Improving Personal Quality

KytchynWitche

So last September (maybe early October) I kinda had a freak-out about what I was doing with my life, withdrew from TK to focus on wedding prep and figure out where I was headed, and I decided to sign up for a free online course. Well, a couple of them, actually: "Achieving Personal Success", pre-algebra math (as a refresher), and a Diploma in English Language and Literature.

The personal success one I finished in less than an hour, and it was a total waste of time, but I sort of expected that. I just did it to see if I could do the online learning thing.

The math course is super heavy on video and animation, so I can really only do that when I'm at the ILs (they have a much better internet package than I do).

Right now I'm busy with the language section of the English course. It's listed as a post-secondary course, but so far I feel like I did all this stuff in primary school. It's not a huge issue, and I'm really motoring through it, it's just kinda boring and so it's getting a little difficult to motivate myself to keep working on it and not just go play Assassin's Creed instead.

But I'm really trying to get through the language section so I can get on to literature. Thankfully I only have 19 "topics" (each topic is really just about 5 slides) and an assessment to get through in this module and then I'm done. If I can keep my focus up, I should be able to get to the assessment by this evening, and then I can start with Coleridge!

I'm pretty sure this diploma isn't worth anything in the real world, but I figure knowledge is a good thing, right?

Is anyone else on a quest to "better" themselves? Anyone doing online courses? I want to hear about your journeys!

mrscomposer

Oh man.  Where even to start.

Online, no.  But we're working on a plan for me to resign from my career within the next year and a half, to move halfway across the country, so I can go back to school.

The program I'm going to take?  Diploma in Writing and Publishing.  I already have a BA in English, but this is a two year program designed specifically for creative writing and a basis in the publishing world.  There's also some business writing and exposure stuff in there.

I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED, I CANNOT POSSIBLY TELL YOU.  A lot of what is going to be in there is stuff that I took for my BA, but even while it may be a bit more elementary, it's more specific.  Real life/real work application stuff, you know?

It might not pan out to much afterwards, but the fact that I'll be working towards something I'm passionate about, rather than working at a job I no longer like (for approximately a million reasons) gives me the butterflies.

KytchynWitche

mrscomposer said:

Oh man.  Where even to start.

Online, no.  But we're working on a plan for me to resign from my career within the next year and a half, to move halfway across the country, so I can go back to school.

The program I'm going to take?  Diploma in Writing and Publishing.  I already have a BA in English, but this is a two year program designed specifically for creative writing and a basis in the publishing world.  There's also some business writing and exposure stuff in there.

I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED, I CANNOT POSSIBLY TELL YOU.  A lot of what is going to be in there is stuff that I took for my BA, but even while it may be a bit more elementary, it's more specific.  Real life/real work application stuff, you know?

It might not pan out to much afterwards, but the fact that I'll be working towards something I'm passionate about, rather than working at a job I no longer like (for approximately a million reasons) gives me the butterflies.

That is so awesome! It is amazing that you're going to be able to work on your passion. I wish you great success with it!

jennyleigh16

I'm taking online classes right now. Because I'm only taking a few at a time I'm not technically in a program of study, but I'm working towards a diploma in business administration with a major in human resources management. It's going verrrry slowly because I only have the time/ money to take a couple courses at a time x 4 months per course = I will be in school forever. I only have 8 years to finish the program and be eligible for the diploma, which seems like a long time until you break it down.

My plan is to move from the maintenance field working for my city to the HR field so I know it will be worth it, it's just so damn hard to motivate myself to get anything done. I just finished my last assignment of the semester today and I write exams next week. Did I mention I work full time, am also taking French classes through my employer, am in the competition process for a promotion, and planning a wedding? I'm trying to decide how many courses to take next semester and it's overwhelming to think about. Online classes are really difficult for someone who isn't naturally a self-starter and finding a work/school/life balance is hard but important.

Good for you for choosing to get back into it!!

doeydo

Good for you   

I'm taking online courses but I guess it is more so I can get a job I'd like rather than improving my personal quality.  Only two more semesters plus a practicum, yay.

RebeccaFlower

I have the education and career I want, so I try to stay on peak for creativity and productiveness. 

