Echoing Marni / Opening Up

I have to echo Marni with this blog. I had all intentions to write again about my Publishing class that I struggled with. I too am a Corp Comm :) major. As an adult returning to school after so many years, it was hard to know what I wanted to major in. I knew what I liked to and that is design tickets, flyers, birthday and even wedding invitations. I don't do those things anymore for various reasons but I still enjoy figuring out new stuff to create. I agree with Marni that I liked the idea of the broadness of the major. After meeting Mr. Daniel Page and talking to him, I decided on this major.

Like Marni, I too was VERY intimidated by the computer classes involved. I mean I had left school the first time because I struggled so much in my computer science major and the limited number of teachers at my previous school were not helpful. If one person understood, everyone should understand and they kept teaching.

As I wrote last week, I struggled with my teacher "jumping right in" and me not having the other end of the rope. But I caught an end !! With my books from the campus library, my new MAC, some telephone tutoring from a friend (a two-time graduate of University of Baltimore), a couple of hours in the school lab asking the lab assistants questions and hours of just playing around, I did it. I finished my first assignment in InDesign !!! See my pic !

I had some issues with spacing but I tried. I think I got the grade I got because I must have sent a million emails to my teacher and she knew I didn't have a MAC computer to start and the school was closed for a week so I couldn't get to the lab on campus. She tried many times to meet me and go over things but mother nature had other plans and each day we were to meet, it either snowed that day or the days before. Maybe mother nature was trying to tell me trust myself ! As my Bishop says sometimes doors are closed so that others may open. Perhaps the doors of the school closed so that I could open the doors of my mind and TRUST and BELIEVE.

I'm also happy to say I felt very comfortable in our in-class group assignment. My first thought was oh geez, I'm just going to be sitting there. However, I really contributed and was shocked I could answer a question or two and provide input. I am confident my group will get a good grade. I am anxiously waiting for Thursday just to see what grade we got as a group. We also get an individual grade. I have never anxiously waited for a grade before!! I waited last week and I was totally shocked to see the grade I got for the first assignment !!

Doesn't it look wonderful ! I'm hoping for a few more of those before the semester is over.

This is just my second semester here and I won't lie, I am still very scared that things will get hard and I will give up. But I try to keep reminding myself, I'm paying for this. There are no scholarships, no grants, no reimbursement from the job so I need put my all and all into it. I also need to get over the fact I'm not a people person (imagine that when I'm a supervisor !) and understand I WILL have to work with people and there may be somebody out there that can help me.

I've never really been a person to just "chat" with people but interesting that while standing in line at Giants a couple of days ago, the lady in front of me started talking to me. Somehow, I mentioned school and working and she mentioned how she worked from home and the benefits/disadvantages of it and surprisingly she majored in Communications. It was nice to hear what she was doing with such a degree. Gave me a thought for what I might could use my degree for.

Another day I was in Barnes & Noble looking for the book the teacher recommended. First the sales associate had no clue what I was talking about. A customer had actually heard me and showed me where the books for that subject would be located. At the same time, the sales associate just walked away. She never came back to see if I found what I needed. She didn't offer me any other listings. But it was okay. The customer helped me !! We had a nice chat about school, how she had taught herself Dreamweaver and which book and publisher she liked the best. She was learning on a PC and me on MAC so she asked about the computer and I was happy to tell her what I had learned ! She asked questions and I was actually able to answer them ! I felt proud.

Now what? I've come to realize I need to not just talk to people but actually start networking and exchanging phone numbers or email addresses cause clearly I am meeting people that may be able to help or tutor me or who knows, maybe one day offer me a job. I say it's still early and I don't know what I want to do with this degree yet. Luckily for now, I am gainfully employed and hopefully won't have to think about finding a new job until I finish school. Right now, I just want to get good grades, finish school and dance across the stage because this has been a long time coming.

Until next week, stay blessed everyone.