc. I know all that too, but as a nontraditional student I want to do better than just do good, I feel like I have to do better and if at all possible make the A’s. Even though you don’t put your transcript on a resume I would still feel better personally if I knew that I was able to produce top-rated work. That is not to say that I didn’t give all my classes last semester my best because I did. But, I kind of let other issues come in to play and let them take precedence over my own work. That won’t be happening any longer!

So, off I go into the wild CCU wander to discover all that is experienced as a student. Nope, that’s not right, I forgot I am a nontraditional student so I will experience all that is offered to one such as myself – which is what I want it to be. In the meantime I will continue to work hard at the Women’s Resource Center.  We have so much planned every week so it will be exciting to watch/participate.

Take care all and happy CCU trails!

Female Nontraditional Student – Are you?

Every nontraditional student has their own standpoint but I believe that female nontraditional students (probably) have more to say than the males. So, if you are female nontraditional, please share with me some of the issues you have in attending CCU. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!

Otwotwofour

Today I participated in the Nutrition and Well Being Fair today until 12:20. I got there early enough to help the  leaders and other participants to set up. The day was on the cooler side but it did not rain which was good as more students were able to come out and enjoy the various activities. 

There were all sorts of areas set up from a healthy food station, to playing games, to learning about healthy (and delicious) food options, to dancing , and many more. The students were able to earn tickets at the station and with which they purchased food and/or a t-shirt and exercise die. I assisted at the t-shirt/die tent and had a great time. The t-shirts had a drawing of people on the front stating that the beach is for every”body” – they were no sizes – and the back of the shirts students could fill it in: ”I love my _______.” It was fun to observe the way people looked for sizes and tried to find one that would best fit their body. Also, I enjoyed seeing how they filled in the blank – my favorite was “self” because not only was that a witty response the student was very creative and decorated it with bright/happy colors. Everyone seemed to have a great deal of confidence with their body – either that or they just wanted a free t-shirt.

The fun item we gave with the t-shirts was an exercise die – it was an item that I’d never seen before and I don’t believe anyone else had either. The idea behind it is to roll the die  and do whatever exercise it landed on, such as: go for a walk, yoga, etc. Of course for those who don’t want to use it that way it would make an excellent paper weight too but I hope that it is used the way it is intended. I know that, as for myself, many times I don’t really want to exercise and since I can’t decide what to do I just don’t do any exercising. So, for people with a similar need for that extra push the die is a fun solution. 

The Nutrition and Well Being Fair was a big success from what I witnessed, everyone seemed to benefit from at least one of the stations. This was my first official day of volunteering with the S.H.O.R.E. club and I look forward to the next event. I have to say that everyone was so nice, interesting, and fun to be around. I really enjoyed everything from the healthy snack, to watching the students earn their tickets, to the extra added bonus of watching the Trikers swerve throughout the fair. I found out that there is actually a class for Triking - imagine that! I bought one a couple of years ago but returned it because there were not enough places for me to ride it and I thought everyone would think I’d really flipped. I was lots of fun to ride though – you use the same principles of skating and riding a bike and skiing all rolled up into one piece of equipment. Anyway, I might have to check that class out – it would be fun to Trike around the campus for an hour.

In conclusion I have to say that I did not see or notice any other nontraditional female students or males for that matter. Once again I wonder where the nontraditional students are – there are a lot of them somewhere around CCU, I just have to find them. This reminds me that a Women’s Resource Center has opened up, Room 311 at the Wall Building – I hope it is a success and that all the women on campus will respond and take advantage of everything it has to offer.

Until the next time, happy CCU trails!

Article in The Chanticleer 02/22/10

NONTRADITIONALLY TRADITIONAL

Hello, my name is Paige and I am a student here at CCU; a nontraditional student to be exact, majoring in Communication. This article is to raise awareness of nontraditional students, to provide an open forum for both traditional and nontraditional students, and to embrace the positive aspects of the diversity on our campus.

            Speaking of nontraditional, just what does nontraditional mean? Nontraditional means anything other than what is considered normal or typical. For a student to be considered typical, they would attend college following high school graduation. The nontraditional student is anyone who attends any time other than that; or over the age of 21. This leaves a broad range of students who fit into the nontraditional status, even here at CCU.

            The CCU Undergraduate Demographic Reports for 2008 and 2009, provided by the Institutional Research, Assessment and Analysis Department, provides information regarding the CCU student makeup. While the majority of students fit into the traditional status, non-traditional students in 2009 represent 29%. This can be further broken down to reflect that students ranging in age 22-25 make up 21.34% and students aged  26+ make up 7.7%. 

            Additionally, an interesting fact from the reports show the majority of students are female. CCU, in 2008, had a total of 7,573 students, 4,008 were female (52.9%); 443 more (or 5.89%) females than males. Likewise in 2009, CCU had a total of 7,920 students, 4,220 were female (53.28%); 520 more (or 6.5%) females than males. As you can see, there are myriad issues and questions that could be posed and pondered for those who care to do so, such as: Why should I care about nontraditional students?; Why do they go to college?; Does it matter if I communicate with a nontraditional student?; Are there more female nontraditional students than males?

Obviously CCU diversity is vast with matching issues and questions. I venture to guess that everyone here has been enlightened with a new idea/subject/issue/fact and eagerly looks for the next. If this sounds like you then you are hereby invited to join me in such a quest and hopefully we will all enjoy the journey and use it in all aspects of our lives.

Why should CCU nontraditional and traditional students talk with one another?

Of course I have my reasons but I would like to hear yours – please submit your comment. We will go from there!

Thank you!

What do nontraditional and traditional students have to say to one another?

What you ask? What isn’t there to talk about with one another I say. Hello is always a good starting point. Beyond that I’m not quite sure because I am a nontraditional female student who is new to everything from blogging, to the best way to get from one building to another before a class starts, to how invisible I can make myself but still be a successful and contributing student.

Living this nontraditional female student role is tough but I am not asking for sympathy, nor am I here to interefere with the traditional student experience either. Perhaps this blog will open the flood gates and we can all learn something about what to say.