Checking in with my fellow Nontraditional Students - - and Back to Blogging, too...

BACK TO BLOGGING.

I'm going back to blogging. At least part-time! So of course, I chose the Nontraditional Student blog to start back with FIRST.

I got an email from someone at a college, who said they hoped to start a Nontraditional Student group. I think that's great. When I hear back again, I hope I can put the group on their State Page.

I checked out the Nontraditional Student website today, too. Oh my gosh! The ads looked totally huge. I will be fixing that hopefully soon.

Is anyone else working on taxes too? I can't wait to finish that.

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So... comment if you are in school right now. I will assume you are doing Distance Learning, to stay safe. But you never know.

I want COVID to go away. But know it will still be awhile. Can't wait for my shots.

I wonder if colleges will be having their own shot clinics.

Comment with what YOU are doing if you have time. I hope to be back, sharing more. Will share some links for now. The Scholarship Pages are still up, but some need to be re-linked and checked.

Here they are:

Scholarships Page One (from the Nontrads site)

and Scholarships Page Two (ditto).

I have my favorites there... one is Fastweb and another is the Fatomei site.

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I am very glad you stopped by today. I hope to do some more  blog postings soon. Any suggestions on topics? Make a comment, or send your idea to: Subject Heading: Nontraditional Students blog at lizann447@yahoo dot com. Thank you!

Happy Super Bowl Weekend to those who watch, too. I may check out some of that!

Until next time,

-Betsyanne

Blogger - Writer - Artist - Online Seller

Connect with me on FB here: Nontraditional Students Facebook Page

And at the Nontrad Website here: http://www.nontradstudents.com/

and also at: Betsy's CGC: Used Books and Collectibles

10 Tips for Nontraditional Students - different ones. Try searching for more too.

There are many tips in this blog. Try using the Search box for more.

#1. Try your best.

#2. Don't get distracted (by TV, parties, even making friends, which is also important...)

#3. Make studying and going to every class your #1 priority.

#4. Take some time to socialize and join groups at school.

#5. Don't feel like you have to ask lots of questions in class. Sit on your hands if you have to, but let others have a chance.

#6. Get relationships going with other people in class, and with your teachers.

#7. Reach out for help if you need it.

#8. If you feel ignored, or if you feel you don't fit in, try #4.

#9. Get a good Calendar. Use it.

#10. Take notes or record your class lectures.

Sound good?

Do you have a tip you want to add? Comment below. :-)

Betsyanne

Sharing - two more great postings from About.com, re: Summer plans, Colleges, Finals more.

Here are a couple of postings from About.com, some ideas for your summer plans, final exams, more.

Here is the first posting from About.com:

Top Colleges by State, AP Exams, Engineering, & Dr. Who

... and the second one:

Here's How Students Can Get the Most Out of Their Summer
(plus some other articles...)

 If you aren't already over at the About.com site, it's worth a visit. You can sign up for all kinds of newsletters there and get these kind of useful stories in your inbox regularly.

Other Summer Plans
You may want to look into taking a couple of classes this summer OR working to get some money in the bank.

The classes idea MIGHT be especially good if you are missing some credits and won't graduate on time if you don't Take Action.

Finals
One of the best websites to use when preparing for finals is the Joe Landsberger site. You may also want to check out these postings from the blog:

#1. Ten Tips for Doing Well on Final Exams

and

#2. Get Organized for Finals

And GOOD LUCK on all your finals. Until next time,

Betsyanne

And check out more of my Nontrad links:

The Nontrad site (This blog is there on the first page...)

Join Nontrads on Facebook

Nontrads on Yahoo

and
Nontrads on Twitter 

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Other recent postings:

Spring 2015's most popular blog postings

More articles from About.com

Making a living - - and your Ripple Effect

FYI: Some of my other websites and blogs are: The Find Scholarships and Grants Blog, The GS Betsy's E-blast (for Kentuckiana Area 17 and Beyond), From the Garden Spot (another Betsyanne blog), and The Teacher Tree (I will be working more on this one later this year).

I also have a Books and Collectibles selling page here: The Best Books and Collectibles.

Nontraditional student... can you think of a better term?

Bubbles art photo by Jurvetson on Flickr.

What's in the name "Nontraditional Student"?

Well, the older student going back to school after a break is definitely becoming MORE traditional as the years go by, because more older students are going back to school, for one thing.

