Finding new ways to be ahead of the curve....

If you're an online student (like me) or considering online learning, there is a way to familiarize yourself the course material before class starts. When you first log on to Blackboard, you can print out the syllabus, what material the first week's readings will cover, and any supplementary notes that you can then study and read over once more to get the material fresh in your mind. This will then help you to contribute more significantly to any discussion boards that you have in that class, and it would really help you in any homework assignments you have. Then you would do better on any tests and have an excellent understanding of the material, which would certainly help you in the long run when you get out into the working world.

So which course material have I printed out? I think you know, but I'll say it anyway: statistics. I printed out the syllabus (for keeping up with the weekly readings, assignments, and discussion boards. The first chapter was actually pretty simple, so it'll be more of a review; however, the more complex topics are what I'll give more careful attention to this time around. As Professor Feinstein pointed out--and I failed to realize when taking statistics the first time--it is truly a different course from algebra, and this is where I may have made my mistake initially (in addition to not allowing sufficient study time). Of course, I intend to take all of my studies and courses very seriously, but this will help me to get a significant head start (particularly since I already have the book and can read the required chapters before the session actually begins).

One more week....

And after that, a new session starts!!! I already have one of the books I need, so I'm going to get the other books that I need and get a head start on reading the material and posting to the discussion board. I also plan to be more active in the clubs, possibly scheduling time off to get to the West Paterson campus. I've only been to the Newark campus of Berkeley College so far, and I really want to see what the West Paterson campus looks like (I've heard that it's really beautiful). One's thing for sure, though: I won't miss the unmistakable Berkeley College logo on the building.

But back to the new session: I'm really excited (as usual; I'm probably the only one who gets this excited when a new quarter starts). As long as I keep going and don't take a break for any reason, then I'm guaranteed to finish what I started in terms of schooling. I don't want this to be like the last time I went to college; I want this to be the last stop in terms of schooling. And one other thing I've noticed is how often the alumni check in and read these blogs. That, in itself, is an encouragement to me, that they care that much about how their fellow students are doing.

New classes posted....

So I'm perusing the course documents for some of the classes that I'm taking next semester; Finance 310 actually has the slides for the first couple of chapters that we'll be going over. I am very excited to be going into a new quarter, learning new things, and "meeting" new students. This finance class looks to be dealing more with the insurance side of things, which will be pretty interesting to learn about--especially when you consider what types of insurance you'll have to buy for things such as cars, homes, and other household items like computers. I wonder if this course will delve deeper into health insurance, as well?

I will also be taking Intercultural Communication as my other Liberal Arts elective. This will be an interesting course to consider, as well, when we consider the different languages and cultures we have in the United States alone, as well as worldwide. This will also be helpful when we consider how to communicate with others on a business level in a way that gains their understanding and doesn't risk offending them.

Statistics is the one I'm concerned about, for obvious reasons, but I have faith in myself that I'll do it this time. As long as I get an understanding of the material and ask the professor for help where I need it, I'll be fine. And I'll finally see an A in the final grade column when I complete the course.

Perusing Career Servics more and more.....

I like the fact that they have guidelines for when we're out in the real world after we've graduated and we're looking for a job in our field. I like what was mentioned, too, about internships and how we should show initiative, even if we don't have anything specifically assigned to do. Another document that I've recently discovered that can help Berkeley students is the "Classic Interview Do's and Don'ts" (or, what to say or not say or do or not do). Many of us feel that we can ace an interview simply by telling the employer what we think he or she wants to hear, but it's often these very responses that can sink us before the interview is even over.

My favorite experience is the experience of the gentleman who told his prospective employer that he left his last job because his boss was a "snotty little rich kid who went to Haa-vud law school"...only to find that his prospective employer was, himself, a Harvard graduate. It also helps to do a little research on the company, a lesson learned the hard way by a young woman who interviewed for a position with Pizza Hut, which is owned by PepsiCo. When offered a beverage, she asked for a Coke; both she and the job were history.

Another thing that is common interview ettiquette--that many of us fail to even take notice of--is the thank-you notice. Even if we don't get the job, we thank the employer for his or her time and consideration, so that we may be thought of favorably the next time a job opens up with that particular firm.

So I posed the idea of a financial plan to the Finance Club....

I think it would really help us to not only get our finances together, but to get to know and encourage one another as students. In fact, I was sharing what I've learned with some of my co-workers, and they all agreed that having a financial plan makes sense in order to accomplish any goals that you've set out for yourself. When you think about it, that applies to any aspect of your life; you need a plan. That definitely applies to going back to school, as well.

