You would think that once you have been to a couple of colleges, they all would start to have a large degree of commonality. Not so. I am floundering around again to learn new terms for a new college and, in the mindset of BK, doing it "their way."
Let me back up a moment and clarify a few things. I started college and still did not understand, at age 32, what the difference was between an associate and bachelor degree. It was not until about 2 years ago, at age 36, that I understood the difference between a bachelor of arts or sciences. I am still struggling to understand the whole graduate and undergraduate component. So, being the first generation to successfully attend and complete college in my family, I am learning the hard way- through a lot of mistakes, failures, missed deadlines and even more questions that really make me feel uneducated.
Having a bachelor degree under my belt, I thought I would feel smarter. But not really. I feel more uneducated than ever before. I believe someone once said they were once too dumb to know what they didn't know and the more they learned the more they knew what they didn't know. That would be me now.
I am all set for my classes to begin at Luther Seminary in Minneapolis. For those who didn't know yet, I am a Master of Divinity student (MDiv)in a fairly new distance learning(DL) program. (that is a whole different post!). I will be learning from home, via Internet, but also must spend a month each year (2 weeks every June and January) on campus doing intensives. I also have to volunteer here locally and keep up with my cohort (that is my learning 'group') weekly. It is a far more structured distance learning program than most colleges offer, especially at the graduate level, but I believe that is fully necessary given the degree.
Being the first ever MDiv, DL student for the New York Metro Synod of the ELCA (a Lutheran denomination), I am a guinea pig in a fishbowl- that is, watched quite closely.
So I have observed a few things at this point.
1. Every college forgets what it is like to be a brand new student with them and misses opportunities to make it a little less frustrating or fear inducing.
2. Greek doesn't count for credit toward an MDiv degree but you have to take a bunch of it.
3. Minneapolis is supposed to have amazing stuffed burgers and I am making the list of places to try now.
4. There is an app for Greek flashcards!
5. It doesn't feel any different from starting at any other new school- no matter what it is all new and scary. This is my 14th new start at a school since kindergarten so I think I know the drill but am still swept away by the newness.
6. Nothing is centrally located for information. It isn't just at schools, it is that way in life. Who is supposed to be in charge of SOP's for life? (standard operating procedure)
7. Reading the whole Bible in 90 days is harder than I thought but much easier than reading it in a year. (less time to mess around and get behind!)
Let me back up a moment and clarify a few things. I started college and still did not understand, at age 32, what the difference was between an associate and bachelor degree. It was not until about 2 years ago, at age 36, that I understood the difference between a bachelor of arts or sciences. I am still struggling to understand the whole graduate and undergraduate component. So, being the first generation to successfully attend and complete college in my family, I am learning the hard way- through a lot of mistakes, failures, missed deadlines and even more questions that really make me feel uneducated.
Having a bachelor degree under my belt, I thought I would feel smarter. But not really. I feel more uneducated than ever before. I believe someone once said they were once too dumb to know what they didn't know and the more they learned the more they knew what they didn't know. That would be me now.
I am all set for my classes to begin at Luther Seminary in Minneapolis. For those who didn't know yet, I am a Master of Divinity student (MDiv)in a fairly new distance learning(DL) program. (that is a whole different post!). I will be learning from home, via Internet, but also must spend a month each year (2 weeks every June and January) on campus doing intensives. I also have to volunteer here locally and keep up with my cohort (that is my learning 'group') weekly. It is a far more structured distance learning program than most colleges offer, especially at the graduate level, but I believe that is fully necessary given the degree.
Being the first ever MDiv, DL student for the New York Metro Synod of the ELCA (a Lutheran denomination), I am a guinea pig in a fishbowl- that is, watched quite closely.
So I have observed a few things at this point.
1. Every college forgets what it is like to be a brand new student with them and misses opportunities to make it a little less frustrating or fear inducing.
2. Greek doesn't count for credit toward an MDiv degree but you have to take a bunch of it.
3. Minneapolis is supposed to have amazing stuffed burgers and I am making the list of places to try now.
4. There is an app for Greek flashcards!
5. It doesn't feel any different from starting at any other new school- no matter what it is all new and scary. This is my 14th new start at a school since kindergarten so I think I know the drill but am still swept away by the newness.
6. Nothing is centrally located for information. It isn't just at schools, it is that way in life. Who is supposed to be in charge of SOP's for life? (standard operating procedure)
7. Reading the whole Bible in 90 days is harder than I thought but much easier than reading it in a year. (less time to mess around and get behind!)
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