Accelerated Classes, Accelerated Learning

Okay, so at first I thought an eleven day course was really accelerated and I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but I did and loved it (200 pts out of 210 pts). However, now I am experiencing something new as a result of the mini-mester class. I’m taking a summer class, which is four full weeks long…but it is going way too slow. I finished the first week’s reading assignment and homework (covered 3 very long chapters of National Government) all on the first day of class. We didn’t get the homework assignment until the fourth day of class for the next three chapters, so I didn’t get that finished until that evening. I will be finished with all fourteen chapters by the end of this week. I’m going to ask if I can get the homework assignments in advance so that I can get those finished. I actually think I could have taken this course during a two week time period. The question everyone has asked me about short, intense courses have to do with how much of the information can one retain? I’m surprised myself by how much I have learned and am retaining. I’ll probably forget specific details such as percentages or exact dates, but over all I can recall information and put it into context relevant to what I am sharing.

So, with this accelerated learning ability I seem to be experiencing I signed up to take two classes for the second summer session. I’ll be taking State Government and Cultural Diversity. They both require a lot of reading and memorization. I figured that if I can do what I’ve been doing and still keep my 4.0 GPA, then the quicker I get through college the sooner I will be teaching (my goal: before I’m 50!). Although, I can understand how easy it would be to become a lifelong student and just keep taking more classes to learn more and to discover where my limitations are. I love being in college!

With a little more understanding of me, I am embracing myself and what I am capable of after the mini-mester and now this summer course. I thought I wouldn’t be able to carry more than 10-12 hours of classes, tutor 12 hours per week, maintain my home and yard and do any of the other things we all do on a regular basis. However, I know that God has gifted me with so much more than I ever imagined possible for myself. I have to think that the timing of this understanding is perfect after I took a look at two different degree plans that I am interested in.

I made an appointment for this month to visit with an advisor at one of the two Universities near by. I’ll make the appointment for the other University after I talk to the first one. I have been taking classes at the community college so that I will be core complete when I transfer, so I’m on track… for the most part. What I didn’t realize, and no one has mentioned to me, that there are specific classes that I really need to be taking before I transfer. If I want to get my degree for English, I need to add 12 hours of foreign language. If, on the other hand I want to get my degree in Biology, I need to add 8 hours of chemistry, 8 hours of physics and 3 hours of trigonometry. Part of me says that the easier, more enjoyable way would be the English degree. The other part of me that loves a challenge says to go for the Biology degree even if it takes another semester before I transfer. I was stressing over this all week, but that doesn’t do me any good, so I am releasing it to the Lord. I know that He has a perfect plan for me and I may not know exactly what it is until it’s time to sign up for the classes.

I’ll let you know what I find out after I talk to the advisors. If you have any advice or suggestions, it will be much appreciated. In the meantime, I’m going to read the next chapter for Government before I review the first six for Thursday’s mid-term test.