2008 Woodie Awards
Non-Trad Speaks
Susan Hernadenz
Issue date: 4/11/07 Section: News
This week I started to look at the courses that would be offered in the fall of 2007. I always get stressed when it comes time to select courses. I worry that the courses I need will be filled, or they won't fit into my master schedule. All the non-traditional students out there know what I mean.
The classes we chose must be scheduled around our jobs, our families, and our community commitments. Add to all of that, I live 70 miles away and travel time must be part of my time equation. What I would not do for just two more hours in a day. But since that is not a possibility I guess I will just have to make do.
This semester I was lucky to put a master schedule together that worked. Monday I attend classes from 10-6:50. Tuesday I cut hair from 9-5:30. Wednesday my classes are scheduled 10-2. Thursday I work from noon-7. Friday I only have two classes, the first one is at 11, and the second one is at 1. I drive back to Saxtons River and work from 4-7.
Saturday I work 8-12:30. My husband and I then travel to whatever hockey rink of softball field my daughter and her team are playing at. Sundays are reserved for church, homework, and a nice family dinner.
Looking forward to the schedule for next fall, I am trying to find Chemistry 1, Physics 1, Physiology of Exercise, and a World Views class. Unfortunately, the Physiology for Exercise class is the problem. It is only offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I could take it in the summer but that would require me to take all of my vacation time and then some.
Scheduling classes is an especially troubling exercise for the non-trad student population. Most of us have limited time and limited funds. We do not have the luxury of taking a class that does not fulfill an educational frame. While many of us would like to take a class just for fun we cannot be that frivolous. We need to finish our degrees in the shortest amount of time possible.
Another limitation that arises around the issue of time is that most of us cannot take more than four classes per semester. We count on taking summer classes to make up for the credit shortfall. Castleton's summer classes are intense four-week blocks that are totally out of the question for me. I must look outside of Castleton to accomplish my summer credit goals.
The classes we chose must be scheduled around our jobs, our families, and our community commitments. Add to all of that, I live 70 miles away and travel time must be part of my time equation. What I would not do for just two more hours in a day. But since that is not a possibility I guess I will just have to make do.
This semester I was lucky to put a master schedule together that worked. Monday I attend classes from 10-6:50. Tuesday I cut hair from 9-5:30. Wednesday my classes are scheduled 10-2. Thursday I work from noon-7. Friday I only have two classes, the first one is at 11, and the second one is at 1. I drive back to Saxtons River and work from 4-7.
Saturday I work 8-12:30. My husband and I then travel to whatever hockey rink of softball field my daughter and her team are playing at. Sundays are reserved for church, homework, and a nice family dinner.
Looking forward to the schedule for next fall, I am trying to find Chemistry 1, Physics 1, Physiology of Exercise, and a World Views class. Unfortunately, the Physiology for Exercise class is the problem. It is only offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I could take it in the summer but that would require me to take all of my vacation time and then some.
Scheduling classes is an especially troubling exercise for the non-trad student population. Most of us have limited time and limited funds. We do not have the luxury of taking a class that does not fulfill an educational frame. While many of us would like to take a class just for fun we cannot be that frivolous. We need to finish our degrees in the shortest amount of time possible.
Another limitation that arises around the issue of time is that most of us cannot take more than four classes per semester. We count on taking summer classes to make up for the credit shortfall. Castleton's summer classes are intense four-week blocks that are totally out of the question for me. I must look outside of Castleton to accomplish my summer credit goals.
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