I would like to offer a small piece of advice to anyone who is willing to listen. The advice is small, but the results can be immeasurable. While technology has grown tremendously over the past few years, there is still only so much for which we can rely on technology. That being said, let me tell you how important it is to save your work in more than one place.

With flash drives and portable hard drives at our disposal, we might think that we have all of our work backed up safely. That could not be further from the truth. I have had two incidents involving missing or corrupted jump drives that have caused me to lose work.

The first incident occurred back in January. I was leaving the library in a hurry, and I forgot to extract my jump drive and take it with me. That was catastrophic because it was about a week before my final project was due for a class. It is very hard to redo an assignment you have lost when you do not have the hard copies of the work you have already put into it.

My second incident with jump drives occurred just recently during Fall I, when my laptop was diagnosed with a fried motherboard. Luckily, after the first incident, I decided to save all of my work on my laptop and on a jump drive, so I thought I had a fail-proof plan. In the final few days before my final paper was due, I started having issues with my jump drive. Whenever I plugged it into a PC, it would not connect, and I no longer had access to any of the files on the jump drive. I ended up rushing through a final paper that I was not completely satisfied with – but some grade beats no grade, if you ask me. I took the jump drive to a store, and they wanted $249.00 just to see if they could recover anything, with no guarantees. I think that is a lot of money to spend without a 100% guarantee.

So, now I have come up with a new plan. I save my work on my laptop, I save my work on a portable hard drive, I save my work on a jump drive, and I email it to myself. I offer this piece of advice so that people do not have to experience what I did. I ended up losing a lot of work that, in my opinion, was priceless because it was the details of my journey through school. Now that I have had two bad experiences with jump drives, I will be taking more extreme measures to safeguard my work. I wanted to share my experience with others so that they do not have to experience the same disappointment that I have experienced twice.

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Okay, summer is barely here, and I have taken on two new endeavors at SLU. I enrolled in my first two Summer Courses – EVER! I also took my First Intersession Class. Let me just say that it was quite the experience. It is summer, and there are a lot more things going on, so the challenge of focusing can be greatly exacerbated. If you have children, there are all sorts of things going on. Even if you do not have children or a family, there are so many things to take in during the warmer months. There are free concerts in several parks throughout the area, the zoo is free—and is definitely world class. You have Cardinals baseball, work functions, and lots of other possibilities.

Needless to say my point is that it took a great deal of extra focus and self-discipline to get through the four-week Intersession Course. I took Biology, and for some reason I registered for the class not realizing that it was a four-week course. We covered five to six chapters each week, and there were quizzes, assignments, and discussions each week as well. This sounds pretty scary, but I think the class was led by a wonderful instructor who communicated effectively and understood the demands of her students. I was sick the first week of class, and when I finally felt better it was the last day the assignment and quiz for that week were due. So I ended up in a coffee shop until a quarter after midnight that week. I vowed to step my game up since I was feeling better.

The next week came, and I was up until about 1130pm. So it happened again, though I’m not sure how. By the third week I was ready to go and finish this class off strong, and I feel like I did pretty well. It took a lot of adjusting and hard work, but I actually learned a lot in the accelerated format, and I would consider taking an intersession course again if needed. It was a really good class, and I was really happy I took it.

I am still completing the eight-week course I registered for – Ethics. This class is introducing me to some very interesting information, and I am really happy that I am taking it. More importantly, I only have one class for the next four-five weeks so my schedule should be a lot less busy. I am very pleased with my summer courses and the intersession course, but it really took a lot for me to stay focused. I think the topics and the format of the courses are really the reasons why things have gone pretty well so far. I am just looking forward to finishing off this Ethics class strong because of the extra time I have and moving 6 credits closer to obtaining my degree from Saint Louis University.

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I took two excellent classes last term. The material was great and required you to be involved. One of my classes required me to complete thirty hours of community service. During that semester, there was inclement weather that forced just about every school in the area to cancel class and other activities so I missed one day of class. I appreciated the fact that our instructor was in touch with us throughout this period and kept us updated with adjustments he had to make to the syllabus. This definitely helped me get through the class.

My other class was an online class. I know a lot of students do not care for online classes—present company included—but, they are very convenient. What made this class really good was the instructor’s willingness to engage the students via the discussion board. The instructor made regular posts and comments throughout the week and she always responded to questions. As a student, I think it is important for instructors to engage and respond to every student inquiry. Taking an online class is not much different than an on-ground class aside from the fact that there is no face-to-face interaction. That is why it is important for instructors to engage the students.

