Great Expectations

I think one of my biggest challenges is my expectation of myself. I really beat myself up when I do not do as well as I could have. I hate it when I make careless mistakes. I am getting better though. I have learned to read instructions carefully and take my time completeing assignments. Another challenge I have faced is time management. I have taken control of that however. When I first started classes I felt guilty when I would use my free time in school and not with my kids now I do both. I let them get involved, I made them their own notebooks and gave them their own "school books" and we do homework together. I also got them their own little laptops (vtech) and they go to class with me too. It is a lot of fun. I get a lot more done and hopefully they are learning good study habits. As far as challenges go though I welcome them, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can complete them. Life is funny how it all works out, when I was in high school I wish I would have realized how important my education really was, I would have gone to college or maybe had more ambition towards a career. I was raised in a little town in Kentucky and our biggest goal was to get married, start having kids and let a man take care of you. It was a huge eye opener when we moved near Chicago. Needless to say, I did not go back to school I got a glamorous job waitressing and then bartending. I met my husband and we got married when I was 29. My family had declared me an old maid til then. Now here I am in my mid 30's and have two wonderful little girls that I want to give the world to. So... bartending and waitressing for me is not gonna get it. I want to have a career I can go to have a steady schedule and be able to share my life with my family not just co-exist.

Only my opinion

I think that being an online student has given me a lot more flexibility in my schedule. I went to a ground school before I moved to Ma and I hated leaving my kids with a baby sitter, driving back and forth to school, getting up and rushing around in the morning and trying to get my assignments finished in one evening. Anyone who has kids or just a lot going on in general would have a hard time focusing on reading or doing homework. I like being able to plan my day out and list which tasks need to be finished now and which can wait. I love being able to spend more time with my husband and little girls. It feels wonderful when they come running into my room every morning and climb up in bed with me. I don't have to tell them I have to leave them. If I feel like staying in pajammas all day it does not matter, no one can see what I am wearing. I do not have to fight with traffic or worry about stopping for gas. It has become such a pleasure to be a student. I think the online environment is the best decision I could have made to further my education and benefit my family at the same time. I do not regret my choice.

Week 2

I must say, this class has so far been the most interesting I have taken so far. I don't know how many of you know but I am not a tech person. I do not have a great grasp of computers but I do like to figure things out. I was a little hesitant about this blog page but I am feeling a little more comfortable. I really like the idea of free writing to the world. They can either read it or not. I can vent or celebrate without worry. It does seem to take some of the pressure off. I really liked creating the page in general. Well I have research to get started and class tonight so I will go for now.