So we're closing in on the end of the 2nd week of school. So far things are going well, biology is a struggle, as I knew it would be. Math is decent, and English is picking up. The one thing I'm starting to miss is some free time, although I did find some Saturday night, perhaps that will be my night of some downtime to watch tv, or hang out with friends, or maybe even catch a couple more hours of sleep.
I knew there would be a lack of freetime when I decided to go back to school since I need to keep working full time. I think in the coming weeks as I get used to my schedule I'll be able to plan some freetime in around things that I need to get done.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Why I now hate Office Depot
On Monday we went to get the laptop I wanted, but first we looked around town to see what other deals there might be for that were in our budget. First stop was Staples, and low and behold they had the Acer Aspire I'd originally wanted. We should have stopped here, it would have saved a lot of anger and time, but no we decided to make sure it was the best deal out there. Next stop Office Depot, we found 2 really good deals on fullsize laptops instead of a netbook.
We grabbed one of the slips of paper and took it up to the counter. After checking their system, we find they only have the display model. Ok no biggie, we'll get the HP netbook, so we grab that card and they call back to storage to have someone grab it, no response from anyone, but we're thinking they are looking for it. We then decide well the other laptop is within budget so we ask them to check stock, its also a display model only. So we go back to the HP Mini and they call back to storage as there has been no response.
Cashier helps another customer, and then places 3rd call to storage, still no response so she continues helping other customers with purchases. After helping other customers she places the 4th call back to storage with no response, not even an I"m working on it, or I'm pulling another request, I'll be out with your request in a few minutes. No it's dead air. So cashier helps yet another customer, at this time she has said nothing to us about why it's taking so long. So in a fit of anger and impatience we leave, we're not about to wait around another 20 minutes and not get anywhere. So off we go, check 2 more places and then head back to Staples. We tell the salesman what we want, and with about a 2 minute wait, he's walking us to the cash register. In all we spent about 10 minutes in Staples before we were out the door with purchase in hand.
It sure made us realize the value of allowing your salesmen to pull items from stock themselves, not depend on some stockperson, who apparently has better things to do, at least in his book. So here's to Staples, we're now more likely to go to you for items we might purchase that we can't take off the shelves ourselves. To Office Depot, we'd like to say, learn customer service, fire your stockperson and empower your cashier's and salesmen to pull stock themselves. Also Office Depot, make sure you keep someone informed about the status of their request, instead of letting them stand there for 20 minutes and only overhear your calls to storage.
We grabbed one of the slips of paper and took it up to the counter. After checking their system, we find they only have the display model. Ok no biggie, we'll get the HP netbook, so we grab that card and they call back to storage to have someone grab it, no response from anyone, but we're thinking they are looking for it. We then decide well the other laptop is within budget so we ask them to check stock, its also a display model only. So we go back to the HP Mini and they call back to storage as there has been no response.
Cashier helps another customer, and then places 3rd call to storage, still no response so she continues helping other customers with purchases. After helping other customers she places the 4th call back to storage with no response, not even an I"m working on it, or I'm pulling another request, I'll be out with your request in a few minutes. No it's dead air. So cashier helps yet another customer, at this time she has said nothing to us about why it's taking so long. So in a fit of anger and impatience we leave, we're not about to wait around another 20 minutes and not get anywhere. So off we go, check 2 more places and then head back to Staples. We tell the salesman what we want, and with about a 2 minute wait, he's walking us to the cash register. In all we spent about 10 minutes in Staples before we were out the door with purchase in hand.
It sure made us realize the value of allowing your salesmen to pull items from stock themselves, not depend on some stockperson, who apparently has better things to do, at least in his book. So here's to Staples, we're now more likely to go to you for items we might purchase that we can't take off the shelves ourselves. To Office Depot, we'd like to say, learn customer service, fire your stockperson and empower your cashier's and salesmen to pull stock themselves. Also Office Depot, make sure you keep someone informed about the status of their request, instead of letting them stand there for 20 minutes and only overhear your calls to storage.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Today is the Day
In just a few short hours, I'll join the line of masses to pick up my financial aid check, then its off to cash it return to buy my books. After that it will be time to go purchase a lil laptop.
