In January of this year I enrolled back in college nearly 16 years after I attended my last class. I was just two semesters short of graduating when I quit school. It wasn't really a rebellious thing when I left. I didn't leave angry and beat up my teachers on the way out like you'd see in a Twisted Sister video. It was just the stress of competing with starting a family, getting a job, and jumping into the real world.Since starting school again I have felt a little out of place with so many younger classmates and even felt like Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School on a few occasions. One of my professors is younger than me. I'm envious of the younger students who spend all day on campus studying and that is all they have to focus on. The hardest part for me has been trying to fit in 15.5 credit hours of classes while working full time. With the exception of one class I take during my lunch break I have not been unable to attend any of my classes more than a couple times a month. Now that's a recipe for good grades!
I had a rude awakening recently when I took my first official test of the semester. I took it in the testing center and I knew things were bad when they fed the bubble sheet with my answers into the reader machine that grades it and instead of giving a score it just made the noise that Pac Man makes when he dies.
Being in school has made it difficult to keep up on my blogs. The Movie Guy and Healthy Chaka have been neglected and I've only been able to post on them about once a week. Speaking of neglect, I also have a family. I am trying to manage three blogs while working full time and in school. For a blogger that is equivalent to being a single mom and working two jobs. If you are a single mom working to jobs I didn't mean to insult you by comparing my blogging difficulties to your plight.
Last week I went to a movie review blog I have visited in the past and it just said "Going through some stuff". That was the last post over two weeks ago. Sometimes I am tempted to post a similar message and just head down to Cabo for a week, but then I remember that the show must go on... and I have no money to do so even if I wanted to. So if you see a decline in productivity, creativity, or humor just know that my posts should get better mid April when the semester is over.
10 comments:
I didn't realize you had a movie review blog. I will have to check it out.
We just got back from The International. I enjoyed it. It could have had more Jack Bauer-style torture, as most movies could, but it was still entertaining.
I am often tempted to write a post titled "I have a stressful job and a big family, so get off my case if you don't see a post every friggin' day". Yet I somehow wind up posting almost every day anyway. I think it is actually BECAUSE I have a stressful job and big family that I NEED to post as a kind of therapy.
I'll add that it also irritated me in college to see my roommates funneling beer and partying like rock stars while my sorry butt had to work. The whole "it teaches you the value of hard work" speil doesn't hold water with me. I still whine about it.
That's great you're back in school.
As the Fonz said, "Stayin' in school is cool. Whoa!"
Except for my first few credit hours, I completed my entire bachelor's degree while working, and the first half while raising a child.
It's tough, but you're almost there. And if you have to take a breather, we'll be here when you get back.
Hang in there!
Hang in there Chaka! We will understand your blogging break.
Props to you, Chaka! Good for you for returning to higher education! We love ya no matter how often you post!
I can relate to it all dude. I went to grad school when my kids were babies and felt the "Rodney Effect" on more that a few occasions.
You gotta do what you gotta do so don't worry about the blog.
Hang in there Chaka! You can do it!
Dude! You're almost through the semester. I doubt even you thought you would be able to do what you have done. Imagine how much worse it would be if you had to actually had to find a parking place on campus. Luckily, you have an amazing wife who drives you to class and attends lectures you can't attend, then brings all the notes home. I'd call that "two for the price of one." There's nothing like a good stretch.
You are doing a great job! that's ok if 'after the back to school season' you get to the 'after the back to full blogging' season. But hey, you are still doing it and I am sure it helps you and for sure it brings good laughs and thinking moments over here.
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