Othreeothree

March! It is the first of MARCH, can you believe it? I can’t because that means that there are only a couple more months left in this semester. Just about everyone is having their mid-term exams this week. Of course this means lots of cramming for each course on materials that you should have reviewed right after each class and a few minutes on each day. If one follows the proper study/time management and stress management strategies then one would not have to panic so much when the exam days come along!

I always have the best intentions for doing what I know to be the best way to study and retain/train my brain to remember everything I just heard/learned in a lecture. I also know the best way to be prepared for exams – study a few minutes each day or at least a few times each week. The problems I encounter with these techniques are that I always seem to be putting out fires, either with an assignment or personal life, and put the proven and best things for me on the back burner. Regardless of my mishaps with these techniques I will continue to write them in my calendar and plan on following them. Hopefully I will be able to retrain myself to doing this as the benefits from doing so are far greater than not.

Anyway folks, life has been very busy and my time to do anything for me or my studies has been quite limited in the past week. I doubt many traditional students can relate to caring for a parent while attending school on a full-time basis but this is what I do. Well, let me tell you that I would not trade spending as much time with my mother for anything, but it does leave time to tend to me lacking. It reminds me of when my children were younger and couldn’t wait for me to get home, their first comment was always: “what are you cooking for dinner tonight?” Many times I got a kiss and/or hug with the question so that made it really nice. My point is that no matter their age, they were waiting for me and when I stepped in the door I was mom. After they were safely in their bed is when I could take care of everything else that needed to be done but rarely was there time for me to do something just for me. Most likely you too will experience those wonderful days of taking care of everyone and everything before yourself – that is what mom’s are supposed to do, right? Well, this is what children do for their parents too – at least I do and plan to do until I am forced not to any longer. And just like with my children I will enjoy as many moments as I can and try to keep my stress at bay because she will one day, just like the children, be gone with only memories to fill my heart. 

Life always has a way to keep on moving forward, even if you haven’t the time to finish what you were doing before what you are doing now. In addition to the exams this week I am panicking about the papers that are going to be due in a few weeks and the ones that will be due after that. I am always worrying about things before they even happen – which is just one more issue I have to work on improving! Exams, papers, studying, caring for another are all rewarding to me, despite the anxiety. Sometimes when I find myself getting too anxious I just sit with my mother,  just to be in her presence; because no matter how old I get I always want my mama when I don’t feel so good, you know what I mean?

Good luck to you and your studying and exams, happy CCU trails!

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!

Otwotwoone

This past week CCU hosted a Celebration of Inquiry series for students to attend and to learn about the challenges of today; such as with the “Risks, Responsibilities and Rewards.”  There were many different sessions to attend and they were offered at various times and locations.

Thursday, instead of being able to attend the sessions I wanted I spent the day completing an assignment. For me, completing assignments are very difficult; not because of the assignment but because of me. As a nontraditional student, and I speak only for myself, it takes a great deal longer than it does atypical traditional student. While it might take a traditional student a few hours to put together a paper of 3 to 6 pages I spend approximately 12 to 25 hours on it. How crazy is that! I know it is but I cannot help myself – I obsess on the document and constantly edit it before it I can even get it completed. This is my own fault and is only one idiosyncrasy of mine but it is one that I feel cursed to carry out, no matter the inconvenience it causes.

Okay, now for the Celebration of Inquiry session that attended – I finally got to the campus Friday and attended S.H.O.R.E. To cut down on the possible hours I could spend on this blog, I’ll copy the information I posted for one of my classes about the session, immediately following my setup.

Setup: I rushed to school because I was running late but somehow  managed to – in one hour mind you: stop for a much-needed strong cup of coffee, then stopped at the post office to purchase 1 stamp (only to find out it was not even open yet), and drive through the early morning traffic at only 5 to 7 miles over the speed limit, and finally arrived at CCU. Surprisingly I was able to find a parking spot quickly, and rushed to the classroom for the S.H.O.R.E. session (getting the correct room the first try is quite remarkable sometimes).

Okay, I walk in expecting the room to be full but find less than 20 people. What was awkward, as a nontraditional female student, was to enter when the speaker was discussing the topic of safe sex (I’ll pause here for your laughter).  I’m a mature person and I can handle the sex talking stuff but it was just uncomfortable to sit there with students younger than my own children. The speakers helped me overcome my fears though because they were so informative and interesting. But still, I mean really I’m 48 for goodness sakes and just sat there wondering if I somehow got the wrong room or session or the schedule was wrong or something! Finally the safe sex topic ended when they handed out the protective items (although I politely passed I was happy to see that everyone else  accepted).  Alrighty then, here is what I posted for a class: 

S.H.O.R.E. stands for Students Helping Others Reach Excellence.
First I would like to say that the students that led the session did an EXCELLENT job. Even when some of the topics were a little uncomfortable they persevered and did great with each one of them.
Some of the topics covered: Safe Sex (with handouts), Party Safe (with handouts), Smart Ride (with handouts), Choice, Time Management, Stress Management, and Smart Choice Pledge. Additionally, we played a couple games, did some exercises, received t-shirts, a Smart Ride card, a Smart Choice magnet, and of course some candy.
In closing I would like to share the information on the Smart Choice magnet: 1. Protect the Rooster 2. Take ownership 3. It’s about me 4. It’s about others 5. Prioritize activities 6. Eat the frog 7. Persevere.

Truly by the time I left the classroom I was so impressed by S.H.O.R.E.’s mission that I volunteered to assist in the Well Being Fair to be held February 24th in the Prince Lawn. I hope that you will take the time to come by and participate in anything that this club has to offer as I guarantee that it will be worth your time!

Thank you and happy CCU trails!

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.