progress

When you're going back to school one class at a time, you tend to forget where you're at in the process. "Oh, I think I have a little over a year left," I always respond whenever someone asks how much school I have left. I'm starting to feel like I'm finally making progress, so this quarter, I got a little more serious. I called and talked with my advisor, updated my degree plan, and the light at the end of the tunnel seems is right around the corner.

So far, I've taken 1 class at a time, but this quarter I'm taking two classes. The discipline it's requiring has been a challenge for me. Obviously- hello, blog post when I'm supposed to be writing a paper! I'm trying a different approach this quarter, making a more conscious effort to to find an appreciation for things that suck. For example, rather than thinking, "I have no life! I sleep, work, go to class, sleep, work, go to class, submit a project, read, and sleep," I am trying to appreciate the lessons I'm learning on being disciplined. I like to be busy, but being spending lots of time creating jewelry is different than being busy reading about the latest geeky too-in-depth-for-me trends in the computer industry.

I just checked my degree plan again, and one of the general classes I'm taking right now is my last core class, and every class that I take after this quarter are specialty courses directly related to what I love- web design and development. So. Excited.

Eight weeks from now, I'll officially be 50% done with my degree. If I push myself, I could be done within a year. Feels like I've been going back to school for ages. I started in January 2008.

I knew this semester would be a challenge, so before this quarter began I posted colorful construction paper quotes all around the apartment. Genius move, self from December 2009 who knew I'd need this in January 2010. This one keeps catching my attention:

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out”

Robert Collier