Uh-oh...week 6

These six weeks have gone by fast for this class. I had totally forgotten that a first draft was due by the end of this unit. I swear I meant to start my paper last week but like my last blog said, my kids determined when I would be able to do my school work. Between sick kids, dentist appointments, and fixing water heaters time has slipped past me. I have had no time to work on my draft and now I fear that it will become a stressful situation trying to get it done on time so that I will be able to post on the discussion board before Saturday night. I have learned a lot during the last six weeks. Having three classes this term was quite a challenge, especially since two of my classes require essays almost every couple of weeks. I have come to realize that this college thing is no easy task and requires a lot of focus and dedication. I am glad that during some points of the day I am able to focus on school, sometimes I wish it could be more but I take what I can get. Anyways, good luck to all of you who read this on a writing a great essay!

Greatest Academic Challenge (which is also just my greatest challenge)

I'm sure a lot of online students have the same challenges. Time, jobs, housework, and family. My greatest challenge out of all of these selections is family, more specifically my two boys. My husband works two jobs so that I don't have to work and can focus on getting the best grades I can. What he doesn't realize is that just because I'm home all day doesn't mean that I can just study and finish school work whenever I feel like it and we get into arguments about it all the time. My boys have been unusally time-consuming these past couple of weeks. First one got sick, then my youngest decided to catch it and had a hard time getting over his infection (took two weeks). Then the beginning of this week our pressure to the hot water decided to give out. Follow that with having to take my oldest to the dentist (by the way, my son hates and is scared of the dentist) for a follow-up and then two days later back to the dentist so he can have his chipped tooth fixed and retainer re-glued. That happened today and it was no picnic, it took me and two other dental assistants to hold him down so they could finish. Getting the water heater fixed was also no fun, the repair was scheduled for after my sons terrifying dentist appointment and lasted three hours. All that needed to be done was a routine draining that was eight years too late (I know, I am the worst about keeping up with house maintenance but the kids are fed and clothed).
Anyways, as like must of my alumni (did I say that correctly?), my greatest academic challenge is figuring out how to manage my time but a lot of times, the kids decide when I can work on school and when they need me. My children are the most important thing in my life and when they need me, school can wait. It is just unfortunate that school work tends to pile up and consumes me! LOL

What would I do?

I have never had the experience of someone claiming the work that I have done as their own. I'm sure that this would make me very upset, depending on what it was. If it was an essay on a certain subject, (let's say childhood obesity), I gave a friend a copy so they could help edit it, and I find that it's been publicly published, that would make me very upset. I would have to confront the person and ask what were they thinking?! If I can prove that I wrote the essay, I definately would send the proof to the publishers and ask for a statement saying that the author was me and not the other person.
Now, if this situation was something that happened at work, say a proposal for something, and a co-worker took that idea from me. I would be even more upset. This person is taking my hard work and trying to climb that corporate ladder with my ideas. I again would find proof that this idea was mine and get it to the boss. I mean seriously, give credit where credit is due.
The last situation I could think of is for homelife. My husband is trying to run a business and work two jobs all at once. He doesn't have time to take pictures, write descriptions, and post his products to ebay. So I have to do this for him. The business is in his name and any money made goes to his business account which I can't touch. This should make me upset that he is getting credit for selling, but I'm just helping out until he gets more time. Now, when we are out with his family and they ask how is business is doing and he goes on about how this or that is selling or how hard it is, I don't keep my mouth shut. I am doing all the work and for some reason him acting like it's all his doing is quite upsetting. That has happened maybe twice. He has learned that he needs to mention the work I do or his stuff doesn't get done. lol Never make a wife mad or that's the end of us being the woman behind the man.

really going crazy...

I have just finished searching for more articles for my paper. I have come up with soo many different ones now about the school lunch program and different aspects of it. I am hoping that when I actually read the articles that they will help in writing however many pages my essay needs to be. I am also hoping that they will be approved references, as much of them are little articles from different journals. Oh well, no harm in trying. Now if only I could focus on actually getting my discussion question written up so I can post it (feeling really lazy due to the rain), not too mention I feel a little overwhelmed with the rest of my classes and the homework that needs to be finished there. I have another paper due in my Human Disease class and a lot of typing to do for keyboarding and tests to take. My, oh my, I have my hands full this week. Good luck to me!

On-line Schooling

I have chosen to blog about going to an online university and some other frustrations I am dealing with now. But first how I feel about attending an Online University. When I found out about my job being sent over-seas, I decided I needed finally figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. My grandmother-in-law does medical billing/coding from home and decided that it was a good career choice since hospitals or doctor's offices aren't going over-seas anytime soon. She tried to help get started attending here in San Antonio to a college where she had connections with the health care director. I was very grateful but found it difficult to schedule going to take all the tests, talking to the admissions, and finding daycare for my kids before going to work. That's when I decided to check to see what universities online were accredited. Kaplan was exactly what I needed. I am able to complete assignments when I have the time (of course before deadline), I don't need to find a babysitter to attend classes (just have to keep them occupied for an hour), and there is no leaving the house (no worries about leaving the stove or coffee pot on). I have attended here for almost a year and am half-way to my goal. I have switched from Medical Office Management to Medical Transcription but the many of the courses remained the same. I did realize after switching that I can take medical billing/coding and medical office management as an elective, whereas in the MOM degree plan, I wouldn't have been able to learn MT skills. So this is awesome to me, I can now be educated to work various parts in a medical office and know what I am doing. I still hope that I would be able to make enough money to pay bills and save for a bigger house while working at home, but if I need to work outside the home, I will be prepared for anything. I find that not knowing students face to face makes it easier to communicate and not be afraid to leave comments that state whether or not they are doing great or if they should make improvements on certain things. The professors are easier to contact and respond quicker than I feel a professor at a University would. No making appointments or hoping that your e-mail will not get lost among hundreds of other students e-mails. But the best part for me is that I am home when my children need me and don't miss anything if I have to speed one of my boys to the med clinic or any sort of family functions. If there is seminar, I just take my husband's netbook and listen while enjoying either of my wonderful adventures. I don't really know how we can seem closer, except using Skype to talk to one another. We already communicate on discussion boards and seminars, and some im each other for extra help.
Now the frustrating part: I received information from Kaplan last Saturday, so I called to find out what the deal is. I then asked if they received information about my FAFSA. I was told that I did not get approved for any federal funding for the 2010-2011 school year. We made too much. I really hate the fact that we can't get approved for the things we need. I am still unemployed and my husband is working two jobs so I can focus on my studies and get awesome grades. We barely make it each month, and we still made too much. So now I am beginning to wonder if my school career will end before I can finish my degree. I would hate to have to get more loans or work just to pay for classes (that would take away my focus from assignments but I know a lot of students do this and get by) but we have to do what we have to do.
So anyways, I rambled on again. But isn't that what a blog is for? I hope I answered this weeks questions. Until next time...