Aurora University Top Questions

Attending college has helped me to grow, not only as a student, but also as an individual. What I have learned in the classroom has prepared me to meet the growing demands of my field. More importantly, I have learned so much about myself. I have encountered so many obsticles I never thought I would be able to overcome but was able to because of my experiences at the university. Attending college is valuable because it does not simply prepare you for a job but for much more, life and a career.

I have learned that life isn't always fair. The college experience has shown me there are people out there who don't give a damn about what you think and there are others who care very much. I have also found that if one isn't up to the challenges that the school presents that one has to ask for help. If one struggles alone against these problems, one will never know how to humbly ask for help in other areas of life. This college tries to stimulate the work place as much as possible. They want to prepare us students for what goes on in the offices and fields of study from the political crap that nobody sees to the team work that goes into the companies. This college will either make you or break you. The choice is what you let it do.

College experience to me has been difficult at times, but so very rewarding to go through in the end. If i hadn't gone through the hard things, and difficult times, I wouldn't have been able to figure out what I want to do later in life, or how much more possitive i can become through the hard times. The experience has been so amazing as to meet new people, find myself having a better self esteem, and learning i can be whatever i want as long as I try my best and strive my hardest. It has been valuable to attend and find the things i was not excited about, to acually being the things I tend to enjoy the most in school and in life. If i hadn't attended or tried going to college, I wouldn't have ever know my love for nutrition, or spending time with people around me. School broke me out of a shell i never even knew was there, and that is why it has been such a rewarding, and valuable experience to me!

Aurora University has helped me grow in so many ways. One, I feel that I am getting an excellent education which makes me feel much better about myself. I am doing something great for myself and my family. Second, the connections I have made with my Instructors and my classmates have been wonderfully helpful. Third, I have never had a teacher that was willing to continue helping me beyond the class I was enrolled in. To me that is utterly amazing. Fourth, school has always been difficult for me and my experience here has been wonderful and with the help of my teachers and classmates I have had a relatively easy experience.

So far my college experience has taught me about time management and how to prioritize. I believe college is valuable because education gets you a career, but more importantly it builds character and teaches life lessons. From attending college I have increased my desire and drive to succeed. I learned more teamwork and the value of connections. I have attended two different community colleges in 3 semesters, so I have experienced many styles and approaches to learning and have picked out the ones that seem to help me get the grades I desire. I have worked with teachers and students with different views and backgrounds and have always found a way to compromise and come up with ideas that neither party could have come up with on their own. I hope to continue my college learning experience because I think it makes me a more complete person.

I have learned many things in the short experience that I had have in college. At the beginning it was very difficult to get used to a new kind of education. I mean, college is very different from high school. However, I am getting use to these changes and I being trying to learn everything I can. I have learned how importatnt is our education for our future, and how it will make students to be successful in life. Every class that I have took have taught me something new. Classes have help me to realize that everything that I learn in college will help me to be more successful and to have a better future. I have also gained many important skills, for example, intellectual and professional skills. It has been valuable to attend to college because it have taught me to valorate my education and to appresiate the education I being giving. It has also being valuable because I have gain skills that will make me successful and a better professional. Attending college has being very importatn and helpful for me. I have also enjoyed my experience in college, because I have meet a lot of new people.

Attending Aurora University is valuable because it provides me with more opportunity. The work field in the United States runs on knowledge, and without a college education it would be extremely difficult to find the career for me. My college education serves as a gateway to more opportunities for my life. Along with knowledge, attending college allowed me to meet experts in my field of study, explore new ideas, and grow as a student. Also I am building my network for the future. I am meeting professors, staff, and students that can help me get a job in the future. In the end, attending college is giving me the edge I need to be in competitive job searches.

Modesto Junior College drastically widened my perception of life in the single semester i've attended there. I've come to realize that money does not grow on trees and one must be fully prepared to support themselves in the real world. Going to college means your an adult now. Your old high school buddy's have all gone their separate ways, and you must now look to yourself for support, encouragement, and praise. The people you meet along the way may be the key to your success, or the cause of your failure. While roaming around campus, half the other people are just as shy as you; Introduce yourself to someone new, who knows they may just be your next best friend or a handy study partner. Honestly i can't tell you all that ive learned from my courses, a little bit of imformation here, and then some there, but i can say that the expierence has been something that i will cherish for eternity.