Lately I've been noticing how things at home, like keeping on top of housework and cooking, affect my work because I partially work from home. Also working out and yoga. When I don't do the yoga, even when I don't want to, I notice a big difference in my disposition. 

artbyallie

In a few weeks I'm going to a week-long bench jeweler course (which will actually be one-on-one because no one else is signed up for the normally 4-person session). I am so freaking excited. My boss even paid for part of it because these are skills that will benefit the jewelry design business. Plus, having the certification will help me get a new job when we move after H gets into his PhD program. I hate to think of leaving the best job I've ever had but being a bench jeweler anywhere will be pretty cool.

FiancB

I love taking classes online even though I'm going to school in person as well.  I like to work on my own schedule.  Right now I'm taking a hybrid A&P course so I just have to show up once a week, so that's really nice. My teacher is really good at explaining things so I still feel like I'm getting a lot out of it.  

There's a lot of free courses out there too.  I signed up for one through coursera about horse nutrition, but then I got lazy and didn't actually do it. 

I'm trying to decide what to do next.  I am in my first semester getting my associate's in nursing.  I can just keep going for another three semesters to get my BSN, and I'll probably do that because otherwise I'll most likely end up working in a clinic or long term care forever and I'd rather be in a school or hospital.  But then I'd really like to start working for a decent wage so I might look into some part time RN-BSN programs.  Then I think I'd really like to work in women's care in some capacity, so maybe I'll get my nurse midwife or nurse practitioner master's?  We'll see.  Gotta stop going to school sometime. 

Also mayo clinic has a paid summer internship that sounds really cool and I want to do. But if TTC plans work out I might be hugely pregnant at that time. I really want to work at mayo. Mayo is also just over an hour away, and H isn't really getting that it's a thousand times better to work there than basically anywhere else in the country and it's worth moving south a bit.  I would also like to do some sort of short term volunteering abroad thing at some point. 

So anyway I just am not sure how far I want to go with this so I'm taking it one step at a time.  Shorter term, the biggest self improvement thing I've done lately is getting diagnosed with ADD and getting medicated.  They just upped my dose and I'm noticing I have a hard time stopping what I'm doing- good thing if I'm being productive, bad if I'm dicking around on the internet. 

larrygaga

I always wondered if you were from SA or just lived there. If you moved, where are you originally from and why did you move there? It's not really a place where people seem to flock. 

Just curious! It's always been an interesting place for me and it sounds beautiful.

JennyColada

I'm currently working on completing my Assiciates degree in Human Resources Management (it was previously Accounting, so that I can transfer into Cal State Northridge's business program, but fuck accounting).

Right now online I'm taking:
Business Law
Business Communications (which seems similar to your English course, last week we learned about adverbs!)

I'm person I'm taking:
Conflict Resolution
Business Management

None of the classes are especially challenging, so I have the same issue with keeping up my motivation to do it. I've found success in doing chunks of honework (like 4 weeks of homework) at a time, that way I can relax for a week or two and not stress. So I'm way ahead in my classes.

stefuhknee

I am also on a quest to better myself. I've started looking for a new job in a different field and I've also started training for a 5K.

I would love to go back to school and pursue an advanced degree but the thought of more student loan debt eliminates that thought right away.

lovemesomemonster

Good for you, that is such an exciting thing to be doing! I took a lot of online courses in college, I seem to do better in them because I hated sitting through lectures so getting my butt to class was the hardest part of getting my degree! I should be doing something like this to better myself since my company will pay for more education but after getting all of my application documents in for the online MBA program I still haven't taken the compass exam for math that I need to get in (I have been out of school so long that they require it). Good luck with this, I bet if feels great to be doing something for yourself!

levioosa

I took about half of my B.S. online, which was awesome since I was still working two full time jobs.  I loved the online classes, although I did miss classroom interaction. I also like looking up random educational videos.  I think MIT had free courses online, you just have to pay for the textbooks, but I didn't do it because I was already taking too many "real" classes and working.  They might still offer the courses though.  I start my grad school in May, so that's what I'm gearing up for. 

flyingfoxes

I'm done with my education, but my degrees are blah- Bachelors in Business Admin/Finance and MBA w/ Finance emphasis.  I'm sort of over the corporate world right now.  I've worked with investments for the last 14 years and I'm itching to try something new.  I'm hoping and crossing my fingers to get into something different when we move this summer, and if I don't like whatever THAT is, well, FI's assignment is only 3 years so we'll move somewhere else and I'll try something else. 

