STAYING ON COURSE

Kendra Harvey
Pre 100 sect. 7116
October 12, 2013 Kendra Harvey Pre 100 Sect. 7116 12 October 2013

STAYING ON COURSE

Enrolling in college at 26 years old was very intimidating to me. Although I graduated from high school, I have a real problem with self confidence. Keeping up with my classmates from high school on social media sites, I became discouraged and depressed from seeing how successful some of them had become. I often wondered why I haven’t become successful. Why was I made to be a failure? Then it dawned on me that I, myself was my own problem. At different points in my life I’ve often given up when I was faced with a challenge. I always took interest in the healthcare field, and I pursued and completed a certification in nursing. When certain circumstances caused for me to have to go back to school to recertify, instead of pressing on I choose defeat. My greatest obstacles now are my children, for I don’t have a strong support system and because of this I have allowed myself to be defeated by other obstacles in life. When I got into college, my biggest challenge was staying focused and motivated. I continued to stay out late, I would put off assignments until the last minute, I did cram study sessions, I was lazy all the time and couldn’t concentrate, and I missed classes and fell behind on home assignments. This caused a major problem for me like receiving failing grades. I blamed everything and everyone around me. I felt like I no longer had control over my situation. I fell into depression and once again I had my mind set on giving up. One day I was in my PRE 100 class and we were discussing the topic of accepting personal responsibility, more in depth to say, victim and creator. After sitting through lecture and reviewing the journal assignment, I noticed that I had played the victim role quite often. I began to re evaluate my life and priorities. Just like our journal entry exercise in our On Course book, chapter 2, I wrote down thoughts that had come to mind in reference to my life. As I read through them they all had one thing in common; they were statements made by a person who played victim. I sat there, just as I did with our class work assignment, and I wrote each statement again but differently by adopting the creator role. After reading each statement from a “creators” point of view, I was able to gain confidence in my current situations. “The essence of personal responsibility is responding wisely to life’s opportunities and challenges, rather than waiting passively for luck or other people to make choices for us.” (On Course, pp.31). When I read this statement it touched me deeply. I came to realization that I am the master of my own fate. I am the primary cause of my outcomes and experiences. It was my duty to find my desires that cause me to act. I have three children that expect me to be a provider for them, and using excuses or playing the blame game would not produce positive results, nor would it help me to obtain my degree. At that moment I made one of the biggest decisions in my life, to always stay on course. No matter what weapon formed against me, I would prosper. I had put a plan in place and I was going to use it. My plan consisted of not staying out late and not procrastinating; taking responsibility by accepting whatever obstacle I’m facing and continuing to stay focused on my studies. I plan to give myself time to study each day, for each class, and also to setup appropriate child care so my children won’t be a distraction. I do not have adequate resources to complete my coursework at home, so I plan to utilize my school library so that my class work can be done on time. Instead of procrastinating; I will begin assignments as soon as they are assigned. I have trained myself to keep in mind that just because an assignment is due at a later date, doesn’t mean I have to wait to start or complete it. Should a situation arise where I cannot make it to class, I plan to communicate with my classmates and/or instructor, or check my syllabus to make sure I do not fall behind in my course work. Should I feel the need for additional help in any of my courses I will seek tutoring. With taking on the creator role, I was able to adopt a whole new mindframe to help me stay on course to my success. My expectations is to go from having failing grades to A’s and B’s, to go from being lazy and unmotivated to responsible, resourceful, and outgoing. I do not want to be the victim anymore. In my children eyes I want to be the hero. I know by implementing my plan and staying on course, I will not fall short of anything less than a successful student, mother, wife, and soon to be Dental Hygienist.

REFERENCES

Downing, Skip, On Course Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life,
Mason: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.