My strengths with online learning include being able to express my thoughts and feelings. It has taken some time to realize that they are both valid and that I should feel comfortable sharing them in the online learning environment. I know that my time management needs to be improved, and this class has provided a lot of resources to do that. Having identified the type of learner I am and what normally works best was helpful and I will continue to strive for improvement. I kept the term at a glance and weekly schedules pretty useful and I think a planner reminder would also come in useful.

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For academic support I feel comfortable with communicating with the instructors and facility via e-mail or phone if need be. I haven’t utilized any of the other OSU resources that I know of at this time but as I get familiar with how things go I’ll reach out further.

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I had a clear goal in mind for this upcoming term a few weeks ago, but now I am not so sure. I would love for this term to wrap up real nice and feel confident about next term but I don’t know how I feel now. I had a financial hold on my account all term and now that, that got figured out I have some other type of hold on my account so I am unable to register at this point. I’m trying to stay as positive as possible, but I’m not sure what my short term goals are academically right now. It’s not really a great way to end the last blog of this class but I thought I would be honest.

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My strengths are a great places to start. The picture is an illustration of my home life and inspiration to keep going. I find strength in my goals and belief in myself. I believe I’ve made the right choices that led me to where I am and now I have to stick to it and get the most out of this experience as possible. I find strength in knowing right from wrong and doing the next right thing, paying it forward and striving for growth. I find strength in my support system of family and friends and am open about what I’m up to and how everything is. Being accountable to people and class helps keep me focused gives me motivation and momentum.

School has been a long road already and I just started at Oregon State. I went back to school in September 2011. My son was 9 months old and I was a single mother on state assistance, and working part time. I had dropped out of high school when I was 16 and had never really applied myself in an academic setting so it was interesting at first. I had to get honest about how I was going to learn and do my best-so I did what had never done before and sat in the front of the class and hung on every word the instructor said. I took notes and went to tutoring centers and worked with classmates on homework. I slowly began to understand what it meant to try my best and I started learning the value of education. I also was on the deans list X amount of times and that encouraged me to continue trying. Meanwhile my personal life was a bit of an issue, drinking became more of a priority and it was harder to juggle things and do well. So since going back to school in 2011 there were short periods of time that I took a break to save myself wreckage at school. But it has still been something I never planned on dropping completely, and over that time it became clear to me that I should go to school for something I can put my passions into. In 2014 I spent a term with DeVry University online and then decided to go back to the Community College for a transfer degree. I started looking into online universities and state universities that had online programs. (Meanwhile my sister graduates OSU with a BA in Anthropology) SURPRISE

I want to help people!..and Oregon State has a Human Development and Family Sciences Degree, that I could use in many different scenerios and career paths. So here I am. Over the last 2 and a half years it has been a rollercoaster, no longer a single mother, self/family supporting, available to help and learn and grow, clear headed and focus and goals I know I can attain. Life is very surprising and what we can acheive is amazing.