College has given me the first taste of freedom as an adult. It does not only teach lessons within the confines of a classroom; it also teaches valuable life lessons outside of the classroom. So far, I've had to develop my time management skills and my organizational skills. I've grown more responsible in my school life, work life, and personal life. Being in college gives you a self-determination that was previously inaccessible. It makes you want to be the best person you can be and the most successful, too. The experiences of college are inexplicable - nothing compares!

Since beginning college five semesters ago, I have learned a great deal about myself in addition to valuable skills that will be beneficial to me when I enter the professional world. By living on campus and having full control of my education, my independence has grown, drastically, and I am far more confident in my abilities. Through a tremendous staff consisting of professors and advisors, I have been given opportunities that I would not have been able to attain had I not been attending Aurora University. When I receive my degree a year and a half from now, I know that because of my education and experience in college, I will be a better candidate for potential job openings and an overall productive employee.

I have gained independency and responsibility out of my college experience. College is a lot more complicated than high school because there are more responsibilities in dealing with college and mommy and daddy is not there to babysit you or make sure that you are getting up and going to school. I have learned how to be responsible and separate business from play which is key in being successful in college. Too many students drop out or flunk out of college because they would rather party than do homework or study for an upcoming test. College has been valuable to attend because I have developed my level of independency and responsibilty which is what I will need for the real world.

My career goal is to become a veterinary technician, so college is very valuable in that can give me a vet tech degree. Getting a degree in veterinary technology will give me an edge over anyone without a degree trying to get a job as a vet tech. College will give me the skills and the training I need to get a job, and then as a vet tech I can continue to learn and excell on the job.

I think the time taken to attend college is important in the sense that it allows people to be exposed to and to think about subjects they might not consider in a regular 9 to 5 job. The traditional USA system of higher education makes no excuses for holding to a system of learning that does not provide practical, real-world experience. They emphasize a growth in knowledge, the understanding of the world and different cultures, and the kind of education that will make people what they deem to be well-rounded and literate. But at the same time, it would not be hard to incorporate required internships or practical tracks of learning for people who would like an advantage against their peers who chose to work for four years instead of going to college. Many, many college graduates find competition from people already settled into a career path. And many, many people graduate from college with a considerable amount of debt.

I have learned tons of things that I did and didn't want to learn. There's so much knowledge in the world and college has been a great means to funnel that information into chunks I can handle. In addition to the raw facts about the world around us all, I have met many wonderful professors that have become pseudo-mentors, friends I'll have for the rest of my life, and experience things in the classrooms that could only happen in the company of mature people. Life finds a way of helping those that better themselves and those around them. College life has indeed been a great stepping stone that I will never forget.

My college experience taught me how to be responsible for my self. It also taught me how to have better time management between classes, work, and my social life. College has opened my eyes to different cultures to where I have a new found respect for those cultures and ethnicities. College give me the opprotunity to network with different people that may be useful in later years.

Aurora University has inspired me to embrace challenges and take every opportunity on the path to success. I have submersed myself in education, leadership roles and student organizations because my time spent at AU has taught me the best thing I can do for myself and others is to get involved. AU has evolved from an education to a life experience in which I can lead while learning.

My college experiences was one of the best experiences of my life. It taught me the importance of hard work and showed me what I am able to accomplish while I apply myself. I transfered to AU as a Junior, I had a daughter and was living with my parents at the time. I worked a full-time job, went to school full-time, and tried my best to raise my daughter. Since I was so busy, I needed to rely on my parents as babysitters. This made me acquire a new found respect for my parents, as they are in their 50's, but are still willing to help their son as I try to reach my goals of receiving my Master's in Social Work currently. School taught me the importance of friends and family. This is something I used to take for granted, but not anymore. I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for my parents.

Through my college experience I have gained a level of confidence in myself that I would not had otherwise. As a returning student one sometimes wonders if one can succeed in a educational enviroment especially if the individual has been a stay at home parent for a decade. I now know that I will be successful in anything that I chose to do and I am more capable then I imagined. I can only thank my professors and my school for helping me gain so much more then a degree.