Speaking of planning, I've found another way that this will help me. For the money that I don't spend on vending machine snacks, I can purchase snacks from the store to get me through the week, as well as lunch meats and drinks that would run me a fraction of the cost of what I would otherwise spend. I had brought this up online during one of the Healthy Cafe discussion boards, and the professor agreed that this was a good way to up one's finances and shrink one's waistline. The more money you spend on non-essential--okay, junk--food items, the less money you'll have and the more weight and stress you'll have (I learned all of this from reading the discussion boards at the Healthy Cafe). So this is not a New Year's resolution, but a resolution for life; I'm going to work, work, work at it until I get it right. And that continues to include the classes that I've signed up for, as well. (I feel like such a cheerleader now, rallying the students to action, but I kinda like being Berkeley's cheering section.)

I have to take Statistics again...

I'm prepared this time, though; I'll have my TI-83 ready for class, and I'm really going to make a concerted effort to understand the material better this time, as I really want to pass the course this time around. I know I'm not an idiot, but I really didn't take to the information the first time around, and it showed. I did well on some homework assignments, but for the most part, I lacked an understanding of the material. Am I embarrassed to share these things with you, Berkeley students? No, because each experience is a teaching tool for me to learn and to grow from. For instance, this term, I learned that no matter what adversities I face, I still have a goal and a vision that I want to achieve; and that I've come too far to let anything stop me now. I've invested time and energy into making sure that I don't make the same mistake of jumping ship when things get hectic. Again--and this bears repeating--this can help one to develop a strong work ethic.

I'm basically done with Finance for this term, with the exception of a discussion board and a survey that I have to complete. I could've done better on my financial plan, but I can always review and adjust it for future use. I will always take what I've learned from this class and put it to good use, because the information that I obtained is invaluable. In fact, anyone can benefit from the practical information found in both the textbook readings and the financial plans. And the discussions were always very interesting and spirited; apparently, I'm not the only one who can benefit more from bringing lunch to work and healthy snacks, as opposed to frequenting the vending machine. I look forward to what the new quarter will bring.

Finance has been an eye-opener....

So we just discussed our weekly log that we've been keeping in Finance class, and the opportunity costs associated with what we've decided to spend money on. I discovered, first of all, that I spend WAY too much money on junk foods and/or snacks. Over the course of eleven weeks, I spent a whopping total of $165 on daily travels to the snack machine. This money could've been put to better use: better investments, paying down of debts, etc. There was no way that this benefitted me financially or health-wise. So I'm going to make it my business and my resolve to readjust and reexamine my spending and find ways to make my dollars stretch further and to acquire what I need. This is a great class for students looking for ways to spend and save money--wisely.

This would actually go along with what I'm learning about in the Healthy Cafe. We were talking about ways to save money and be healthy, and cutting down on junk food and replacing it with healthier snacks and drinks for the week would be one way to do this. For instance, if we spent 18.76 on lunch, we could take that same 18.76 and buy lunch meat, bread, juice drinks (or bottled water) for a week or two; and that way, we could reinvest any leftover monies into savings for a future purchase. This is what I plan to do in the very near future (tomorrow, to be exact).

FINALLY!!! I'm set for the new quarter....

Yes, I finally hunkered down and checked my e-mails and registered for classes for next quarter. I know I probably shouldn't be sharing this information with people, but in a way, it's good for me and for prospective students who might be in a similar situation--whether it's their first time in school or they're re-entering the educational system. This quarter has been a true testament to my endurance and the belief that if I want something bad enough, then nothing can dissuade me. Truthfully, this is one of the most trying quarters I've had since my enrollment at Berkeley College, and if there were ever a time for me to give up and throw in the towel, this would be it. But I haven't, and I won't. Life is going to be full of setbacks and challenges, and how you handle things when you're in school will determine how you handle life's problems.

Which brings me to my Marriage and Families class; this class is a good one that helps prepare us for the real world and deal with issues as they pertain to young men and women who either hope to enter the workforce when they graduate or be stay-at-home parents (men are starting to make up more of the parents who stay home with their children while their wives work). This class has taught me that many women have many roles: wife, mother, employee, etc. and can successfully balance them if she has the training and life experience to deal with such situations. But it is also helpful for single students who are in the workforce while trying to balance schoolwork with work and home life.

Two more weeks and a new quarter starts....

Where has the time gone? I guess it's true what they say: Time sure flies when you're having fun....although I wouldn't exactly call this semester a barrel of laughs (I've really struggled through some tough stuff this quarter). But it has flown quickly, and I look forward to being challenged academically, as well as really participating in club activities and really immersing myself in other school activities, like trips and on-campus mixers.

This week we're turning in our "Creating Your Own Financial Plan" project for Finance; I've really learned a lot about myself and how I can accumulate savings and get the most out of my money with regard to short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals.

In Sociology, we learned about family life and work. We also discussed the roles of women in the workplace and how we've made some advancements, but still have some struggles. Women are often underemployed, particularly if they have children. The reason for this is because of inadequate and/or unaffordable child care options; many mothers are working part-time to either contribute to the household or to run it. They cannot afford the luxury of full-time care on a part-time salary; on the other hand, if they work full-time, they cannot afford to spend time with their children and watch them grow from day to day.