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An Anxious Return
I've been thinking a lot about my return to school. Mostly, I'm excited. I have some concerns, however.
I've discussed these concerns with friends, and even a few current AU graduate students, but I figured that it might make sense to post something about them here.
As much as I'm excited about returning to school and pursuing a graduate degree, I'm kind of terrified. Well, maybe terrified is too strong a word. Anxious is more accurate.
I'm anxious about a number of things, but the main questions that keep bouncing around in my head are: "What if I can't remember how to write academic papers?" and "What if my brain has turned to mush in the years since I earned my B.A.?"
There are other questions and concerns that have been pressing on my mind, but those two academic concerns are the biggest worries that I have at the moment.
I'm likely just feeling anxious because it's been a while since I've taken any formal schooling. I'm sure that, while I will likely struggle to find my feet and to put an effective time management plan into place, I will get into the swing of things and not be a massive failure. I will survive and I will do well. But, until I'm actually in there getting my hands dirty, I'll continue to be anxious.
I know I'm not the only one at AU who has returned to school after years outside of academe. So, for those of you who returned to school after several years away, I'd love to hear any tips or tricks that you found helped ease the transition.
Comments
I know I felt that way when i started (and beforepretty much every course i took...)
The only real suggestion i have for you is to make sure that you build the time for the course into your schedule. Without formal classes, it is easy to fall beind to the point that you need to kill yourself to finish things on time.
Thanks for the tip, Rob. I think that time management is vital to success at AU, moreso than at a more traditional university. I'll definitely be saying that between 7-8pm everynight (for example) I'll be working on school work. The reality will probably be even longer than that, but I'll figure that out as I go, no doubt.
My advice: start reading now. Get back into the habit of reading difficult texts, and reading them often. Watch the last of the television shows that you want to over the summer, but plan to eliminate a lot of - or all - recreational viewing when grad school gets going.
And then stand back and prepare to feel astonished at how you don't really miss it.
Good tips, Heather. I have been trolling around my local bookstores and the library looking at a lot of academic-style books (in particular, ones that will likely prove relevant to my studies). I've resisted the urge to buy/borrow them, thinking that I'll get to that later. But you're right. Getting started now will help to change my headspace and to "flex my mental muscles."
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