That's a loaded question... I'm not even gonna mention the aspect of having a full-time or kids in this post.
Online school looks a lot like this:
Reading and reading and reading. Seems like that part never ends. It's all for a good reason, don't get me wrong. We need to read about these topics to better understand and gain foundational knowledge. Then we start on the assignments where we apply that knowledge. All of that is the standard Grad School rigamarole that you come to know and expect.
Here's a few things I didn't quite prepare for....
1) A fridge full of energy drinks. At 31 years old, I thought I left my energy drink days behind me. Boy was I wrong. Don't get me wrong, I'm a solid 4 cup of coffee a-day drinker. I gotta have my caffeine. But I thought for sure I wouldn't be purchasing these again.
2) The potatoes of my childhood. I couldn't go more than a couple of days without eating these or the dreaded hamburger helper. We legitimately had an entire cabinet dedicated to the stuff in my house. I hadn't even thought about these until the other day when I was crunched for time. I always make potato dishes from scratch. I needed something easy. I had neither the time nor energy to peel potatoes. So I set a pickup order for these bad boys.
3) Dropping BIG bucks on a new monitor..... okay, okay. Maybe this wasn't a necessity. But hear me out. It's sooooooooo amazing being able to put 3, yes you read that right, THREE, different internet windows on one monitor and not have to flip back and forth on my tiny laptop. So, it was definitely a good investment.
4) Needing to brush up on my prayer skills. I'm very involved in church. I fill in for teachers and nursery, we go all the time and are involved in all of the events, and that's even where I'm doing my internship. So, I'm very familiar with the ins and outs of prayer. And as a member of an Assembly of God church (which if you're unfamiliar - believes in the tenets of Pentecost), we're all about spiritual gifts of prayer. There was something about the unsettling nature of using social media - and so much of it (that I've since warmed up to) that had me reaching for this Bible study for reassurance. I think when we're in times of uncertainty, stress, or just have a lot of moving pieces going on, it's nice to have faith to lean into. **P.S. Not to be preachy, but if you want to, I'd love to talk to you about it :)
I loved the Pinterest post you created, and it gave us an inside look into what online graduate student time consists of. You are a trooper with how you are managing your online presence and taking grad classes! I will brush up on my prayer skill, too, to make it through this journey!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post here. As someone who returned to a full-time study program after 10 years, I am also very surprised by the amount of readings and discussions that we have to do. (Not adding the amount of social media platforms in this course) Being an international student myself, I always tell myself it's more than just pursuing a graduate degree, rather it's enjoying the entire experience of being abroad and soaking in the diverse culture! I'm glad for your active online presence in the social media platforms that's making the discussions lively!
ReplyDeleteI can't stop laughing at "Online grad school looks like cheesy scalloped potatoes" because it's too true!!! Half the time I'm the one looking like a potato!!!
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