Even a Late Start Can Have a Great Finish

Every student who has recently graduated high school may have their own personal setbacks in their current college career, but there is an advantage a college freshman or a returning student has. They are used to the school systems, and they know what to expect to a certain extent. But when you have been gone from the college scene for many years and decide to return, it can be a harder transition.

Myrian Peterson is a mother, wife and works a full-time job. She has raised two kids, now both adults. In recent years she contemplated returning to school to finish the degree she started many years ago, but was always hesitant. Being that so many years have passed and being diagnosed with ADD a couple years ago, she knew she had an obstacle to overcome. Putting her concerns aside, last year she decided to enroll back into HCC, along with her daughter.

She quickly realized, while being gone for so long, the way we learn today is astronomically different than when she began college many years ago. For example, neither Blackboard nor online classes were necessary resources that one must know in order to be successful in her era of schooling. As she puts it, "Not having a teacher present was new for me because I always learned better In person with someone helping me directly."

Keeping your attention in class is one thing, but if you work a full time job and have ADD, it can all be very overwhelming. She had to find the perfect balance between work, school, family, home and life, in order to give herself a chance to succeed. Managing to keep up with all of her classes could only be done by giving up all of her free time. And even then, she still struggled terribly, especially in math. Math was a class that never clicked for Myrian and she always needed extra help.

In order to complete her degree, Myrian needed specific math courses. But math was not her strong suit. She had to take two developmental math courses during the summer to get herself prepared to take her college-level math class. Not only did these classes take up a lot of her time, they created more school work and would not count towards her degree. They were just meant to help her get prepared for another math class.

When Myrian finally took her college-level Math class along with her other classes, she thought she should have felt prepared. Instead, it was a mental battle. Dealing with the full course load, the math class turned out to be just too much. So to alleviate the stress, she had to make the difficult decision to drop her math class in order to focus on her other classes. As it might have been a hard decision at first, this gave her the opportunity to prioritize the rest of her classes and school work. She was then able to manage her time better so she can make sure she is putting her best foot forward. She decided if it meant that she would take the math course as a separate class in itself so she can focus solely on that, then that is what she will do.

Now being one year away from graduating HCC, Myrian is achieving what most people her age would deem impossible. She was, and still is, a problem solver and takes her turbulent life day by day. If there is anything to take away from Myrian's story, it's that you are never too old to go back to school. And if you have a goal, just go and achieve it.

Photo by Teona Swift from Pexels No matter the time spent away, you can still be able to find a way to succeed.

By Andreas Savvaides Staff Writer

Housatonic Horizons