Since I started attending Saint Louis University’s School for Professional Studies in 2009, I have noticed that a lot of schools are placing emphasis on online classes or distance learning. I have mixed opinions about online learning. I know from experience that these classes can be just as effective as their on-ground equivalent. However, I think there is one key thing that instructors must do to make this experience beneficial to their students. They must realize that a lot of adult students have been out of school for years and are quite wary of returning to school. In addition, many of these adult students are returning to school because they are seeking advancement in their career—not because they enjoy school. This poses a great challenge to students and their instructors. In order for this experience to be valuable to students, online instructors need to be as responsive as possible. I am not saying that they need to show favoritism or not hold students accountable, but they must realize that the student body they are dealing with is comprised of students who are as busy, if not more busy, than they are. These students will have lots of questions, and to make this course go smoothly, instructors must be quick to respond. On the other hand, the students who take these online classes need to realize that they must be self-starters and willing to take charge of their own education.

The bottom line is that in order to get the full benefit of any class—online or on-ground—students and instructors need to be accountable and responsive to the needs of one another.

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Can you feel it, or should I say did you feel it? You know, that end of year hustle and bustle. Well, l can tell you that closing “out” the year for me felt more like the year was closing “in” on me. Work assignments were intense with time-sensitive tasks, and the holidays were fast approaching.

This meant decorating, Christmas shopping, and dinner preparations were waiting to happen and were high on the “To Do” list for holiday entertaining. To add to the list of things to do, I had an important paper to write for my Legal Issues in Organizations class. While I enjoy writing as a hobby, writing papers for a class is something different.

It’s different in a number of ways. First, you have a particular format to follow, such as APA style requirements. Then, you have to research information, cite that information, and include references – being careful to follow a proper format for that too.

Likewise, you have to make sure it flows well and transitions appropriately. With all of the requirements, it can become pretty scary because you have to earn a passing grade. And when it’s worth a large percentage of your grade, it can be very taxing on the mind.

When you combine all of this with your end-of-year work assignments and family, you can get pretty close to pulling your hair out.

But I never have to worry about that with the School for Professional Studies (SPS) because the instructors and academic advisors are there to help every step of the way – offering tips and direction on how to succeed with ease. If I am feeling overwhelmed, I can contact them and be assured they will reply in a timely manner.

The added perk is the convenience of online classes. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, I was able to maintain good grades throughout the course by logging in at times that worked for me.

As the course was culminating, the instructor offered the opportunity for the class to participate in a conference call regarding our final project. I found this to be very helpful because it allowed the class the opportunity to ask questions and get their questions answered on the spot.

I found that to be pretty amazing since I was sitting at my dining room table. Needless to say, I passed the course with honors. Earning a degree with SPS has never been so refreshing, now that’s what I call “home schooling” (smile).

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Okay, school is back and it is in full effect. I remember last year on the first day of school and how prepared I was. This year it seems to have crept up on me. I was ready with my books and syllabi, but the first day of class still came out of nowhere. The first week was a little hectic for me, to say the least. I was actually looking forward to the first day of class and was very excited. As each new term starts, I am one term closer to obtaining my degree. I am taking two classes: one online and one on-ground.

After the second week I was back in my groove. Everything is going smoothly and as well as can be expected at this point. I am pleased with the fact that my classes complement one another. What I mean by that is that the topics covered in the two courses actually relate. I really enjoy when this happens because it broadens my insight into the subject. This helps when studying and with discussion. I cannot believe that the first fall term is almost over.

In two weeks the second fall term starts, and we will all embark on the next step in our journey. The first week back was rough, but it did not discourage me. It encouraged me to get it together and remember all of those study habits I developed and worked on last year. It was like turning the heat on for the first time on a cold night. It takes a minute to warm up, but once it heats up, you can put it on automatic.

I am excited about the upcoming term. I have been pondering changing my major again, but I am not totally sure about it yet. I do not want to change and change and change. Well, at least for right now, all I have to think about are the two classes I have going on and finishing them strong.

One thing I have decided is that I will not take the summer off again. I plan on going until I have reached my goal. I am glad to see some of my old classmates from last year and the new classmates as well. It is good to be back in class, and I would like to tell all of my fellow Billikens “Welcome Back!”

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Whew! Hot summer days and online classes. What a combination… speaking of crash courses – now I know the true meaning of the expression. I completed two online courses over the summer, and at the end, I needed to escape to allow my mind to be free from my focused method. While each course was intense and packed with information, I learned a lot of valuable information.