Yet the term sticks.

We say a student is a nontraditional student if he or she is going to school part-time, is maybe above the age of 24, has taken a break since first going to college, is going to college for the first time after some years away, is working AND going to school, is married and/or has a family... and/or considers him or herself nontraditional.

I have heard that this term should change. But so far, I haven't heard a suitable term that takes it place. (Yet!)

Here are some suggestions:

#1. Nontrad (the same word, only shortened...)

#2. Owls (used already as a word for many Nontrad clubs)

#3. Cohorts (Just thought of this one...)

and #4. Seniors (a bad connotation is here, i'm afraid... many younger Nontrads do NOT identify with being that old, for one thing.)

Can you think of a better word or terms? I welcome the conversation!

Betsyanne
Current and Former Nontraditional Student
Western Kentucky University and
The Pots Place Studio and Gallery 

Art from Jurvetson on Flickr.

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

Today's Nontrads pay too much to go back to school - some thoughts...

Hello, nontraditional students and those who help them. 

I am downtown today at the Pots Place today in beautiful Bowling Green Kentucky. I ran across a newspaper article yesterday. Another Kentucky University is raising its tuition prices, because they are facing a shortfall in State funding.

Is this happening at your school? I hope not, but it could very well be happening all over. And we may also have a hike in interest rates for those going back to school too.

I wish it weren't happening.

For some, going to a less expensive school or a community college can be an answer. For others, getting a loan via the regular avenues (Stafford, etc.) will be the answer.

It's just not feasible for many students to just say, "Oh, well... I guess I'd better wait to go back to school..." because they may NEED the extra training to get a good job.

Yes, it's easy to be pessimistic about going back to school right now. But many people are taking the chance and doing it anyway.

My advice? Be careful. Make sure all your credits transfer if you are going to try a for-profit school or a community college even, or if you are taking an online class. Make sure that the job outlook is good for what you want to learn. And remember that you will be needing to pay your student loan off when you are out of school.

I would love it if we could all go back to school and have it be low-cost, or even free. Maybe some day this will happen. After all, it's good for the country to have well-educated citizens.

What are YOUR plans? Are you in school already?

Share your thoughts about today's school costs below as a comment.

Betsyanne 

Former Nontrad Student (who took Education classes at WKU)
and Current Nontrad Student (taking pottery classes at The Pots Place)


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

Education is for everyone - the Go Further Federal Student Aid website

Yes, today, education IS for everyone, more than ever.

Central Texas College by Parker Michael Knight on Flickr.

There are nontraditional students of every age taking classes today. What began as merely extra classes taken at night has exploded into online, daytime, AND nighttime classes. The Go Further Site (Federal Student Aid) has a page to help nontraditional students navigate the steps of going back to school.

They start with helping students assess themselves and their strengths, goals, and interests with tests and information on getting a GED if the student hasn't already done that.

They go on to include information on college education, how to get money for school, how much college costs, how to repay loans, and more.

Here is that site:
Student Aid on the Web

The best part is, this page is totally FREE.

Good luck, fellow nontraditional students!

Betsyanne

Former Nontraditional college student at Western Kentucky University
Kentucky, USA Some more Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog Join Nontrads on Facebook Nontrads on Yahoo Nontrads on Twitter

Nontraditional Students in the Dorm - - really??

When I first went back to school, the nontraditional student in a dorm was always somebody you just heard about...

you know, that older student that kept mostly to him or herself. The ONE student maybe. The one nobody ever saw much. The shy one. The one that might move out the next semester.

The MS office clipart pages

But now, there are more nontraditional students who choose dorm life. Some married students can (again) access married housing too. (They will be able to do this later on at WKU, for one.)

Here are some neat links about that. And a question: are you thinking of going back to school, AND staying in a dorm? There definitely are advantages to it. You can many times incorporate it into your school loans, it is closer to classes, you can save on a car, etc. etc. etc.

You can then do as other (younger) students do, and maybe sign up for a meal plan and even go out for a sorority. Some of them are accepting older pledges today.

I think if I were not married, I would definitely consider living in a dorm while going back to school as an older nontraditional student. I found out already going back to school that some younger students don't mind befriending an older student. And that was a wonderful highlight of my school experience. I think staying in a dorm would mean even more friendship opportunities!

