Getting ready for Fall Semester? Share some nontraditional student blogs.

It's that time again. Those who were off from school this summer are now thinking about Fall.

From Flickr - Black Mtn. College Fuller class

Many nontraditional students are waiting for their grant or loan funding to kick in, which happens right before school.

Then it's all about books and schedules, and those butterflies I used to get.

Are you making lists? Getting school supplies?

These nontraditional students (and one professor) are taking and giving classes... and writing about that AND their lives.

This one talks about listening to someone at a party who got his PhD.  It inspired him to keep going with his education.

This person wonders if women over 50 are invisible in this culture.
Makes you wonder. Truthfully, I think women over 50 ARE invisible in this culture... will this change in the near future? Who knows.

One talks about a Stats class.
As I've been told, a statistics class can inspire fear. It's a required class for at least one discipline. I haven't ever taken it, and don't plan to.

A history professor talks about his life and thoughts. 
This person seems to be happy with his job. This is more a personal blog than anything though.

I am looking for interesting fascinating blogs written by nontraditional students. I want to list them on the blog site. If you have one, or know of one, send me the link.

Betsyanne
Former nontraditional student in Education
WKU

Other recent postings you may like:
Fall 2013 Must-haves for Nontrads

Are you ready for Fall semester?

And other ones!
Career and Aptitude Testing

Registration Time (some tips)

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook

Nontrads on Yahoo

Nontrads on Twitter

Do you blog? Are you a nontraditional student? Comment below.

 
I am following several great nontraditional blogs.

They are listed to the right here on this blog.

Some of the other ones I used to follow have graduated. Some kept up their blogs, some didn't.

I love hearing about the experiences of many different students who are going back to school after a break.

What is YOUR story? Do you know a nontraditional student?

I am looking forward to finding more nontraditional student blogs this year. You can click on a blog you like here, and follow their journeys. You won't be disappointed!

And share your experiences here too.

All for now
E. Sheppard
Former Nontraditional Student (Teaching)
Current Student (Writer and Artist)

And here is another interesting blog posting:

The big list of Nontrad Sites- Version C

And here are some of my other nontraditional student links:

The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook

Nontrads on Yahoo

Nontrads on Twitter

The BIG list of Nontrad sites - Version C October 2012

My sites are marked with an asterix (*).

Here are some sites and blogs I like.

Blogs, Sites, and more - for nontraditional students. (Version C)

My Life as a Mature Age Student – this nontraditional student lives in Australia.

http://mylifeasamatureagestudent.blogspot.com/

Rantings of a Middle-Aged College Student

Brandywine works full-time AND goes to school full-time. Wow. She was a history major and a Spanish minor. Now she is going to graduate school.

http://traveling-thru-time.blogspot.com/
 

The Mature? Student

This student is writing about going back to school after 31 years. She tells about her writing, her classes, and lots more. She has some other nontraditional students in her classes, it sounds like. She lives in Ireland!

http://middleagedundergrad.blogspot.com/

Academic, Hopeful

The thoughts and blog postings of a PhD Candidate. Here is a description of this blog from the site itself: "Observations, obsessions and obscenities from a PhD student at an elite University."

http://academichopeful.blogspot.com/

 

*The Nontraditional Student  website

Find help, support, and links for studying, groups, your FAFSA, and more.

http://www.nontradstudents.com/

*Nontrads on Facebook

Be our next member! Share about school, meet other nontrads, get support and information.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Nontraditional-Students/104788406743

*Nontrads on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nontrads

*Nontrads on Yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Non-trads/

This is a group of nontraditional students and people who help them. Find answers to questions, talk about what matters to you, share your nontrad journey.

New to Me medical blogs:
Medicine from the Trenches

Mothers in Medicine

The UMass EM Residency Blog

The Nontrad blogroll at the studentdoctor.net site. (This one has LOTS of blogs listed.) 

Blogs and Sites of Nontrad Interest

Deb’s Continuing Education blog

http://adulted.about.com/

There are many stories on this site, advice, links, and just lots of very useful stuff. Deb Peterson is in charge of this site.

Career Alley – this site has lots of job advice, sites, and articles.

http://careeralley.com/

Scholarships and Grants

*My Scholarships and Grants site

http://www.findscholarshipsandgrants.blogspot.com/

Another big list: my ScholarsGrants big list of scholarship links and sites

http://findscholarshipsandgrants.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-and-site-list-to-have-fun-with.html

GED Stories

Although many of my readers are in college, some are also getting their GED. Here is a site I really like, and comment here a lot. It is called GED stories. Real people write what it is like to go back to school.

http://www.passged.com/stories/

Nontraditional Student Groups

ANTSHE – this is a site for nontraditional students around the world. You can join as a student group or individually. They have a conference every year.

http://www.antshe.org

The Pinnacle and Spire Honor Society - this group is helpful for people who want to reward nontrads in college. Clubs and groups can join too.

