First Term Almost Done

My first "term" at Kaplan is almost over.  My last day of this term is October 5.  My next "term" starts October 13.  This term started out as a bit of a challenge, but it got better.  When it started, the kids hadn't started back to school yet, so I had 3 weeks of trying to take care of them while attending my online seminars, studying, and doing my work.  I was able to get through it by doing school work before they woke up, and then again after they went to bed.  Once they started back to school, it was much easier since I then had the 2 hours every day that B is at school to do.  I have also had the trouble of knowing at times when to just walk away from school work at times.  But I have learned that I can not spend all of my free of the kids time studying, I also need some of that as "me" time.  With only a little over a week to go of this term, I am still keeping my "A" average in both classes.

One of my final projects is to interview an attorney, then write up a summary on that interview along with my thoughts on it, etc.  I had one attorney agree weeks ago to the interview.  But after he agreed, I never could get through to him to set up an appointment to do the interview.  So I had to call around to several other attorney offices to find one that would agree.  Out of the 20 or so that I called and/or left messages for, only 1 called me back.  Now I need to actually write up the summary.

Like I said before, my next "term" starts October 13.  My next two classes will be College Composition I and Introduction to Legal Technology.   I am so not looking forward to the Comp class considering I hate to write essays.  The Legal Tech class may be okay though.

Kids' School & Mine

All 3 kids are in school now.  R is now in the 4th grade.  School is school to him.  He doesn't want to go, but he knows he has to.  C is in Kindergarten.  She doesn't want to wake up in the mornings, and throws a fit every single morning about not wanting to go.  The only thing she says she likes about school is her cousin, J, is in her class.  B is in Early Childhood.  He doesn't want to go in the mornings either, but once his ride gets here he is ready to go.  And comes home everyday saying he had fun.  So far all 3 kids are doing good in school.

I have just a few weeks left in this term for my classes.  I survived midterm week with a B on both my midterms.  Even with the B on my midterms, I am still carrying an A average in both classes.  Of course, that is always subject to change in the next few weeks with finals, but all I can do is my best.

Week 2

I survived another week of my online classes towards my degree.  One of my assignments for week 2 was a 500 word paper.  Not a long one, but I still stressed over it just the same.  That's just the way I am.  When I got my grade back on it, my jaw dropped.  Out of a possible 75 points, I got 75 points!  I had gotten a 100% on my paper, I couldn't believe it.  I ended week 2 carrying an A average in both my classes.  I know that can always change though, and all I can do is my best when it comes to my assigments.  I like the look of my A's though, so I will do my best to try to keep my grades that way!  Of course, it doesn't hurt that these are also introductory courses.  I know the further I get into my program, the harder the classes will be.  But I am up for that challenge!

The kids start school next week.  R & C start Tuesday...R in 4th grade and C in Kindergarten.  B starts Wednesday in Pre-K.  I can't believe my baby is starting school already!  B will only be in school for 2 hours and 15 minutes a day, but I am looking forward to that time alone so I can use it for my own studying

Week 1 of Classes

As I mentioned in my last post, I decided to go back to school.  My first round of classes started the 28th and will last for 10 weeks.  I will then have 8 days off before my next round of classes starts.

This "term" I am taking Eight Effective Skills of the Legal Studies Student and The Paralegal Professional.  So far I like both classes.  They are taking some getting used to though.  The online classroom is so different from a traditional classroom, just as one would expect them to be.  Even if I was taking traditional classes though, it would still take some getting used to considering the only time I have been in a classroom in the last 12 years is for parent/teacher conferences for my children.

The first week of class hasn't offically ended yet, but I have gotten all of my assignments finished.  This first week saw the first essay of this back to school experience.  I was stressing over the essay big time.  The essay was only 300-400 words, which is really short.  And the topic was my ideal career.  Should have been easy, right.  But I stressed over it so bad.  I don't have a lot of confidence in my writing skills.  I think they suck big time.  But with the help of a friend physically asking me questions to get me brainstorming, I was able to write the essay.  Even though I thought it sucked majorly, I submitted it to my instructor.  My instructor apparently didn't think it was as horrible as I thought it was because out of 85 possible points, I got 73 (no, that is not percentage, that is points)!  Like I said, I think my essay skills suck horribly, so I was thrilled with that grade.

Since I am done with the assignments for the first week, I have reviewed the material again, and have now started some of the reading assignments for the second week for both courses.

Back To School

R & C are ready to go back to school, and B is ready to start school.  In fact, C was upset the other night because school won't start right now.  All 3 of them will have to wait though, since they don't go back until August 17.  R will be going into 4th grade, C into full day Kindergarten, and B into Pre-K for a whole 2 hours and 15 minutes a day.

I, on the other hand, am a different story.  I have been talking for a few years about going back to school, but I have finally buckled down and took that plunge.  My classes start in 7 days!  I will be going for my Associates in Paralegal Studies (but do plan on getting a bachelors sometime after that), through Kaplan University.  I will be taking 2 classes online every 10 weeks, with 8 days off in between. 

I know it will be a challenge, but I am up for it.  I plan on doing my work and studying while B is in school for his 2 hours and 15 minutes a day, then do some more after all 3 kids are in bed for the night.  And since the kids are now spending weekends with their dad, that gives me all weekend to myself to study.  So I should be able to get in quite a bit of study time...at least once the kids start school next month.  Until they go back to school the plan is to get up a little earlier in the mornings to get some studying done before they wake up, then do some after they go to bed, and on weekends.  Since C & B love to sleep in, it should be no problem having some study time in the mornings.

So I will be blogging about the joys, challanges, etc that come from being a F/T mom and student 

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