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Adult Student Challenges
Unique Challenges
Adults face many unique challenges while attending college. Many adult students hold down jobs outside the home, attend school, and take care of a family as well. All of these responsibilities can seem overwhelming and cause many adult students to contemplate giving up their dreams at one point or another. Hang in there! The destination is definitely worth the journey!
Adult students can often be model students. They have had more opportunity to grow and mature and see the world in a different light. Many adult students have multiple sources of motivation to keep them striving towards that degree; providing a better life for their children, financial security, obtaining a career they enjoy, having more opportunities in life, and being able to make a difference in their local communities.
Many adults in college have spent time in the workforce and are able to see how valuable a degree can be in helping them achieve their dreams and goals in life. While many adults are motivated and appreciate the value of higher education, sometimes it is hard for us to see the light at the end of the tunnel and we all could use a flashlight every now and then.
Get Organized!
You can make it through college without an organized structure, but you are going to be much less stressed-out and frazzled if you can fine-tune your organizational skills. Trust me, I have tried both methods and getting organized makes things go much smoother.
Start with your home. Keep all your text books and course work in a dedicated area. That way you will always know where to find things. There is nothing worse than running around the house for half an hour hunting down a text book that is buried under a load of laundry. You don't have time to waste, that is time you could have spent studying or helping your child with homework.
Be sure to keep plenty of materials stored in this area as well. Extra paper, pens, pencils are always handy to have on hand and cheap to stock up on if you hit the dollar store (a cheap pen is better than none at all).
Keep your book bag in your 'dedicated area' to enable you to always be ready to head out the door at a moments notice. Running your kids to last minute practices or having to run a last minute errand before class can easily throw you off-balance if you aren't prepared.
Scheduling is Everything!
Keeping yourself and your family on a consistent schedule will help everyone to know what to expect. There will be no surprises at the end of the day (reasonable surprises anyway) since everyone will know what is going to happen, when it is going to happen and who is going to do what.
A consistent schedule will ease the tension in the household and allow everyone to function accordingly. Now, don't expect miracles, a consistent schedule won't solve all your problems and isn't a cure- for every mishap that life can throw your way, but it will go a long way in keeping everyone on task and feeling as if they are part of the process.
You don't have to be a taskmaster with a strict regime, it is important to be flexible, but try to schedule daily events such as dinner, study time, chore time, bath time at approximately the same time each day. Don't forget to schedule in some time for yourself as well. We all need a few moments of peace, free of any required thought to let our minds recharge themselves.
Keep track of your schedule, appointments and due dates using whatever means works best for you. Try using a schedule book, your PDA, or a software program. Having something to refer to will help you when it comes to keeping track of projects/papers you have due (you and your kids), exams, medical/dentist appointments, ect. Regardless of what method you choose to keep track of life's responsibilities....USE IT! No method is any good if you don't use it.
Whip that Family into Shape!
Happiness is what counts with children.
"Happiness and Harmony." At least according to Mrs. Salt on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, that is. I think some college attending adults could use some 'Happiness and Harmony' as well!
It is vital to get your family onboard your new scholastic quest. The support, understanding and encouragement of your family can be the secret ingredient to your success.
Your spouse needs to be supportive of the decrease in the amount of time you can spend together, as well as the new expenditures you will incur. It shouldn't need to be said, but you may need to remind your spouse every now and then of the future benefits your family will gain when you have completed your studies and obtained your degree.
Sharing family responsibilities and tasks with your spouse will go a long way in easing your burden. If necessary, offer your spouse the tasks and responsibilities they don't mind or dislike the least, even if it leaves you with a few tasks you strongly dislike. It is better to do half of tasks you strongly dislike than all of the tasks that you dislike the least. Remember, college will only last for a short while, but the benefits of obtaining your degree will last a lifetime.
It is harder for kids to envision the future benefits the family will receive when you obtain your degree. Four or five years can seem like a lifetime to a child.
Make a game out of it to help get your kids on board and get their support. Have a 'family study time' every night. This will help keep your schedule structured, will allow you to get your studies completed and at the same time will help your children with their studies as well. You will also be promoting good habits for your children's future.
Compare your grades with your kid's grades. Post report cards and grades for the family to see and share. If one of your children is struggling in their studies you may want to diminish the importance of the grade itself, but rather promote the effort put into the grade obtained. Work together as a team to reach the goals of each family member. When it is all said and done, family is what matters most and will still be there when the struggles are over.
Remember - The college process is equivalent to driving in a snowstorm: Keep it slow and steady and before you know it you will be pulling into your driveway...safe and sound ready to enjoy a peaceful snow-filled evening!
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