I am proud to be a student at Aurora University. I am 43 years old and have always wanted to complete my Bachelor's degree. I am the youngest of six children and am the only one that has not obtained a Bachelor's degree. My sister, Karin, has her doctorate in psychology. Janet and Katy are teachers. Kelly is a registered nurse. My brother, John, is an attorney. Our parents have not been able to help with our educations so I am really proud of their accomplishments. I have an Associates Degree from Waubonsee Community College in General Studies. I also have an Associates Degree from College of DuPage in Radiologic Technology. It is frustrating to know that 2 + 2 does not even equal 2 towards a Bachelors. No wonder I've always hated math! Aurora University has been instrumental in helping me to achieve my goal. The Adult Studies program is geared towards working adults. My advisor is always reachable and extremely helpful. She is always able to find the classes that I need at the right times. I feel like a valued student at a wonderful school.

While attending I have earned certifications that allowed me to work as a medical profession and experience my chosen field first hand. I also mad valuable connections with other health care professionals and was able to support myself through my first few years of college. Now I can approach my final year at a university confident in my skills and experience.

My number one goal for going to school is to be successful and build a foundation for my family. I want to be able to give me kids a nice home and to also give them the life I didn’t have. I want to be able to travel with my kids and let them see the world and explore the things around them. I want to be able to have money put aside for a good college and for them to get the education they need to be a successful person in life. I was raised by my single parent mother who did everything in her power to make me out to be the best I could be. I’m also going to school and pushing myself to be all I can be so I can make her a pound mother. The experience of college has been amazing and has taught me so much when it comes to be a responsible adult. I’m learning to balance my life and only focus on the important things.

I am a hispanic student, who comes from a family that didn't get the chance to continue their education. My father is the only person that went to college, so he is the reason i am so dedicated to my school work. My parents have always been my biggest support system, if it wasn't for them i wouldn't be where i am today. My dream is to become an accounting, and to have my parents see me graduate from college. Attending Aurora University has been one of the best experiences i have ever had. I have gotten the chance to further my education, and to meet many people, that i know will help my accomplish my goals. I am so proud to say that i attend Aurora University, because each and everyday my classmates, professors, and peers, show me something new, and make my time there worth while. I believe it is important for me to attend Aurora because i know that the education i am recieving will make my parents proud, and that i will be able to accomplish anything i set my mind to. I feel like i am closer to accomplishing my dream everyday.

Attending River Valley Community College has been very beneficial. It was a great way to step into a college education. It allowed me to find people who are willing to help me get where I want to be. Small class rooms and professors with flixible office hours allowed to attain all the knowledge I wanted to achieve. I also loved the diversity of the classes. It's a different kind of diversity from non community colleges, there was a diversity of age, but it was always wonderful to see the different generations coming together over education. Starting at RVCC allowed me to really get a feel for what I wanted to move on to, as well as a cheap way to get my general education credits out of the way. Though it was a communter campus I also met new friends, and had a comfortable place to go to study.

My college experience has led me to attend three different schools in order to discover what my ultimate career goals are. Although it has been a hassle to transfer to the different schools, each college offered new experiences that helped me develop my identity and goals. Now I am at a great university and know that this is where I need to be to finish my education. Throughout my college experience I discovered my love of helping others, and I eventually figured out in what capacity. My first college helped me discover that I wanted a career in human services., especially helping those with disabilities. The second college made me feel more connected and was a better fit, and helped me discover that one day I would like to be a social worker and use my skills to help people. This, however, meant that I needed to transfer again so that I could study social work. This ended up being ideal because I could also pursue a minor in special education which will help me reach my population. It is important to attend college to receive an education but also to discover your true passions.

Aurora University is about growing academically and as an individual. I have been challenged and often frustrated but have been awarded for exceeding expectations. AU teaches responisbility and respect, something some schools often forget is a part of learning and preparing for the real-world. I owe a great deal of my confidence as a person and in my career choice to AU and it's community. I entered college with a solid goal of majoring in pscyhology and through courses and guidance from both advisors and professors am now an elementary education major; I couldn't be more excited or more confident in my choice if it hadn't have been for opportunities Aurora has offered me. AU expects excellence and doesn't settle for anything less than your best, and that is why it is such a good experience and has been so valuable to me. At AU I am treated as an adult and recognized as a unique indivudal when being guided by faculty. It provides many opportunities towards academics and majors but, also to student's personal interests and encourages unity and excellence. AU has been a great beginning to my future plans; I value it.