The rest of the day will be spent installing math software and registering on the coursecompass website for math. Setting up the laptop, including deleting bloatware that companies just LOVE to install on their machines. Hopefully also install Office on the laptop. After that time will be spent working on assignments that are posted for math and english until its time to leave to go to my first Biology class in close to 15 years.
I'm scared but yet excited, today is the first day of school and the first official day on my path to career I can be proud of.
The rest of the day will be spent installing math software and registering on the coursecompass website for math. Setting up the laptop, including deleting bloatware that companies just LOVE to install on their machines. Hopefully also install Office on the laptop. After that time will be spent working on assignments that are posted for math and english until its time to leave to go to my first Biology class in close to 15 years.
I'm scared but yet excited, today is the first day of school and the first official day on my path to career I can be proud of.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Additional English Book
Found out today there is an additional book I need for English, its only $15 bux and Barnes and Noble has it. Its The Art of Racing in the Rain. In reading what it's about I was excited to see its a book I'd have picked up to read had I seen it. Hopefully will pick it up tonight and start reading it, for two reasons, 1) I have to, and 2) because I need a new book I haven't read yet.
Other English news, we have to keep a journal.. I hate journals (but yet I started a blog). There is no subject matter, we can write about anything we like, random thoughts flowing through our heads, the lamp on the desk, how much we hate journal's, the possibilities are endless. Only requirement is we write, and we have 45 entries by around Thanksgiving. Does a blog count? Probably not since it's pretty hard to turn a blog in.
Other English news, we have to keep a journal.. I hate journals (but yet I started a blog). There is no subject matter, we can write about anything we like, random thoughts flowing through our heads, the lamp on the desk, how much we hate journal's, the possibilities are endless. Only requirement is we write, and we have 45 entries by around Thanksgiving. Does a blog count? Probably not since it's pretty hard to turn a blog in.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Feeling the Pressure Already
So yesterday in the mail I get a letter from the math teacher instructing her students to e-mail her what orientation session for the math class they will be attending. She also instructs students to look at the calendar on Angel for important dates for when assignments are due, tests are scheduled and final is scheduled. So I e-mail her to let her know which orientation session I will attend, log into Angel to check the calendar. Nothing is posted for the math class yet, no big surprise since school doesn't start for another week. However, there are entries on the calendar for my English class.
By September 24th at Midnight, a diagnostic essay is due, and by the following Monday an introduction must be posted. I full expected to have assignments and what not due, but geesh can we please let school start before making me feel the pressure of due dates?
By September 24th at Midnight, a diagnostic essay is due, and by the following Monday an introduction must be posted. I full expected to have assignments and what not due, but geesh can we please let school start before making me feel the pressure of due dates?
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Waiting Game
So after deciding to go back to school, I apply, fill out financial aid paperwork and sit back and wait.
I get accepted, but am required to do the testing. No biggie, figured I would as that's how it works. Go down take the tests, meet with a counselor and set up my tenative schedule for the next year to get all the pre-requisites out of the way. Jump forward a few more weeks, and I'm now registered for classes. Biology, Math and English, but I still don't know if this is actually going to happen, as I don't know about my financial aid.
I'm told mid July for a response and possible award letter. So I wait, mid July hits and nothing, I'm checking the mailbox daily, logging into the financial aid section of SCC's website, and still nothing. So end of July I call them, and they say due to budget cuts they are working very limited hours, and I ask when I might hear something, and they ask when I turned in the paperwork. May 26th I say, so they say I should get a response by the end of August. Here comes freakout #1 as now I"m not sure if I can afford to go back to school as tuition is due September 9th. They say don't worry we'd put you on a deffered plan if we haven't processed your application yet. So I return to waiting, thinking I need to hear so if I need to drop any classes I can, since paying out of pocket is not really an option, at least to take a full load, and even then it'd be iffy. August 20th I receive my award letter, hurray I don't need to drop any classes, in fact I don't have to find a way to pay for books outta pocket.
With all that finalized I get to sit back and wait for the financial aid check to arrive, so I can pick up the books I've reserved, all $300 worth, and thats with renting one of them.
