Saturday, January 07, 2012

Future Note

This post is more for me than anyone else.  I know that my blog is a sort of journal and I'll read this post in the future and remember.  Scott, when you write your book, "The Four Sins of Gaydom", remember "Oh the Places You'll Go," when it comes to writing about stagnation.

That is all.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Another Step Forward

One more step down today.  I met with a general counselor to help plan my classes.  I learned a lot too.  But I am such a procrastinator.  After all, classes start on the 9th.  But that step is done.

I have to say, I am nervous.  Not per se for the classes, or for college itself, but balancing school and a full-time job.  It has been my anger/disappointment/frustration with work that has spurred me to return to college to get my degree.  We have cashiers that have been there for over 15 years.  And no offense, but they're worn out husks of what they probably could have been.  I don't want to be that and I think I have so much untapped potential that retail will never touch.

The counselor recommended that I take two classes or about six credits.  That sounds good to me.  He said that English was a good choice.  Math, science and English were the only areas where "you won't just be unemployed after graduation."  He also talked about English teachers being able to teach other topics like drama, etc.  That sort of makes me cringe.  Not that those topics aren't very important to students, but that to have a career I'd have to generalize more.  Ugh.  But, I want a career, not just an empty degree. 

He also recommended that I get to know the EDU professors very well.  I'll need a letter of recommendation to get into a teaching program.  That will be a change for me and one that I knew I'd need to make.  Back in high school, teachers really loved me.  I had one that cried when I graduated.  I got along well with all of them and really well with a few.  Skip forward to BYU.  I don't think any professors knew my name or anything about me.  And it wasn't just because of large classes or something.  I went to class, took notes, and left.  I never liked those students you'd see crowding the professor after class asking questions and getting attention.  But... it's probably those students who finished their degrees and have promising careers and homes now. 

So what advice do any of you have so that I can step out of my comfort zone and know professors well enough that when the time comes, they can write me an excellent letter of recommendation?