In college, I’m a proud member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority at the University of Arizona, where we focused on philanthropic events, and were leaders of the university. When I transferred to Central Washington University I participated in student body meetings, RHA, and The Grove Council. The positions I’ve held have severely impacted me as a student, and have motivated, encouraged, and helped me develop who I am today. These extracurricular and volunteer activities have provided me with valuble leadership, communication, and organizational skills I would not have had I not joined these organizations. In these activities I learned several traits from how to lead a group, how to create relationships, to planning an event or to network with people or business’.

My college experience has been a tough travel; I have finally found the University that I know will help me achieve my goals. I am looking forward to finish my education at Aurora University and graduate with a bachelors in Psychology.

I have learned many things during my college experience. I learned to speak infront of a group of people without showing how nervous I am. I also learned not to be afraid to answer a question incorrectly beacause either way I am participating in the education of my fellow classmates and myself. I have gained more courage and self-esteem while attending Aurora University. The professors are always encourage us students to do our best and put effort into our work. I have learned to stay positive and to believe that if I am putting all my effort into what I am working on everything will turn out great. It has been valuable to attend Aurora University because I am able to apply what I have learned and gained from my experience to my life. Today, I am more than eager to learn than ever. I actually get excited to return to Aurora University and begin my new courses!

College was always a huge goal for me, and when I got accepted to Aurora University it was the most exciting and scary experience I had ever had. I was excited to be attending a college that I really loved and to continue my education, and that meant that I had accomplished high school and I could take on college. Despite the excitement, I feared living in a dorm with people I had never met and feared that I wouldn't make friends. I'm a shy person so I had to put myself out there, and to my surprise I made new friends within the first two days I was there. I was happy, classes were challenging and I joined a club within the first few weeks. I now have accomplished 3 semesters of college and I'm very focused on my major, which makes me pumped about my future! I am now part of another club as well as the same one I joined as a freshman - I'm so glad I joined them. I'm becoming a real adult and while things are still exciting and scary, I'm taking them on knowing I can handle them.

When I graduated high school I decided that I was not going to college. I saw it as a waste of time and money to spend the next four years of my life in a classroom when I could be out in the 'real' world getting hands on experience. I spent that year after graduation, working at a preschool and as that school year drew to a close I started thinking about the next year. I realized I couldn't see myself working at that job for another year and really felt like I needed to go to college. I started looking at majors and after a lot of searching, decided to apply as an Equine Science major at a college about two hours from my parents. Living on my own and going to school again was a huge change for me, but looking back after almost two years of school, I don't regret anything. School has helped me break out of my shell and embrace change. I've met tons of people and broadened my horizons. Best of all, I'm going to school for something I love, which will serve me well when I'm done.

In my college experience so far I have gained a variety of things including better people skills, enhancing my general learning by taking different classes, and a feel for time management. When I got to college I was a very quiet student/person in general and having to meet new people or be an outcast basically made me talk more and it has helped my life in lots of ways being able to talk to people I don't know. While you are attending a 4-year college or any to be broad you have to complete certain general education classes, sometimes I hate them but I realize in the long run they help you in life. Finally, being away from home for the first time allows you to do things on your own, but it also makes you learn how to manage your time more efficiently by studying, practicing, and working all the time.

One thing I have gained from my college education is not something that can be taught in classrooms or in textbooks. I grew up in a small town almost two hours outside of Chicago. While I loved where i grew up everything was the same. No one ever thought outside of the box we all dressed the same, talked the same and were interested in the same things. There was no room to be different of express yourself. Since being at Aurora University my eyes have been opened to many new things. One thing is racial diversity; I have had the privilege to meet so many people from different backgrounds. They have introduced me to many new things such as food, music, dancing, and clothing. Going away to college had allowed me to experience and appreciate many new cultures and ways of life. I have also learned tolerance. Being able to live with people who are so exceedingly different could have been a challenge but I took it as a learning experience and embraced everyone’s differences.

After graduating high school I often felt like college was going to be to difficult for me, and many times I doubted myself even going. Many times I wanted to find a job and not work towards any further education. But through the encouragement of my parents I signed up for classes at Palm Beach State College, and slowly began working towards my degree while working part time. There were many times during the past two years that I have felt like giving up but looking back I could not be more proud of myself for pushing through. I now I have the confidence and ambition to keep working hard towards becoming a teacher, something that I lacked my senior year of high school. I owe the success that I have had to my parents, they saw more in me than I ever saw and they pushed me until I believed it for myself. I am so excited to continue furthering my education.

So far I have gotten the materials I will need to a career in the athletic trainining field and information to help me become successful. I have also the best group of friends I could as for.

