GPA is a PITA

Most everything is going well this term.  However, there are two classes, Math and Intro to MIS, which may end up being the downfall to my 4.0 GPA.  I wish I didn't care, but I can't turn it off.  I know that, without a ton of effort, I could just cruise by, pass everything, and be done with it.  Not me though, I have to push and push to get that 'A'.  I think therapy is in order.

Midterms & News

Wow, 3 weeks since I posted!!  I promise not to let THAT happen again.

Here is an update on my courses:

Marketing - A so far - I turned in my portion of the marketing plan (our major group project) yesterday, so I only have tests and discussion questions to do now.

Math - After my lowest section score is dropped, I'll be pulling an 'A' again.  That first test was AWFUL and now I'm freaking out about the final.  I'm about a week ahead in the work.

Technical Report Writing - Working on my final report, I'm about 2 weeks ahead.

Electronic Culture - This has really turned out to be my favorite class.  I'm a week ahead in assignments and doing well so far.

Hardware/Software Integration - I thought this was going to be the most fun, but it stinks.  We get very little work and the tests are confused with the previous edition of the book, so you never know what you're actually supposed to learn.

Intro to Relational Databases - Working on Final Project now, should have that done by the weekend, then it's just tests

Intro to MIS - TOUGH class!  This class is probably going to be the downfall to my GPA.

The upside is that I'm definitely going to get at least a B in everything and an A in most things, but that/those 'Bs' will bug me.

On the personal side, basketball and cheerleading are in full swing so that basically eats up my Saturdays, but it is a ton of fun to watch the kids.  Brandon has two games each Saturday and Kimberly cheers for another. 

The BIG NEWS this week is that Kimberly made the finals of the Oregon State Pageant of National American Miss, so now we have to come up with her "sponsor fee" to participate.  This is NOT a typical pageant because everything is age appropriate (no make-up or swimsuits).  If you would be willing to help with any financial donation, or be willing to donate or loan a formal length gown in a girls size 7 or 8, then we'd really appreciate it.

Dropped

Well, I did it.  I dropped a class.  I couldn't handle it anymore, I had to drop Financial Management.  The teacher was bad, the book was bad and it was causing more stress than I already had.  On one hand, I feel like a failure, but on the other, I'm kind of relieved.  I'll try it again at OIT next year.  Maybe I'll have better luck then.

Two Weeks In

Today is the end of the 2nd week of classes and things are going pretty well.  I've not gotten ahead in anything, but I have not fallen behind either.  I love my all my classes, but my Hardware/Software Integration class is driving my crazy.  The tests that we take are on the previous version of the book which has a slightly different arrangement and more details in some places and less in others.  Since the class is basically the quizzes, this is really going to affect my grade.


School/Work/Life balance is going OK.  I was able to make Brandon's basketball game yesterday.  I am getting some sleep and everything is turned in on time.  Not too bad.  I did put in some good hours at work this week, the most in quite a while, but I'm not sure how much longer that will last.  This is a three-day weekend and after church, I'm coming home to finish the last of this week's work, but I told the kids that tomorrow (Monday), I was all theirs.  No work, no school, no homework.  I'm hoping we can do something fun.

Oh, one last exciting thing that happened this week.  I met the neatest lady.  She is in one of my boss' classes and she needed help and asked me to tutor her.  I have gotten so much out of it!  What a rewarding experience.

Trepidation

Monday is the first day of the term.  I convinced two of my instructors to send me the syllabi and schedules for those classes and know my only thought is "how am I going to do this?"  I've put all of those assignments in my calendar, but once I get a list of all of my assignments for ALL of my classes, I might just pass out.  Deep breaths....That's what I need to remember now.  Take it one day at a time.  I see very little sleep in my future.

Christmas

It's been a non-stop bake and clean fest around here.  We've baked about 12 dozen cookies, two loaves of banana bread, half a dozen banana muffins, 3 pumpkin pies, and still have bread pudding to go, but that will be done before going to Christmas Eve service at church tonight.  All of the presents are wrapped and under the tree and the house is moderately clean, especially considering we have a house guest.  The stockings will go up tonight and the rest of the house looks great.

I have promised myself...No more overachieving for the rest of the year (yes, I know that is only a week).  I'm going to take it easy next week.  I won't even crack a book for next term. 

Here's hoping that the rest of you take it easy as well.  May you have the very merriest of Christmases and the best New Year possible.

With Love,

Lori

Fall Term Done, Scholarships, Winter Term Preview & Other Updates

It took 4 days to get grades posted, but everything is in today.  I eeked out a 4.0 again.  I really thought I was going to get a 'B' in Speech.  I never in a million years thought I could ace that class. 

I emailed most of my instructors to get letters of recommendation for scholarships.  OIT's scholarship application is due February 1st, so I thought I'd get going on it.  I have one of them back so far, so I'm on a roll.  Hopefully I can get a bunch of scholarship money and not have so much in student loans.  It's hard because they base your need on 13 credits term and when you're taking twice that many (or more), they don't take that into consideration, so that makes things pretty tight financially.

On the homefront, it's been pretty busy.  The kids are in a musical at church so they have play practice 3 times a week last week and this week.  Brandon has a lead and a solo, Kimberly has a line and Ellie and her fellow 3-5 year olds open the play with "Away in a Manger" with gestures and everything...SOOOOOO cute.  Because the demand is lower, I am on an "on call" basis at work for the next three weeks.  If somebody needs training in something, I'll go in...Otherwise, I'm just hanging out at home.  I plan to get some sewing and decorating done since there is absolutely NO Christmas decorations up yet in my house.  Sooo weird!!  My unemployment got upped for a couple of weeks, so we are right on schedule with our landlord payments and one of my SILs sent us a very generous amount to get something for the kids for Christmas, so I'm able to get my layaway out early.  I just wish I had some Christmas spirit.  Maybe when I start wrapping things...

Lastly is Winter term.  I already have my books for OIT (26lbs worth!!!).  I have one book for my CCC classes so far.  I'm going to have to rent a book for one of my classes because it costs $212! (ouch!)  This is my schedule for Winter term:

CCC
Financial Management
Marketing
Technical Report Writing
Math-111 (College Algebra)
Electronic Culture


OIT
Intro to Management Information Systems
Intro to Relational Databases
Hardware/Software Integration


That's 30 credits in all.  I'm really excited about the Electronic Culture class.  It is a Humanities class that they only offer every couple of years, but it goes perfectly with my major, so I'm pretty psyched.  I'm going to get a bit ahead in my reading to lessen the crunch.  All of my classes are online, except for Financial Management, which is a hybrid where I go every other Wednesday evening.  I tried to get the instructor to just let me take it online, but no such luck.  Oh well, we'll see what happens!