Student Journal - Sarah Deans

Last Entry
July 18, 2008

Thank you all for reading my entries. I hope that all of my wisdom and experiences helped you. I wish the best of luck to all. If you are reading this, it means you are on the track. By actively looking for advice and wanting to know different college experiences, you are ahead of the game. People learn by others’ mistakes; I hope you have learned from mine. Your curiosity and ambition will take you farther in life. Just remember, keep going even if it is one step at a time. The best things in life often come with the struggle, but they are worth every second of it.

Now What?
June 10, 2008

Should I go get a job, or should I stay in school? (I finally understand Jimmy Durante’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go.”) I know I want to further my education, but I also want to experience the field before I commit to a major. Too many of my friends have come back from college with bachelor’s and master’s degrees and yet they are still unsure of what they want to do. What good is it to have a degree in something if you don’t know what you want to do? The legal field has many different fields and subdivisions; it is hard to make a choice. Therefore, I want to get a job, so I can narrow down my concentration. Although it is going to be difficult to go back to school, I am going to rely on my enthusiasm for my career to motivate my educational goals. Planning may not work, but my experience has taught me that writing out goals and reviewing them annually helps me accomplish my goals. It may take me a couple of years, but I will accomplish my dreams (even if it is one step at a time).

Graduation
May 28, 2008

Finishing my degree has given me an incredible sense of accomplishment. Just five years ago I was attending high school; ten years ago I wasn’t sure I wanted to attend college. Now I have an associate’s degree and a Legal Office Assistant certificate. I even plan to further my education this fall. After years of hard work, I finally have something to show for it! During the course of my education there were times where I felt a bit lost and unsure. To be honest, although my parents are supportive, they didn’t encourage me to go to college. After deciding I wanted to become a lawyer, I often asked myself, “What am I doing with my life?” I realized that while looking forward, the road of life may be cloudy at times; however, looking back on what I have accomplished, everything seems so clear. Although I have much to obtain in life, I finally feel like I have a grip on it.

Graduation is such sweet sorrow
April 29, 2008

In three weeks I will no longer have a job or a school to attend…

I will miss Moraine more than I would have imagined. Graduation is long overdue for me, but I still find myself staying longer because I know that soon it will no longer be a daily part of my life. Why is change so hard? Maybe we fear change because there is a certain risk to the unknown. I want to further my education but it is hard to know where to start. So many people have given me advice, but how do I know which path to take? I don’t know! And sure, I am a little scared of what lies ahead, but that’s life. I will obtain my goals, one step at a time; and Moraine was my first step. Over the years I have learned one valuable lesson, there is no point to worrying. You can plan and set goals for yourself, but worrying isn’t a prevention. I may not know what is in store for me during the next couple of years, but I know I will survive. Worrying is a waste of time that I don’t have. I pledge to myself to enjoy life. Life may be a bumpy road, but it is sure a great ride.

Are You Waiting?
March 18, 2008

Are you waiting to go back to college? One of my dearest friends took a break from college. I’ve heard him say, “I really want to go, but it is just not a good time for me.” The thing is, now it’s been five years and he is still taking a break. If you are waiting until it’s a good time, you will never go back. Life has a way of keeping us busy. The key is taking one or two classes a semester. With just a few classes a semester, you can get a degree in a reasonable amount of time. Trust me; time goes by way too fast to wait. Take a class and I promise you will be glad you didn’t wait.

Designing a Back-up Plan
It is always a good idea to have a back-up plan just in case your ideal job doesn’t work out. The truth is some jobs aren’t what you anticipate and the one that is perfect for you, you may not be familiar with. There are so many jobs out there that no one knows about. Next time you sit down and have a conversation with someone who enjoys their job, ask them if that’s what they planned to be. You will be surprised by their answer. My advice is to create a back-up plan. Analyze what you are good at and what you like doing. A great back-up plan is to minor in a different field (or something else you enjoy) so that you have more options for your perfect job.

Preparing to Transfer
Feb. 14, 2008

Many students at Moraine Valley are transfer students. The best part about being a transfer student is saving money on tuition. The worst part is trying to find out where you are going to transfer to and how to make the transfer. At Moraine Valley, transferring is simple. They even hold workshops to help you with the process. In my case, I want to transfer to a school I can get my bachelor’s degree and my law degree. I didn’t know where to start, until I saw a flyer for pre-professional majors. Next week, Moraine is hosting a huge workshop to help students that have pre-professional majors. They are going to discuss where you can go, what courses to take, the cost of tuition, and much more. Moraine Valley is more than a school; it is the path to success.

Surviving Finals
Dec. 14, 2007

Every year I dread finals, yet I survive. How do I do it? Honestly, I am a nervous wreck, but I normally ace my finals. The trick is to know what helps you study. I find that a study partner or group is a great way to study. However, you have to know how to study. Having your partner ask you questions helps your mind retrieve the information. If you have ever had an answer on the tip of your tongue, but could not spit it out, then you need to work on your mind’s retrieval system. Even if you study and look over your notes, you still may freeze up if your brain isn’t familiar with retrieving the information. If you don’t like working with a partner, then flashcards will work.

There is such a thing as studying too long. After 45 minutes, your brain really doesn’t retain anything. Try studying for 45 minutes over the course of a couple of days. You will be surprised how much you remember a night. If this isn’t your style and you prefer studying all day the day before, try taking a 20-minute break in between 45-minute cram sessions.

Above all, get a good night’s sleep, eat a good breakfast, and try taking a couple of hours to yourself before the test. I know you heard all of this stuff in grade school, but there is a reason why they keep repeating it.

An inside joke that my friends and I share is that everyone ends up attending a community college. After graduation, many of my high school friends went to universities; I chose to stay home and save money for law school. Guess what happened? Most of them ended-up back at home after wasting thousands of dollars on a failed semester at a university. College is the first experience of school where you choose your own outcome. In college, the teachers are not on your back about getting your homework done, there are no chaperones, and there is no such thing as detention. At a university, there is only you (if you’re lucky, a couple of friends) among hundreds of fellow classmates. To your professor, you are nothing but a number. Trying to pay attention after a night of fighting with a roommate, battling peer pressure with the party next door, trying to balance school life with your newly found independence, can cause a meltdown. “What kind of environment do you need to be successful?” is the question you should be asking yourself. Smaller classrooms, a comfortable environment, and a place that won’t cause me to declare bankruptcy is exactly the type of environment that I need. Sometimes you have to be honest, what do you need to be successful?

Keeping Afloat in a Sea of Financial Despair
Panic and worry often set in when you hold the financial burden of a college student. Current school costs can send you into poverty before you even have a chance at making a life for yourself. We all want the best in life—a fancy car, beautiful home, great job, but why pay more money for something of equal or lesser value? When I decided to become a lawyer, the first realization was that I had at least 7 years of school ahead, and that’s full-time. The second realization was the cost of schooling. Even if I only spent $10,000 a semester (which doesn’t even cover tuition costs at some schools), the total would be $140,000. Of course, that isn’t factoring the cost of books, room and board, or the interest on the loan. I do not have that kind of money; in fact, I am broke! With that in mind, many people tell me to apply for grants and scholarships. I have received three scholarships. Add them all up and they wouldn’t cover the interest on my loan. So what is the best way to budget? Go to a community college before going to a university. Even if you want to get a B.A., that is four years of school. You can go to Moraine Valley for two years (paying Moraine’s tuition prices), and then transfer to a university for the last two years. Best part is your degree is from the university. It is as if you took all of your classes at the university, only you just saved enough money for a car or a nice down payment on a house.