Here is another article from this blog about staying in a dorm:

 Nontraditional housing: who wants to stay in a dorm?

(scroll down on this article to find more article links too.)

And here are some more articles you may like:
Nontraditional student experiences dorm life

This article talks about special "quiet floors" for nontrads! 

Tranquil dorm life found in Brookman (SD) (that appeals to nontraditional students...)

Deb Peterson at the About.com Continuing Education blog asks, Are you a nontraditional student living in a dorm? and talks about sharing a co-ed bathroom. Here is that link. Would you share a co-ed bathroom? I think I would. It would just be part of the whole experience. But I would definitely lock the door while I was in there.

If you have a story about a nontraditional student in a dorm, or are one yourself, leave a comment! Or leave one anyhow... Thanks.

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

Nontraditional Students and Unlimited Thinking - what does it mean to us?

Unlimited Thinking - what does that mean to me? To you?

I was thinking about my nontraditional student experiences lately (as usual!)

As some of my readers know, I went back to school as a nontraditional student several years ago. I only went back to school for two years. (Vs. some other nontraditional students going for 4 years or longer...) The reason was that I went for a Certificate and already had my first degree (in English).

Both going for 2 years or less, or going for 4 years (of course) are valid choices. And although I have student loans to pay off right now, I COULD decide to go back again sometime, and add more years to my educational journey. I think about that occasionally - - seriously.

And I also think about the whole reason I went back to school. I wanted to open new doors for myself. And I had always wanted to try teaching out ever since I was younger, with an English degree and no teaching certificate.

Now I feel going back to school did something entirely unexpected for me. It made me change my way of thinking. I no longer think that I HAVE to do something I plan to do for the rest of my life. I can change my mind. I have found out that it is okay for things to change - - and for me to change too.

For instance, I have worked in the printing industry as a proofreader, a typesetter, and then a graphic designer for over 30 years, BUT I am not forced to do that forever. Going back to school taught me that, and gave me a lot of new job ideas too.

I think another definition of having Unlimited Thinking is not putting yourself in a rut for your whole life. It also frees you to think about the Big Picture. I realize now more than ever that I can STILL do whatever I want to do with my life. I used to think that because I was older, my life was going to stay the same forever. Ack! What an awful thought. I knew that I didn't want to ever go back and experience the same things I already did before.

In the past, I kept some of my jobs because I was afraid to do anything else. I was raising a child by myself, which is scary enough. I didn't want to rock the boat with my life or by looking for something better. I was long overdue for a new adventure in my life.

Does this sound at all like you? Are you doing what you want to do right now? For those who are already back in school, you may recognize yourself somewhere in my story. And if you are not, if you are wondering what you can do to make your life better, maybe going back to school will help you figure that out. Maybe it will start you on the path towards something wonderful.

What do YOU think? Are you on a journey right now? What kind? Have you ever tried doing something different? How did that work out? I look forward to finding out about that.

And I want to thank my readers and friends online for helping me do what I love and helping me continue my educational journey too. Later!

Nontraditionally Yours,

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

The clip art of a student on an educational journey is from the Microsoft Clipart pages.

Final project excitement... Get Excited! How this can help.

Artists, scientists, teachers, and everyone else who has a final project: 

Are You Excited???

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She is SO excited! Are YOU excited like this?

I read a comment today on a former posting about final projects of nontraditional students. This inspired my posting. My fellow nontraditional student first told about her assignments, and how time was running out.

But then she also said in her next comment how excited she was about the projects.

I think that this is going to make a huge difference in finishing the projects. I know when I am excited the time flies by and I am intrigued, not bored, but projects. I lose myself in the process. This can happen when I write, and when I am creating.
Being excited can turn just a job into something REALLY fun, and a cut above. It might even lead to a prize, an award, or a GREAT grade.

People can tell if you are excited. It weaves itself into what you are doing, and can infuse it with true genius.
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So... I am adding this to my suggestions.

Nontraditional Students, Get Excited!!!

If you are still in the selection process when it comes to final papers, projects, dissertations, fiction or non-fiction writing, or another project, select something that makes you excited. I have a distinct feeling that this will make all the difference in getting it done, making it great, and being proud of what you create.

So... Are you excited? I hope so!

Share what you think by commenting below.

Later!
Nontraditionally Yours,
Betsyanne

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

This wonderful excited photo is from the Microsoft Clipart Pages.