College is said to be a right of passage and a learning experience both academically and personally. I graduated high school in 2010, but I almost did not graduate on time due to my lack of enthusiasm for school. I skipped classes all the time, and never did my homework. If I would have buckled down and committed myself, I probably could have gotten a full academic scholarship to a fantastic school and gotten the traditional college experience. But, life doesn't always work out the way you hoped it would. I put off college for a while because I knew I wasn't ready and I did not want to fail. So, when I finally did decide to make the commitment to go back to school, it was hard to figure out how I wanted to go about it. After some research, I realized that it was not possible for me to attend a physical community college and I took the steps to sign up for online classes through the University of Phoenix. When I graduate, I will have a Bachelors of Science in Communications with a Certificate in Journalism. Quite a mouthful, I know but it is a broad degree that incorporates my passion for writing and, hopefully, one day I can transfer that into a career. Since I have been taking online classes, I have heard quite a few negative opinions of online schools and quite a few myths as well. I am here to inform everyone of what it is actually like to get your college degree online.
"So, when are you going to go to a real school?"
Funny thing is, I am going to a "real" school. Just because I do not physically attend class does not mean I do not put in the hours each week for my homework. I am challenged each week in my classes and I work hard in order to keep my grades up.
I Only Take One Class At a Time
Yep, that's right I take one class at a time. They are accelerated classes that last only five weeks so there is a lot to cover in a short amount of time. Many weeks I have seven to eight chapters of reading in my textbooks (that are online and included in my tuition), one or two videos that can range from 10 minutes to over an hour in length, extra articles to read, at least eight discussion posts within the online classroom, and usually about two or three assignments. Yea, it's a lot crammed into a short period of time, and I have to remember it all!
Team Collaboration
In many of my classes, students are placed into an academic learning team and must collaborate to accomplish assignments and tasks. It can be stressful to work with people who are in different time zones, with different schedules, and who have varying levels of commitment and motivation. Using computer-mediated communication (CMC) can be a huge challenge when there are deadlines present. But, I have always managed to do the best I can and get good grades on all of my assignments.
"Are you even getting a real degree?"
I can assure you, I am. The work is difficult and time-consuming. I have tests, quizzes, essays, and homework just like everyone else!
I Don't Have A Summer Vacation
I get a two week Christmas break and sometimes breaks between classes due to differences in scheduling but I go to school all year. I have to sit inside doing homework while everyone else is going to the beach and playing disc golf. Sometimes commitment is difficult to maintain, to say the least.
What Is Sleep?
Not only am I a full-time student, I work 40 hours a week, I have a boyfriend with whom I bought my first house about a year ago, I write articles for this website, I am working on a novel and try to read regularly, I also attempt to spend time with friends, all on top of the daily care of my animals, my home, and lastly, myself. I don't even know what sleep is anymore.
Pursuing a degree is a commitment any way you view it. The level of motivation, commitment, and time-management skills it takes to do online schooling is a unique experience all on its own. I am so glad that I began this experience and am working on obtaining my college degree, even if the road is not a conventional path. There are days when all I want to do is clean the house, run errands, and relax but I have to spend all day online reading, taking notes, and writing essays. Just like any other college student I am spreading myself thin and taking it all on at once. The wonderful thing about online school is that I can set my own schedule and do work when it works for me. I don't have to travel to my college and I have tons of resources available to help me. It is not for everyone, but it works for me! Education is important, and no matter how you go about it as long as you are trying to better yourself, your career, and your life, you are doing the right things in life!