What I have gotten out of my college experience is that I learned a lot about myself. I was afraid that I would not like being away from home and living with another student.; however, my roommate and I have become good friends. I feel like I have a family on my floor. Also, through lacrosse I feel like I made a strong group of friends that I will have for a long time. I have enjoyed some real world experience. I found out that I can live on my own. I am glad that I went away from home and chose to live in a dorm. It was also valuable to attend Aurora because it is such a small environment, which was good for me because i have never really been away from my family before. This small environment really helped out with this transition.

My college experience has taught me that you are never too old to learn. As a woman returning to college at the age of 48 it has been a truly enightening experience. There are many new ideas and processes out there pertaining to construction that I would never have known about had I not decided to go back and earn my degree. The computer skills alone will be of great use to me when I return to the work force, I now know how to set up spreadsheets in Excel to track production rates, costs, material streams, and anything else that affects the bottom line of any construction project. I have acquired new skills in the estimating and management processes, I have also learned about many new materials that make the construction process more efficient, are healthier for the environment and some can even increase production because they are easier to work with. This is all knowledge that directly relates to skills I will need to move up into management in the construction industry. Going back to college has definitely been a positive experience and a wise decision for my life.

Ever since I was a little girl I had this dream about going to Loyola Medical School and after I graduated High School I began to fulfill that dream by attending college. After gotten through my first year of college I have experienced a lot. I have devolped a better experience living with another person and continue to meet new people on a reglar basis. I have been given some more freedom from living in my house with my parents and it has been an amazing experience. My values have increased since I atteneded college. I have valued the little things in life a lot more now than ever by how I am responsible for all my actions. College at Aurora University has opened my eyes to the real world. In High School my parents were there to give me everything I ever needed and now that I am in college I have to work to meet those needs. My parents are still there for me if I need them, but are letting me make my own decisions and make my own mistakes.

The most important thing that I have gotten out of my college experiences is my personal growth. Coming into college I was ready to live on my own, manage my own time and get to meet new friends but I was never ready to understand the "Adult" world as it was shown to me. I was guided not just by the professors and coaches that have been able to provide me with resources but my friends and the people I have met along the way that have been able to motivate me, keep me motivated and show me that I do have a purpose not only in life but that to them I have a strong purpose of why it is that I am studying business. With goals like being able to bring ethics back to business as well as being the resource for others, I realized that I did not have these goals coming into college but have developed them throughout what I have seen and with the friends that motivate me, I am ready to keep moving towards these goals.

In college I have really met a lot of nice people. The best thing is that i have been able to become more out goin and talk to anyone. I am not afraid to get up in front of people like i use to be. Also i have been giving my brain a work out, I have be learning things sense day one of getting here.

I have gained much more than I expected out of my college experience. I expected an education, but instead I gained valuable life skills. I gained leadership skills, time management, determination, and appreciation. I have completed a L.E.A.D. program, which taught me how to become a more effective leader. Being a part of the Women's Soccer team here has helped me better manage my time and become more determined on and off the field. The best thing I have gained though is a sense of appreciation for things in my life. I have become more appreciative of the opportunity to attend school, instead of being upset that I have homework. I appreciate all the opportunities I recieve to grow as a person and a student. I feel attending AU has helped me become a better person because I now strive to better myself, but also look to help those that are not as fortunate. I know I will graduate with much more than a degree and I wouldn't change my school choice for anything.

Thus far college has been a great experience. Being a health science major, carrying about 17 semester hours on average, and playing a varsity sport has taught me many things. Time management is essential when it comes to college. I had to learn how to balance my time between school, sports, and friends, and I had to rank my priorities which is something I know I will have to do when I finally have to face the real world. Learning how to live on my own and making important life decisions is another aspect that has been valuable about college. By living in the dorms, there are always many distactions and disputs between roommates. I have learned how to get pass those distractions and get my work done and I have also learned how to handle different situations when it comes to working with other people whether it be my roommates, other students, or faculty members even though we may not always agree. College is obviously important so that students can learn the information that they will later carry with them in order to be successful in their career field of choice and life in general.

My college experience so far has been a positive experience. I have learned so much, which makes me want to keep going back to learn more. Having teachers who are knowledgeable about numerous topics is inspirational and interesting to listen to. The teachers I have come across are helpful and encouraging, which is something I did not expience in high school. I am inspired everyday to keep working toward my goal and future. The lessons I am learning in college will not just help in my major, but in shaping how I view the world and others around me. Education is so important, and I feel blessed that I have been given the opportunity to go to college.

