Online Classes & Stress Don't Mix
Between trying to reach goals, the kids, and school, my "me time" is really lacking. Right now I'm not feeling so good, and I'm guessing it's a reaction to stress. Yesterday and today were just not good. :(
Whoever said online classes were easy? Oh sure I don't have to drive to the campus (a HUGE plus, concidering I don't have a car at the moment - more on that later), but it's not so easy when the teacher feels the book is "good enough". We get an occational email about an upcoming assignment, but for the most part, we're on our own. Which wouldn't be so bad, but have you tried to read (and understand, mind you) a college text book? Holy crap, ENGLISH PLEASE! See now THIS is why I love copywriting so much - one of the first rules is to write for an 8th grader. Meaning if a Jr. High kid can understand it, so can the entire adult population. Or rather, read it quickly instead of having to think.
On the plus side, I do have one teacher (Statistics) who is taking full advantage of technology. Our lessons are given to us via video - where we see what he's doing on his computer, and hear him taking us through the steps. This has been a HUGE help. I was fine just reading the book up until Chapter 3, then forget it. I got so confused, but watching the video made it all click. Well, that and his theory was pretty much "forget doing the confusing math by hand, that's what Excel is for! Here's the code....". WOO! Love them shortcuts! Don't get me wrong, this wasn't your average math - this was standard devision and variances. "What the heck is THAT?" Yeah that's what I thought at the first look too.
So even though the other two classes are teacher-less, I haven't been doing so bad. COBOL isn't a hard language to learn, and I'm holding an "A" in the class right now (90-some percent). Yea me! Hold off on that celebration until after I turn in my first program though, which is due next week. Things could get messy when I stop just answering question and start fighting with my computer.
Computer Network Literacy has got to be the computer equivilant of rocket science. Like I know or care what all those wires behind my computer do. But, the class is required for my degree. Oh joy. I suppose somewhere down the line it will be good to know, but for now I can't barely keep wavelength and protocol straight. I was just barely holding an A in that class after one assignment and 3 quizes, until last night. I was extremely stressed and worrying about business related matters that I dang near flunked the quiz. I ended up with a 78% on that quiz, which dissapoints me. Stress does not mix well with quizes, I found out. Now my grade in that class has dropped to somewhere in the 80% range. Bah. Passing yes, but not up to my standards. Not that I was an A student in high school, but this is a little different and way more important.
As much as Computer Network Literacy sucks, I'm hoping to make it to Chapter 12, which is all about the Internet. I skimmed because I can't wait - FTP, servers, search engines, mailing lists, and HTML. WOOOO HOOOO....I smell a 100% on that quiz! Chapter 14 looks pretty good too, since it's about e-business applications. I may not know exactly how to DO some of the things seen on websites (or afford for that matter), but I know the general idea behind them. I spend more time in front of the computer than I do behind it, so no problems there.
After passing the quiz I just took in COBOL I'm feeling a bit better. Stress is just piling up big time, and I'm just trying to handle it at this point. Not to mention I was without a car for the last few days. Yes we have another here, but the battery was dead (wouldn't you know it?). Nothing too major with my car, just new brake pads and a new part that holds up the tail pipe. It was rusted out making my exhaust loose. Nothing major, just making a really aweful noise at certain low speeds. Made me realise how old my car was getting, and how good it's been to me. Imagin a little 98 Sunfire running pretty much perfect after 7 years, 130,000 miles, and my kids beating the hell out of it (my son broke the back window and scratched up the side door - told me his sister did it while he still had the rock behind his back - gottal love kids). Oh yeah, and the incident with the deer - don't worry he survived and so did my car, it just has a big dent in the side. Poor thing (the car, not my deer - he hit ME!).
*Sigh* Anyway, it's definately time for bed. No sleep isn't going to help stress levels any. Tomorrow is a new day that has GOT to be better. At least that's what I need to tell myself to make it through. ;)
Whoever said online classes were easy? Oh sure I don't have to drive to the campus (a HUGE plus, concidering I don't have a car at the moment - more on that later), but it's not so easy when the teacher feels the book is "good enough". We get an occational email about an upcoming assignment, but for the most part, we're on our own. Which wouldn't be so bad, but have you tried to read (and understand, mind you) a college text book? Holy crap, ENGLISH PLEASE! See now THIS is why I love copywriting so much - one of the first rules is to write for an 8th grader. Meaning if a Jr. High kid can understand it, so can the entire adult population. Or rather, read it quickly instead of having to think.
On the plus side, I do have one teacher (Statistics) who is taking full advantage of technology. Our lessons are given to us via video - where we see what he's doing on his computer, and hear him taking us through the steps. This has been a HUGE help. I was fine just reading the book up until Chapter 3, then forget it. I got so confused, but watching the video made it all click. Well, that and his theory was pretty much "forget doing the confusing math by hand, that's what Excel is for! Here's the code....". WOO! Love them shortcuts! Don't get me wrong, this wasn't your average math - this was standard devision and variances. "What the heck is THAT?" Yeah that's what I thought at the first look too.
So even though the other two classes are teacher-less, I haven't been doing so bad. COBOL isn't a hard language to learn, and I'm holding an "A" in the class right now (90-some percent). Yea me! Hold off on that celebration until after I turn in my first program though, which is due next week. Things could get messy when I stop just answering question and start fighting with my computer.
Computer Network Literacy has got to be the computer equivilant of rocket science. Like I know or care what all those wires behind my computer do. But, the class is required for my degree. Oh joy. I suppose somewhere down the line it will be good to know, but for now I can't barely keep wavelength and protocol straight. I was just barely holding an A in that class after one assignment and 3 quizes, until last night. I was extremely stressed and worrying about business related matters that I dang near flunked the quiz. I ended up with a 78% on that quiz, which dissapoints me. Stress does not mix well with quizes, I found out. Now my grade in that class has dropped to somewhere in the 80% range. Bah. Passing yes, but not up to my standards. Not that I was an A student in high school, but this is a little different and way more important.
As much as Computer Network Literacy sucks, I'm hoping to make it to Chapter 12, which is all about the Internet. I skimmed because I can't wait - FTP, servers, search engines, mailing lists, and HTML. WOOOO HOOOO....I smell a 100% on that quiz! Chapter 14 looks pretty good too, since it's about e-business applications. I may not know exactly how to DO some of the things seen on websites (or afford for that matter), but I know the general idea behind them. I spend more time in front of the computer than I do behind it, so no problems there.
After passing the quiz I just took in COBOL I'm feeling a bit better. Stress is just piling up big time, and I'm just trying to handle it at this point. Not to mention I was without a car for the last few days. Yes we have another here, but the battery was dead (wouldn't you know it?). Nothing too major with my car, just new brake pads and a new part that holds up the tail pipe. It was rusted out making my exhaust loose. Nothing major, just making a really aweful noise at certain low speeds. Made me realise how old my car was getting, and how good it's been to me. Imagin a little 98 Sunfire running pretty much perfect after 7 years, 130,000 miles, and my kids beating the hell out of it (my son broke the back window and scratched up the side door - told me his sister did it while he still had the rock behind his back - gottal love kids). Oh yeah, and the incident with the deer - don't worry he survived and so did my car, it just has a big dent in the side. Poor thing (the car, not my deer - he hit ME!).
*Sigh* Anyway, it's definately time for bed. No sleep isn't going to help stress levels any. Tomorrow is a new day that has GOT to be better. At least that's what I need to tell myself to make it through. ;)
posted by Ladybug Dawn @ 11:26 PM
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