A whole new world is opening up. After day two of my new educational experience, I am learning that after being out of the college setting for over 12 years now, things have definitely changed. My first day I was told that too many students plagiarize papers (I never understood this, even before the wonders of the internet made themselves a part of every day life), and we must submit all original papers to a website that checks your “original” work to be sure it is actually original. Hmm. I suppose it’s a good tool, but shouldn’t this cause me to believe that the professors aren’t actually reading my papers? Aren’t they supposed to be subject matter experts? Shouldn’t they know if I’ve slipped a bit of another person’s work into mine without proper bibliographic acknowledgment? I know that I always enjoyed the instructors who took the time to make comments because it helped me improve my work, and I have to believe that it helped shape me into the person I am today (Not that I think I’m so great, but, hey, I’m still here, and I think I can communicate – at least most of the time, so that others understand me). Are they simply faking the funk to get students through? Surely this isn’t the case, but I suppose time will tell.
Originally (oh so many years ago), I started off with the intention of being an English major (and then an Art major, and then a Liberal Arts major, and then a Sociology major, and then back to an English major). Life happened though, and after getting through the associate degree requirements, the “real world” called me into the work force. I am so grateful for the time that I spent working. I was able to work as an underwriter, in public relations, in the education arena, and for the majority of my adult life, in human resources. These careers have taught me much, the majority of which taught me the types of jobs that I do not wish to pursue in the future. I always thought that one day I would figure out what I’m supposed to be doing with my life. My personality assessments always tell me that I’m an Idealist. What the heck is that supposed to mean anyway? The tests paint a picture of this Mother Theresa-esqe or Princess Diana image, and I just don’t see that in myself. As has been shared repeatedly (Already, in just a couple of days), I need to just ‘trust the process.’
I have found myself frustrated, giddy, annoyed, frustrated, angry, thrilled, frustrated, sad, perplexed, frustrated, and so much more in the brief 72 hours since this all began. But, I look forward to the journey ahead. As I begin a new chapter in life, I look forward to sharing, learning, and growing as a student of life. Hopefully, the process will be beneficial.