Adult Student links

http://www.adultstudent.com/student/slinks.html

Old Pre-Meds for Nontraditional Students (OPM)

http://www.oldpremeds.org/

Mike Grasso's Nontraditional Medical Student site – this site is all about getting into medical school for older nontraditional students.

http://www.nontraditionalmedicalstudent.com/

Study Helps and Finding that Perfect Professor

Son of Citation Machine

http://citationmachine.net/index.php

ProfEval

http://www.profeval.com/home/chooseschool.asp

SparkNotes study guides

http://www.sparknotes.com/

Have a favorite site or blog? Send it to me or leave a comment about it.

Nontraditionally Yours,

-Betsyanne

Great postings from other nontraditional students

There are many nontraditional students who have blogs today. I have gotten some great advice and thoughts from all of them.

This Art is from the Microsoft Images pgs.

Every once in awhile, I list a couple of great blogs and postings here on the Betsyanne Nontraditional Student Blog for people who have not yet checked them out on the left hand side of the blog (some links are there) or online.

Here are just two out of many great blogs and sites I like.

#1. Older Non-Trad Student - this is one of my very favorite blogs. Zickbee lives in Ashville, North Carolina. She recently graduated and has her graduation picture up on the site. She is still a nontraditional student, though, and is still taking a college class this semester.Her latest post is "Are You Auditing?" I think that auditing a class could tempt a student not to work as hard and maybe not to learn as much.

#2. GED Stories - this blog features actual emails from people going back to school to get their GED. They talk about successes, fears, and what getting a GED means to them. Some of these stories are really touching.

I like to visit this site as often as I can, because sometimes I can get tunnel vision about who I am helping. It's not just college students. I have to remind myself sometimes that going back to school can mean getting a GED, which can open many doors for nontraditional students.

I think people can encourage other people here just by commenting and encouraging GED students and other nontraditional students who blog about their experiences.

What is a favorite blog that helps nontraditional students that you read regularly or know about? Please list it below as a comment. Thank you!

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog Join Nontrads on Facebook Nontrads on Yahoo Nontrads on Twitter

Give some other nontraditional students a visit!

Here are five outstanding blogs from fellow nontraditional students.

When you get a moment, drop by and give them some comments and support. You can also share your stories about being a nontraditional student too. If you don't have a group of nontraditional students where you go to school, you can form your own group online by following some great nontraditional student blogs. Then check out their links for even more great nontraditional students you can meet.

Here are just a few of the nontraditional student blogs I have found:

Caz in Australia talks about her assignments, her kids, and how her semester is going. She also thinks about the differences she finds in going back to school as an older vs. younger person.

Here is her About Me description: "A 41 year old mother of three - two teenage daughters (urgh! I love them to death but really, who are these people!) and a ten year old son (please don't become a teenager!); partner to an extremely supportive husband and currently studying for a Bachelor of Communication (majoring in Writing and Film and Screen). I intend to stop using my age as an excuse NOT to do all the things I want to do because, let's face it, life's too short."

You can visit Caz here:
http://mylifeasamatureagestudent.blogspot.com/

Zickbee describes herself as a "40something student, Mom to three human children and two canine children, Arizona "native", (and) collegiate basketball fan." She is winding up her semester and thinking about getting a Master's next.  You will really like her postings - they are so fun to read.

You can follow her life and conversations here:
http://oldernontradstudent.blogspot.com/

College Campus Mama has three blogs! The nontraditional one talks about her classes, her grades, signing up for summer classes, learning Excel and Access, and lots more. Her last entry was about Spring Break. (From her profile) "An african american woman who is a wife, SAHM of 3, WAHM, full time college student and everything else in between. Writing is just an outlet of expression that is easier for me to do other than saying things verbally."

Here is that address:
http://collegecampusmama.blogspot.com/

Rishona N. lives in Clairton Pennsylvania. She "has been maintaining a “virtual presence” on the 'net since 1997. She has an A.S. degree in Electronics Technology from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics; a B.A. degree in liberal arts from West Virginia University; and is currently working on her M.B.A. at Florida Gulf Coast University." She is on Twitter  as @Rishonan and also has a site here:
http://rishonan.net/site/.

You can sign up for her rss feed and follow her journey anytime.

Brandywine is from Missouri. She is counting the days until summer break arrives. She talks about her classes, what she did during Spring Break, her latest Spanish composition, and more. (From her blog) "Heirloom gardener, chocoholic, bookworm. Full-time employee, full-time student. History major with a Spanish minor. I love words, I love history, and I love heirloom tomatoes, not necessarily in that order. I enjoy blogging and meeting new people through blogs (and in real life, as well)."

Here is her site address:
http://traveling-thru-time.blogspot.com/

There are even more great blogs listed at the Nontrad Blog site. Just go to the site, scroll down, and find them on the right side. Happy friending!

Nontraditionally Yours,
-Betsyanne

Some of my links!
The Nontrad site and blog
The Betsyanne page and blog
My Squidoo Pages and referral