I am so inspired by my fellow students, I can't even describe it in words. The students I am in class with who do a good job, usually get an email from me telling them I think they did great. I think it helps their confidence.  When a professor is being hard and critical on them, I think it's good for them to hear what they did do well, even if improvement is needed in other areas.

One of my friends and fellow students is grauduating in a few weeks, she just emailed me to tell me that she is a recipient of the Media, Communications and Visual Arts Award. What an honor! My fellow students who are in my age catagory have stuck together and serve as excellent examples for me, as I am stilll fairly new to the program. They have very high, GPAs, work full time and are mothers. Still they find the time to devote themselves to school work when they have to and earn A's.

Some of my fellow students are young-young enough to be a child of mine. I can just tell the ones that are dedicated, focused and will go very far in life. They may look at me in class as a mom of sorts, but I don't mind. Quite honestly, I would be very proud if my daughters turned out to be the kind of young adults these students are.

I have made friends, some my age and some much younger than me. We all have something in common and after getting to know each other, we realize we have quite a bit in common. These people have no idea they inspire me-but they do! I hope that somehow, someway, I can go on to inspire other students to achieve excellence. Just getting by is NOT an option.

I'm just a few weeks away from wrapping up my second semester in the graduate program. I always get anxious at the end of the semester. That's when the 3Ps are due-papers, powerpoints and projects.  Writing is a strong point for me. I grapple more with the research and organizing apsects of papers. Once I have that in order, the rest comes naturally.  I write an abundance of material, so my papers usually go long and making the minimum number of pages is not a problem for me. 

I always enjoy the break after a semester is over, that too goes by fast and I find myself back in student mode before I know it. I sometimes wonder what I will do once I graduate-it's sad to think my days as a student will be over. Unless...I decide to pursue yet another degree. LOL. I would really like to write more when I have time-in 2014. Maybe I will start an informative, regular blog or start writing for an online publication.

I can't believe it, but it's already time to register for Fall 2012 classes. Semesters are just flying by. I thought I could register on April 2nd, but it turns out I have to wait until April 6th. There is one core class I must take next semester, and there are only 18 coveted spots! I'm also registered for a two credit online course.

I am exciting about the Fall 2012 semester. By that's semester's end, I should have a total of 20 credits, having earned 16 in calendar year 2012 alone. I'll be more than half way there. I can't wait to take a few elective courses, I'm first focusing in on the requirements.

I'm so anal, I have all my classes laid out for me, semester by semester. May 2014 is not that far away. I should just pick out the dress I will wear for Graduation right now. I'm feeling somewhat accomplished right now!

This semester is just flying by. Taking 6 credits is keeping me very busy. I was really on the fence about signing up for MCA 610, but decided to take that class this summer and am looking forward to it. The content of that class directly relates to my work at Pace University.

I am enjoying my online class, it's the first one I have taken. I like the convenience of not having to be at class. I do miss seeing and talking to my classmates and professors. It's a different dynamic, but it really works well for me. I also love media issues, so I can say I am really enjoying the class.

My public speaking class is not what I expected it to be. I spoke to a few people who took it in prior semesters and went into the class with a definite idea of how things are going to go. Let's just say I was thrown for a loop. With just a few weeks left in the semester and a group project and keynote speech due, I am already starting to feel a bit stressed out by it.

Lucky for me, I work well under pressure

I'm in the home stretch now and I am feeling the crunch. I am pretty much done with my ePortfolio, although I keep feeling the need to tweak it.  I found my ePortfolio quite challenging. I graduated from college 20 years ago. I have don't have any papers I wrote saved, so I can't upload them. Even pictures from my college graduation are hard to come by. This is my first semester and first class, so I have no projects, power points of papers to upload. I feel like I am at a disadvantage having graduated so long ago. My only advantage is I have more life and work experience than others in the class.

