The Non-Traditional Student Blog (BA)

Summer Plans and Ideas - Fun - Changes - Work and Workspaces - A New Plan

As I write this today, my own plans are up in the air. I have gone back to school before, and have wanted to have my own art studio for a long time. I don't want to go back to school again YET (although I may someday) but I do want to explore my art and have a great place to do it in.

Are you not in a place you like? You can BREAK FREE.

Today, I realize that due to changing circumstances beyond my control, that a new plan for my workspace may happen before long. And I can do it myself. I guess I've been waiting for a sign. Which is good, because I have been wanting to do that, but inertia has prevented it. Today, I feel that sign has arrived. I feel a push coming on to Get Things Done. And that is good, in both the short and the long run of things.

Sometimes you just have to quit "going with the flow" - - because bigger and better things CAN happen if you make a change, even if it's a scary one.

For instance, I DO have room in my garage for some equipment and space, IF I rearrange things and get rid of other things. It would (gasp!) maybe even be FUN, which would be an added bonus. Plus, I do not currently have much room for my equipment OR supplies. There is room out there. I just have to MAKE room and do the needed work.

Which brings me back to my personal nontraditional student experience. AND my writing experience. Both have not been chugging along like I want. I CAN change this.

When I chose to go back to school, it seemed to be something I HAD to do. Fun did not figure in much, but curiosity did. As I know from a teacher I learned a lot from, fun MUST enter into the equation in order to do good work. It helps, anyway.

My question back there was, "Can I find out what teaching is like?" And I DID find out, but not in the same way I would have if I had tried it earlier.

I also found out a lot about myself. I found out what I can put up with, how very resilient I really was (staying when others had quit in the past), and I learned what I enjoyed (vs. just did because I felt I HAD to.)

So, I will be grabbing some opportunities I have had all along, just have not used them.

I CAN make the space and opportunity for creativity I want. It just takes some work and imagination.

AND I CAN experience a student and/or teaching relationship - maybe doing this myself, maybe taking a class or two.

What I like knowing is that I DO have choices. Treading water or doing something because it's available is not always the best way to live.

I don't have to make do with what IS, I can change things for the better. And I don't have to blame myself for how things are either. So stay tuned for what's next.

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A question: Are you also thinking about what is next in your world? Leave a comment and share what you think about it, and about what is going on with YOU right now. :-)

Betsyanne
Former Nontraditional Student in Education
Artist and Writer

Summer Plans, Colleges, Finals, 2 more About.com articles

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. - See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2015/05/sharing-two-more-great-postings-from.html#.VVy-PhdcZ0I

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.
- See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2015/05/sharing-two-more-great-postings-from.html#.VVy-PhdcZ0I

Sometimes treading water, doing the same old, same old is NOT a good idea. Making Changes, more.