Attention, first-time mature students!

The bombardment of back to school sales inside periodicals and on TV commercials, blended with the sad look in the eyes of all children upon realizing that vacation is almost over, signals the end of summer. It is that time again for all children to make their way to the school house, see old friends, meet new ones, and get adjusted to a new grade level and teacher. It is time for the young adults to pack up and head off to college. It is time for Moms and Dads to rearrange their schedules, and time for educators to start preparing for the upcoming year. We know about all of this, as this is part of the American fabric. What is hardly ever addressed is the mature student, however. Mature adults returning to school, may find that it indeed is a whole new way of life. It is best to prepare for this new chapter in your life.

There are several reasons why one may return to school, to finally get that degree--or advanced degree, to change careers, to challenge one's self...or, like me, because God instructed. I returned to school two years ago to start my journey towards becoming a public defense/civil rights attorney. When I first answered the call to return to school, I on the advice of someone trying to help, applied to Columbia University. As my ego set in, I did not apply to any other school. I waited all summer long for the answer, and was a little shocked upon receiving the rejection letter. The letter came toward the middle of August, just as the start of school was approaching. I was going to wait and apply for spring semester instead, when another friend of mine took me to CUNY Medgar Evers College. I signed up for classes, financial aid, and within two weeks, I was back in school.
The first semester was an adjustment. I had to formulate a my new life. There were some things that I wish I knew beforehand that would have better prepared me. Some things I was "warned" about, but never took seriously. I have been in school before, no big deal right? Wrong. Even though I made the Dean's list consistently from my first semester down to my last, I discovered I had to "feel" my way into my new life. In essence, I pretty much fumbled my way to a very successful first semester. By the second semester, I had found my niche and continued my success all the way to my Associate's degree. I learned five things that I will now share with those who are thinking about returning to school.

1) Trust God, Keep the Faith, and Just DO IT: If you are thinking of going back to school, don't sit and talk about it. Pray, it works! I am the poster child for prayers being answered (but that is an entirely different article). Once you have connected with God, don't bat the idea of school back and forth in your mind. Get up and do it. You don't have to start of in a huge college. Break it down into steps and formulate a plan...and stick to it. Research schools, financial aid, and scholarships and apply apply apply! Start preparing everyone around you for the new adjustment in your life. Take the bull by the horns, hone in your fear, and GO FOR IT.

2) Balance and rest. I discovered the hard way that working your brain wears out your entire body. It is more exhausting to constantly study, read, (stress), cram, write essays, and research papers than it is to work on a construction site! That is the truth. I could not understand why I was so exhausted no matter how much sleep I had, and I learned that constantly working your brain, pushing your limits, (especially if you are older) was the culprit. To counteract my exhaustion, I discovered that I needed to form and stick to a strict schedule. In this schedule, I learned to balance real life with school life. This next school year, I will incorporate healthy eating (at home. Not so much at school), exercise, and at least seven hours a sleep. I know this will make all the difference. To cut down on stress, start that project as soon as it is assigned, read that chapter in time to go back and review it. I personally live for note cards, buy plenty of these and use them. Learn how to take proper notes, and review, review, review!!!!!

3) Discover Your Best Method of Learning, Do you remember things by writing? Watching? Talking about it with others? A combo? Figure out the best way that you learn, and adjust it to every single course you are taking. It is also important to learn how each professor teaches, their grading style, and what they expect of you in class. Don't be afraid to sit up front (I did because I couldn't see), but it worked to my favor. Every single professor I had knew my name, and many of them I ended up befriending. Stay on top of your work and try not to EVER turn ANYTHING in late. This will be to your advantage. I always advise my friends to ensure that you are going into your final exam with an A in the course. That way if you tank the final for some unknown reason, you can still get a pretty decent grade. I have had straight A's even with some of the most difficult classes because I made certain to go into the final with an A. If there is a tutor available? Make time for them, and see them regularly, even if you are acing the course.

4) As you make new friends, be prepared to lose old ones. This was a bit of a rough one for me. Some friends, I discovered even as a mature student, I honestly outgrew. Some dropped me because I spent "more time in the library" than I did with them, and yet others became jealous. Instead of taking their collective behinds to school and signing up themselves, they chose to sit back, twist their face, while I kept it moving...NEXT! Once the dust settled, I realized the new friends I have made in school will be lifelong friends. Not only are they friends, but they will end up becoming connections. I am friends with a future doctor, dentist, therapist, teacher, among others. I am friends with Pierre Osias of the MEC chapter of The Odyssey Online (who I will interview, be on the lookout for that). He is extremely talented, and I know he too has a bright future. So, out with the old, in with the new. It is not to say I will never see nor hang out with any of my old friends again, but if they can't survive a little distance from me for a few short years? Then that is on them. It is also a fantastic idea to get involved in your school of choice. Student government, tutoring, mentoring, clubs, there are many opportunities to get involved (psst...and it looks great on your new resume)!

5) Never settle, keep advancing. Be ready for time to move at a rapid pace. It seems like yesterday that I signed up to become a student at CUNY Medgar Evers College. The two years there flew by so fast it is unreal. I have done so much in that time, graduated with my Associate's Summa Cum Laude, and in less than two weeks, I will start a new chapter and new semester as a student at Columbia University. The very school that told me to kick rocks the first time I applied has accepted me, and I am ready to go! I was reluctant to even think about going to another school as I had become so involved in and attached to MEC. I at first declined the suggestion from my advisor to transfer schools. She finally convinced me that it would be best for someone like myself to keep moving forward, to keep challenging myself, and to keep striving for new experiences. I plan to be as successful in Columbia as I was in MEC. Before I know it, I will be in law school. It really does move very fast.

If you are a mature adult, and you are thinking about going back to school, don't think about it, do it. The fact that it is on your mind should tell you this will be the best investment that you will ever make in yourself. Be ready for the change, know that there will be days when you feel like you are going to drop, and you will notice people in your circle start to fall off. In the end, it will all have been worth it, whether it was done for a promotion, to advance a degree, or to obtain one, you will be happy with the decision to head back to school. So, enjoy these last few minutes of summer, and then get ready to hit the books!