Our group presentations on culture in the workplace are coming up this Wednesday and I have to work on my paper. I really am finding APA format daunting. It also doesn't help that I am still hoping to get more responses to my posting in my online group. In addition, there are quite a few chapters of text that need to be read in the next few weeks. I will feel a huge relief when my paper is done and the semester is over. I'm almost there!!!

On Monday, I made my first visit to the Choate House Art Gallery. I was really interesting in seeing the photos being displayed as part of the ehbition by photographer Joel Meyerowitz. They were all black and white and from the 1960s and 1970s. I liked most of them. There were a few that I didn't like at all and was surprised they awere included as they did not portray any feeling, meaning or show anything special-at least in my opinion. I guess the value or art is really in the eye of the beholder.

I really liked JFK Airport, 1968 (Caddy and Christmas star), Lake in Catskill Mountains, 1971 (Women throws crutches) and New Year’s Eve, NYC, 1965 (Kiss me, stupid). I would love to have my photographs publicly displayed someday. Meyerowitz is what is known as a "street photographer" and much of his work is litterally photographing people on the street or in public places, in candid moments.

Although I only spent about 15 minutes in the gallery, I feel like I truly learned something and it sparked my interest to be a better photographer.

I've come to realize that although I am learning when I am in the classroom, I am learning outside the classroom as well. The readings, projects and research I do for weekly discussions, as well as my final project on online groups has contributed substancially to what I have learned so far this semester.

From as far back as high school, I have felt that projects, papers and researching information was a better way to learn and retain information. To me, tests are just snapshops of knowledge. You study and cram to get a good grade, but if you don't apply this information on a regular basis, you will lose it.

I actually enjoy doing papers and self-teaching through research. I wish educators at all levels would realize the overall value of research and put less emphasis on testing.

The other day my sister said to me "I don't know why you are going back to school, your life is half over-what's the point?" I beg to differ. Although chronologically, my life is about half over, I still feel like I have more to learn and give. I still want to learn. I'm not ready to give up on pursuing new challenges just because I am not 22 anymore.

Every day, when I walk around campus, I see students my age and older attending classes. There aren't many of us-but there are some. When I was pursuing my undergraduate degree at SUNY Oneonta, I had a woman in my speech class that was well into her 70s! She was the grandma in the class and we liked that about her. I give her a lot of credit-and she did graduate with my class and earn her BA!

Here's a recent story of an older student (77) who overcame incredible odds to earn TWO degrees:

http://bronxville.patch.com/articles/77-year-old-bronxville-woman-gets-her-bachelors-and-masters-degree-this-spring

Since registration starts for Graduate students on November 7th, it's not too soon to think about registering for next semester. I've actucally been thinking about it for weeks.

Initially, I wanted to take an elective, but after talking to my advisor, Dr. Luskay, I decided it was best to take another core class. Looks like I will be taking MCA 603 with Dr. Sager either Tuesday or Wednesday night. It's a lecture class and I like being in class with a professor and students and interacting face to face. I am also thinking about taking a two credit MCA class on Blackboard to try to get a few more credits under my belt.

I was toying with the idea of taking a summer class. I know it's very fast paced and intense and I have pretty much decided against it. I would rather take my time and have a higher GPA than rush through the program. That's the advantage of being an older student with a job. I don't want to be angry and frustrated when I am not in a race to finish the program. Six credits next semester sounds like a good choice for me!

I am seven weeks into my Master's program in Media and Speech Communication. So far, it's going well. I wish I could take more than one class per semester, but I have to go at my own pace (no pun intended).

MCA 601 is great and I am learning a lot. I'm getting used to using blackboard and e-portfolio. I'm glad my first class is a lecture class and not an online class. I'll take an online course in the near future, but for now, I like seeing my professor and classmates every week. I tend to do my reading and assignments early in the week. Twenty years ago, I was one to do things at the 11th hour, but my life is much different now and I feel better about getting assignments done as soon as I can. That's just how I roll now.

What possessed me to seek a Master's Degree 20 years after I graduated with my BA? Determination I guess!  One class at a time, one semester at at time-I'll get there!