Thinking of going back to school but dread the thought of sitting in a classroom for hours at a time?  Are you a full-time worker with a family who just doesn’t know how to squeeze a college education into your already busy life?    If so, then the online college experience is definitely for you.

As an online student for the past ten years or so, earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree, and currently preparing for a second Master’s, I have seen the successes and failures of many of my classmates in the online environment.    They sign up for an online program thinking it will be an easy way to get a degree, when in fact, the online venue is perhaps the most difficult way of earning a degree.  Unfortunately, there are “diploma mills” all over the place – institutions that will give you a passing grade no matter what just to give you the diploma.  But if you find a reputable college that offers online classes, do yourself a favor and take that step; I promise you won’t regret it and will discover parts of yourself you didn’t know were there.

During my own journey, I discovered many things about myself – things other people told me I had, but I never allowed myself to see.  I’ve put together a list of what I believe to be the top five traits needed to succeed in the online environment.  If you don’t have them when you begin, I promise you will by the time you get that diploma.

1.     Drive – If you are going to make the most out of this method of learning you have got to WANT to learn. Don’t just take classes thinking you’ll breeze through – trust me, you won’t.  But you have to be willing to work hard and put in the time to earn that degree.

2.     A Set Schedule – This will be difficult at first as you will have to find your niche within your daily/weekly schedule. All online classes have both an attendance and participation requirement; for example, you are given two to three weekly discussion questions that you must respond to by a specific day or days in the week.  You then have until the end of the class week to respond to at least two of your classmates.   A response must consist of “critical thought” – you will be told this in every class until you are tired of hearing it, but you’d be surprise how many of your classmates try to get by with as little as possible.  You will also have some type of written assignment or quiz – possibly both, depending on the class that will usually be due on the final day of the week; therefore it will take you some time to figure out how to work this additional responsibility into your life.

3.     Commitment – In case you haven’t figured it out yet, commitment is a BIGGIE when it comes to online learning. Unlike traditional brick and mortar colleges, you are not physically surrounded by students and a professor encouraging and at times pushing you to do the work. This time it’s all on you and there is no one else to blame if the work isn’t done.

4.     An Open Mind – You are going to meet all kinds of students in an online environment ranging from kids just out of high school to adults will families and full-time jobs to military personnel. I even had a class where one of my classmates was 71 years old!  Yes, 71 and she kept up with all of us!  You will be exposed to different cultures, ethnicities, religions, genders and sexual orientations in the online world; therefore, acceptance of others is key and if you don’t already, you will learn to understand everyone’s opinions and differences.

5.     Belief in yourself – This was a biggie for me, as obtaining a college degree, especially with the discipline required for this path, made me feel that adrenaline of accomplishment. You have to see yourself do it and know that you have what it takes to do this on your own.  It will not be an easy road, but you will be thankful and if that belief wasn’t there before, it will be when you are done.

As I said this will not be easy; it is not a walk in the park and if you are expecting to log into class and do a half-ass job, you will be sorely disappointed.   You might as well toss your money – along with yourself – out the window because that is exactly would you’d be doing – throwing your money and your future away.   However, if you take the experience seriously, do the work and create the friendships that are inevitably formed during college life, you will have tools to help you in your next phase in life – no matter where you go.

Coming Up Next….What does a typical class week look like and how do I get through it?

The Starfish Story
Adopted from “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eisley

One morning a man was walking along the seashore. He noticed that during the night many seashells and starfish had washed upon the beach. Thoroughly enjoying the morning sun and cool sea air, the man walked for miles.

As he strolled along, he noticed a small figure that seemed to be dancing in the distance. It made him chuckle to think of someone celebrating life in such an open and uninhibited way. As he drew closer, however, it became apparent to him that the figure was not dancing. Instead, she seemed to be repeatedly performing some type of ritual or action.
He drew nearer still and noticed that this small figure was a child. She was carefully picking up starfish and tossing them into the surf. He was puzzled and struck by the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish… many of them were sure to perish.

The man paused for a moment and then asked, “Why are you throwing these starfish?”
“It is high tide,” she replied, “If I leave them on the beach, the morning sun will soon dry them and they will die. I am throwing them into the ocean to save them – so they can live.” The man considered her naive actions, impressed with the child’s thoughtfulness. Then he motioned up and down the miles of the beach. “There are thousands of starfish along here,” he said, “You cannot possibly make a difference.”

The young girl stopped. With childlike wisdom the she politely listened to the man’s words. Her face darkened. She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip, “You’re probably right,” she said softly. She looked down at the sand. Then she bent down, carefully picked up another starfish and threw it gently into the sea, far past the breaking waves. With a tone of gentle defiance, she said, “But I did make a difference for that one.”

Do you think you have the ability to make a difference as the little girl did in this story? Could the small things you do each day make a big difference? Sometimes we fail to realize the power that we have within ourselves to reach, stretch, grow, and support others along the way.
Remember that each and every one of us is here on this amazing earth to serve a purpose and to make a difference in the lives of those around us…not one individual is insignificant and no random acts of kindness are too small.
Is it possible that the little things you do could make a huge difference to someone else? Could that little bit of difference make all of the difference in the world? Do these small things determine who we are, who we will become, and what we stand for in this world?
Has anyone ever made a significant difference in your life without knowing the impact that he or she had on you? Many times we do not know the difference that we may have on the lives of another person (either positive or negative) – but you have to keep faith that even if in some small way, your efforts have made a positive difference. Keep in mind that having this perspective and approach to life will have a positive impact on your own life too.

They say that a sequel is never better than the original; however, this is not the case with the thrill ride that is Freak.  Dr. Sheila Tao is back recovering from her injuries sustained when Ethan kidnapped her.  She and Morris are trying to find their way back to each other and ultimately her job at Puget Sound State University is put on the line.  But if she thought her nightmare was over , she was dead wrong.  Someone new, but familiar is after her and is out for revenge.

Like her first novel, Creep, the story took some time to get into, but not as long as the first.  The twists and turns after the first ten chapters or so don’t stop and although an avid reader of mysteries will figure out the surprise that Hillier has planned, the roller coaster to get there is a one hell of a trip.

SB/2014

While I have never been a particularly religious person, I do believe in God and I know there is a plan for all of us that will become clear at some point in our lives.

We have all had bad days and at times may wonder if in fact there is a God – I know I have in the past, but anytime I have those feelings, I read the story below and it reminds me of the saying “Man plans, God laughs.” I hope you enjoy it as it is a good reminder for all of us that we may want what we want, but it may not necessarily be what is best for us. Peace!
_____________________________________________________________________________

Me: God, can I ask You a question?
God: Sure

Me: Promise You won’t get mad
God: I promise

Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do you mean?

Me: Well, I woke up late
God: Yes

Me: My car took forever to start
God: Okay

Me: At lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait
God: Yes

Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call
God: All right

Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn’t work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?

God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that
Me (humbled): OH

God: I didn’t let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed)

God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn’t want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn’t afford to miss work
Me (embarrassed):Okay

God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn’t even let you talk to them so you would be covered.
Me (softly): I see God

God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn’t think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I’m Sorry God

God: Don’t be sorry, just learn to Trust Me…. in All things , the Good & the bad.
Me: I will trust You.

God: And don’t doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.
Me: I won’t God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.

God: You’re welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children…