I'm so freaking excited to get to start fresh this summer.  So many possibilities. 

katiekessler123

I'm lucky to have my summers off as a teacher.  To me, improving my personal quality involves travel, working with charities, and doing what I love to do- running and hiking!

sarawifenow

Oh Lord where do I even start?

 

H and I are on a rocky road to parenthood right now (see previous posts) and are in the "what do we do now phase".

 

We are both committing to add one thing to our lives that we find enjoyable and make sure that we stick to it. I am choosing painting. It is helping me get my emotions out and is allowing me time to self-reflect.

fwtx5815

I've been thinking about doing the CFA program but it's sooo damn intimidating. It's not as expensive as earning an MBA but it's still so much time and money, and a small percentage of people pass all 3 exams (on the first try, like a quarter or less if I remember correctly) to earn the credential.

My company does tuition reimbursement but I'm not really interested in grad school at this point. I've heard an analogy that says an MBA is a mile wide and a foot deep, and a CFA is a foot wide and a mile deep (aka, super finance-focused). Finance is what I really want to focus on (got a BS in finance) and I know it would absolutely increase my earning potential/help my resume stand out.

theycallmelinz

I'm not doing anything at the moment but after the wedding, when we actually have extra money again, I'm going to sign up at this personal fitness place in town. I went and checked it out a few weeks ago and LOVED it, but we don't have the money for it right now. After the wedding I'm going to sign up and see if I can find a new hobby

WinstonsGirl

I'm currently waiting to hear on my application to grad studies (masters).  I e-mailed the Prof who offered a reference letter and to be my supervisor and he had totally forgotten about it.  He's been sending me links though about scholarships and such.  Arg!!

But on a good note, I applied for tuition support from my school board.  I requested 6 classes covered this year and just found out I've been approved for funding for 4 of them.  Yay!!  Every little bit will help.  I was expecting to pay for everything, so this is a nice bonus

ETA - As a potential grad student, I can't spell worth shit

KytchynWitche

I'm so excited for all of you! Some very big undertakings happening in Knottieland, but I'm sure that we will all come out on top of whatever we're trying to do. We're awesome like that!

ETF: crazy quote boxes

larrygaga said:

@larrygaga
I always wondered if you were from SA or just lived there. If you moved, where are you originally from and why did you move there? It's not really a place where people seem to flock. 
Just curious! It's always been an interesting place for me and it sounds beautiful.

larrygaga said:

*****SITB*****

larrygaga said:

I'm SA born and raised, baby! It's a beautiful country, interesting, diverse, and definitely vibrant. It has the potential to be a great nation, maybe even a superpower one day, BUT the government is horrendous. I'm not going to go into detail right now, because I don't want to get my BP up, but we're in a Sheriff of Nottingham kinda situation here without the intervention of a Robin Hood. Sadly, unless someone stops the crazy, we're going the same way as Zimbabwe.

larrygaga said:

I will be very sad to leave SA, but we may have no choice. DH is a US passport holder, though not a citizen (MIL is a citizen), so our basic plan at this point is for him to become a US citizen (I'm a little fuzzy on the how but I'm sure he can ask at the consulate when he goes to sort out his social security number), and then we'll probably head to Iowa. He has family there, as well as Kentucky and Pennsylvania, but he says Iowa seems like our best bet to start.

larrygaga

Well it sounds really cool! Sorry if you have to run away from it. It can't be easy to leave your country.

KytchynWitche

I'm still hoping that a miracle will occur and SA will recover, but it seems unlikely. I'm excited for the adventure of emigrated, but also very nervous about being so far from my family. I've never even left SA on holiday before!

The plans are still very much pipeline stuff at the moment, for a couple of years from now (things to wrap up here, things to sort out for there etc.) but if things really get bad before then, DH will head straight to his family in Iowa and start whatever proceedings need to be started there and I'll join him as soon as I can.

Also, I just finished the first lit. analysis segment (Kubla Khan) and I am exhausted. I forgot how much I hated analyzing poetry! I'm just shy of 60% through the course, but it's all lit. analysis from here on, so it's probably going to take months.