Looking at my schedule and all I need to accomplish I took the first day of school off work so that I can show up and pick up my financial aid, run and cash it, then run back to the school get my books. The lines will be long, but hopefully organized so they will move relatively quickly. Since my books are reserved I'm hoping there is a separate line for that. We shall see.
After all that running around, its time to return home, log into the Angel site and see what I need to do for 2 of my classes that are online, and prepare to be at the college by 5:30 for Biology.
So here's to managing a fulltime job and fulltime school. Its not impossible, many people do it, but how will I handle it? Time will tell.
I get accepted, but am required to do the testing. No biggie, figured I would as that's how it works. Go down take the tests, meet with a counselor and set up my tenative schedule for the next year to get all the pre-requisites out of the way. Jump forward a few more weeks, and I'm now registered for classes. Biology, Math and English, but I still don't know if this is actually going to happen, as I don't know about my financial aid.
I'm told mid July for a response and possible award letter. So I wait, mid July hits and nothing, I'm checking the mailbox daily, logging into the financial aid section of SCC's website, and still nothing. So end of July I call them, and they say due to budget cuts they are working very limited hours, and I ask when I might hear something, and they ask when I turned in the paperwork. May 26th I say, so they say I should get a response by the end of August. Here comes freakout #1 as now I"m not sure if I can afford to go back to school as tuition is due September 9th. They say don't worry we'd put you on a deffered plan if we haven't processed your application yet. So I return to waiting, thinking I need to hear so if I need to drop any classes I can, since paying out of pocket is not really an option, at least to take a full load, and even then it'd be iffy. August 20th I receive my award letter, hurray I don't need to drop any classes, in fact I don't have to find a way to pay for books outta pocket.
With all that finalized I get to sit back and wait for the financial aid check to arrive, so I can pick up the books I've reserved, all $300 worth, and thats with renting one of them.
Looking at my schedule and all I need to accomplish I took the first day of school off work so that I can show up and pick up my financial aid, run and cash it, then run back to the school get my books. The lines will be long, but hopefully organized so they will move relatively quickly. Since my books are reserved I'm hoping there is a separate line for that. We shall see.
After all that running around, its time to return home, log into the Angel site and see what I need to do for 2 of my classes that are online, and prepare to be at the college by 5:30 for Biology.
So here's to managing a fulltime job and fulltime school. Its not impossible, many people do it, but how will I handle it? Time will tell.
How I made my decision
For years, I thought about going back to school and getting a degree, but I was happy with working at a Title Company. Then the economy went in the crapper, the job was unstable, rent was increasing, so the boyfriend and I made the decision to pack up and move across the state to Spokane. Giving up the job was hard, even when I knew I could be laid off at anytime, but cost of living was lower, we'd be close to his parents and able to help them in their wonderful garden, and one year have a garden of our very own.
Spring forward almost a year, and I'm working at a company I like, doing a job (or multiple jobs as it is now) that I enjoy, however that company too is suffering the effects of the economy, and one of my co-workers was making life at the company miserable.
So I casually mentioned to the boyfriend, about my dream of going back to school. He asked for what, and I tenatively mention nursing. Being the fully supportive guy he's always been, he says go for it. So we get home and talk to more and start looking at the Community Colleges and Tech Schools for what they offer. I decide on Spokane Community College, they have what I want, and they aren't to far from where we live and where I work.
So thank you ex co-worker (she's no longer with the company) for helping me make a decision I'm rather proud of making. Even if you didn't know you helped.
Spring forward almost a year, and I'm working at a company I like, doing a job (or multiple jobs as it is now) that I enjoy, however that company too is suffering the effects of the economy, and one of my co-workers was making life at the company miserable.
So I casually mentioned to the boyfriend, about my dream of going back to school. He asked for what, and I tenatively mention nursing. Being the fully supportive guy he's always been, he says go for it. So we get home and talk to more and start looking at the Community Colleges and Tech Schools for what they offer. I decide on Spokane Community College, they have what I want, and they aren't to far from where we live and where I work.
So thank you ex co-worker (she's no longer with the company) for helping me make a decision I'm rather proud of making. Even if you didn't know you helped.
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