I have never considered myself to be a history scholar, but I certainly feel like I can wear the title now that I’ve taken History 112. Oddly enough, it proved to be quite interesting especially in terms of what is acceptable in different cultures. Things that are taboo in one culture may be acceptable in another culture…such as prostitution. One would think that prostitution is wrong in every culture, but that is not true. I found that to be quite surprising!

Anyway, the biggest piece to each course is writing papers that are usually due at the end of the course. The thought of this throws me into panic mode. I stress out over them because they are always worth a large portion of your grade so I can’t let my hard work go to waste by submitting a poor paper. It’s challenging, to say the least. Nevertheless, I come shining through because the instructors do such an extraordinary job of preparing us for success with detailed information for completing each task.

At the end of each course, I find myself exhaling from the delight of receiving a high score and for having another course under my belt – putting me a step closer to graduation. With SPS you can’t lose with the stuff they give you. If you are a busy adult there is hope for a brighter future at SLU. Just enroll with SPS and start your journey to success. They build courses that have been designed specifically with you in mind. For example, online courses… they work great for me. SPS is ahead of the game because, in years to come, online courses will not only be a popular choice, but it will be a choice on demand.

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I am taking my first online course this term. I am a person who learns a lot from the in-class discussions – the main reason I thought I would never take an online course. There are other reasons I was apprehensive about taking an online course. The discussions weighed heavily on me because an online discussion is not the same as a face-to-face discussion. There are definite pros and cons to taking an online class.

One of the definite pros of taking an online class is that I don’t have to commute to school that extra day out of the week. I am at home with my family a day where I would normally be gone. Even though I am doing homework or posting online for the discussion, being at home is definitely beneficial for my family. We are always happy to see one another. Although I enjoy this aspect of the online course, the discussions are kind of hard for me because they seem so detached and unoriginal because they are being typed and not spoken. There is definitely a lot missing when you remove the face-to-face interaction of a traditional classroom and move it online. However, I do think these classes are necessary and the end sure enough does justify the means.

I feel that the means are justifiable because the same resources available to you in a traditional classroom setting are still available to you in an online course. The Writing Center, the library, the tutoring center, all of these resources are still available to you. The one thing I think you must have if you are taking an online course is self-discipline. Learning in an online or traditional setting is totally up to the individual. What you put into the class you will more than likely get out of it. It is much easier to go to class, listen to a lecture, and take notes than it is to be responsible for putting this information together on your own.

I think determination is the ultimate factor. How determined am I to pass this class? How determined am I to get this degree from SLU? How determined am I to succeed? Everything pretty much boils down to the one person whom it ultimately affects-the student.

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One may look at my schedule and ask, “Is she crazy?” I sometimes ask myself the same question. As an SPS student, I am juggling work, home (life with a teenager), and theatre and film projects, which are all very time consuming. Nevertheless, this SPS non-traditional student is pressing her way through. This, of course, may mean late nights at the library, but who cares as long as it gets done?

I was lying in bed last night after successfully getting to bed at midnight – tossing and turning with thoughts racing through my mind about all the things I need to do. I looked at the clock and it was 2:00 am – ugh! So much for getting to bed at a normal time! All of a sudden it hit me! I had an assignment due by 5:00 AM. I jumped up, slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and scurried out of the house rushing over to the library to complete and submit the assignment. Whew! Thank you, Jesus, for reminding me about this assignment!

Upon completion, I signed off the computer, drove back home, and fell into bed around 3:30 AM, only to rise for work at 6:30. Now, I am sitting at a computer with puffy eyes and hoping to get to bed at a normal hour on Wednesday night. Today is Monday, but I am holding auditions tonight for a filmmaker’s challenge, and I have a PTA meeting tomorrow that I cannot miss – because I am the president of the PTA. I do not anticipate getting to bed at a normal hour tonight or tomorrow because I have three more short films to write for the filmmaker’s competition. In fact, I may have to give up rest altogether because we will begin filming after the cast has been selected to meet the June 30th deadline.

The beauty in all of this is that my current class is an online class. What could be better than this? Taking an online class at SPS allows me the opportunity to jump out of bed at 2:00 AM to rush over to the Pius Library when the streets are quiet and free from traffic so that I can complete assignments due at 5:00 AM and then blog about it. Ahh, now that’s “Living Life Like It’s Golden…” SPS rocks!

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