College is the necessary transition from highschool to the real world that I believe everyone should experience. So far, my college experience has held more than an educational value. College has presented new opportunities and experiences that would not have been offered to me if i had decided not to attend college. I have been exposed to a diverse environment where I have been able to meet people from all over the world. I have met some people that I know I will be friends with for the rest of my life. Overall, my time at college has offered a life changing experience that can not really be put into words.

I have gotten out better discipline and better time management skills. I have learned that these skills are very important because it takes alot of discipline to get up for class and time management skills to be able to juggle chruch, classes, homework and friends. It has been valuble to attend college for me because it has given me a chance to find God, face new challeges, met new people, and prove you can do anything if you have the desire to. It is important to try new thing and face the world as an adult.

The most profound skill that I have developed since I have began attending college is that I got a better understanding of what is known as the humanities. The first realization I came to while studying the humanities is that you need to have your priorities in order. If I did not have my priorities in order, it could have led to many disractions towards my education. By expanding my education in the humainites I also was able to define who I am by taking the time to find out how I interact with my peers and authority figures. Getting an understanding of who I am and what the humaities are allowed me to develop the right kind of attitude towards my school work and how I interact with the world around me. This is why attending college has been valuable to the rest of my life.

After completing my first full semester I feel that I have gained perspective. As an adult student working for a publically traded financial firm, I have a better understand for what my job means to the firm. I have learned a lot about management techniques and accounting practices. Furthermore, I have gained confidence. I feel that I add value to my job due to this better understanding that I have gained. The new found confidence that I bring to my job everyday have been the most valuable take away to this point in my career.

College has been valuable to teach me the skills and lessons in life and it has only been my first semester. Although, I have only been in college for a semester I find that I have learned so much over the past three months. I have learned that I am in charge of my own future and no one is around to baby me anymore. If I want to get an A in a class, I have to buckle down on my own and know when to say "maybe later, I have to study". I feel that I have learned more of my potential as a student and a person in college than I would have if I had not gone on to school and worked toward my dream of becoming a elementary school teacher. Another important value I have learned is time management, in college time management is a must and if it is not planned out right your grades will drop dramatically and you have to work twice as hard to pick them back up. So far, college has been the best and hardest decsion i have been through in my life but, it has been worth everything.

They say college is a life you will never forget and they are right. My college experience so far has been memorable and I am only a sophomore. I have made great friends who I know I will never lose in my life and met personnel that have helped me through my rough patches in school. But the most valuable experience was learning the hard way about earning what you give. I took my first year for granted. I did not take it as seriously as I should have, I passed my all my classes but just passing was not good enough. I was put on academic warning and that had brought me to reality. I had to change if I wanted to be successful. Since then I improved dramatically in my second year. There is no more “just passing” for me, I made a goal to accomplish more than I ever worked for. I have learned to not take my schooling for granted; I have to work hard and earn it.

My college experience has been positive and rewarding. I believe that we are always capable of accepting more and doing well and that things happen at the perfect time during our life's journey. In addition to be a student, I work a full-time job and am raising 11 year old boy/girl twins. This experience will not only benefit me in advancing my career but is a learning experience and teaching moment for my children. I have instilled in them that college is not an option and that it will be a natural course after they graduate high school. We all hold our fate in our pwn hands and attaining my Bachelor's degree has been a goal that eluded me until I decided that I needed to do it now and not put it off any longer. While sometimes it seems to be too much, I quickly adjust my attitude knowing that obtaining my degree is for my benefit and only I can control the outcome. I know that the outcome of this positive experience will be rewarded by the fact that I achieved my ultimate goal and something that cannot be taken away. My education!

I’m a forty-six year old female who decided to return to school after I was laid off work due to a workforce reduction. My college experience is giving me an intellectual perspective on many topics that I’m already familiar with given that I’m well over the age of twenty. Not only am I learning about myself and others in Sociology; through the art appreciation and biology classes, I’ve acquired a love for art including its history and a new appreciation for the human body. In addition, it’s rewarding to know that in a few short years I will be qualified for the career I seek out and if the job market begins to look bleak, I will remain marketable. As well, I’m enthusiastic and eager to learn and I’m grateful that my choice to return to school will be a positive example for my daughter.