The Coburn Blog

Well, Fall semester starts in 12 days. I got my books ordered this morning, so that part is done.I am taking:

CIS210-11B A+ Essentials
CIS211-11B A+ Technician
CIS279-11B Capstone
basically, one class is on hardware, another is on software and operating systems. The Capstone class, involves preparation for the job market, which should be fun. We’re going to put together an e-portfolio, which I have no idea what that is. I always thought a portfolio was a folder with all your best projects in it. Since I have none, I’m not totally sure what mine is going to be like. The class also covers resume preparation, going on interviews and how to dress and all that fun stuff my dad taught me, so it sounds like its going to be a fun class. Its a 1 credit course, and there’s a certification I’ll get after taking that course also. I didn’t think there was a certification just for resume and interview preparation, and working together as a group skills, but apparently so.

I had to order my books from 2 different bookstores, and sign a release form, to have them charged to Financial Aid. I went to the school today, to submit the Leadership Application to Lori, and to have the college bookstore fax my Financial Aid authorization form to the online bookstore place in Terra Haute and South Bend. Once they recieve my form, they’ll get it shipped and send me a tracking # and all that. I sent it regular UPS, so it will take about 5-10 business days to arrive. Its already the 9th tomorow and my class starts on the 20th so its going to be darn close to the dedline, especially since my first assignment in 2 different classes has to be submitted by September 2nd, so I gotta start reading 5 books in 2 weeks, it aint gonna happen. hehe but I gotta read as much as possible when I do get them so I can turn my homework in on time.

The A+ classes, are really going to be tough it looks like. I was going over the syllabus in one of the classes. There aren’t too many assignments, but from what I hear, the certifications for both of those are really hard. I had someone from my dbase design class telling me about it in email, sounds really difficult, 100 multiple choice questions per exam, ugh! and there’s 3 books per class, ones a repeat, so there are 5 books I have to read between the two classes. triple ugh!!

but at least once this semester is over with, all the hard courses will be over with. Next semester, all I got left is Speech, Intro to Networking, and logic & doc. Those are mostly repeats of 10 years ago, so I should do fairly well next semester, if I can get past this semester that is. I’m not so much worried about the homework assignments, its reading and understanding the book material that is going to be hard, esp with 5 books I gotta read.. not looking forward to that at all.. I already feel overwhelmed just looking at all I gotta do by December.

I also submitted my application for the Student Leadership Academy this year. If I’m selected, I’ll get to go on road trips, and do community service for the school. The Academy is very similar to the Capstone class, from what I gather, but it lasts from September thru June. If I’m chosen, I’ll be going to Terra Haute, Indianapolis, Ft Wayne, and a couple other Ivy Tech Campuses, to listen to lectures basically seminars on identifying Capstone and Leadership skills. When yer done, there’s a whole ceremony for it and everything, should be fun! I just hope I’m selected.

If I am, I’ll have to go by myself, Susan won’t be able to go with me because she’ll be working. Won’t be the same in a double occupancy room without her, Most of them are just one day trips, except for the trip to Indianapolis, which will be an overnight stay in a hotel. The school pays for it if I’m selected, so that’ll be neat.

boy I tell yah guys, since I left KMC, I’ve been busier now, then I was when I was employed. Now my life is finally starting to have purpose, and even though I haven’t decided what to do with my life yet, going back to school has really opened up many doors for me. At least I don’t have to pass the certifications to get my degree. The Capstone one I do, but the rest I do not, so that alone is a big load off my mind, although A+ is probably the hardest, and most important, for me right now, because if I don’t get that, going into the IT field will become out of my reach. I got an A in this last class, but I am not good with tests at all, always fail tests I don’t know why, always did in high school too, don’t know if its just being nervous, or a learning disability of some sort, but I’ve never done well on tests, fail them every time normally, even when I was in high school when I had tutors drilling me every step of the way, so if I do pass these tests, it will really be a step up for me.