Back to School

www.thefuraavaru.com UPDATED on 12-01-08

Re-entry Challenges and Survival Tips for Adult Students
The first day of school can be a scary prospect for anyone, but adult students confront special concerns and justified fears. Adults are more likely to have multiple responsibilities, requiring them to juggle commitments to school, family and employers.Adult students may be haunted by negative earlier experiences with formal education, or worry about being "rusty." Re-entry students may feel uncomfortable when surrounded by younger, technologically-savvy classmates. Previous drop-outs may be anxious about being able to complete the program this time around.While all of these concerns are legitimate, none are insurmountable. The following tips can help you to survive re-entry:

1. Value your ExperienceThink of the significant lessons you've learned since you were last in school. No doubt you've learned a great deal about human relationships through a broad range of interactions. You may have learned about health and medicine through the birth of a child or the illness or injury of someone dear to you.Perhaps you've acquired technical skills through employment or home maintenance, repair and improvement. A love of travel could have exposed you to other languages and cultures. Certainly you've learned the value of academic credentials, something your younger classmates may not yet realize. Clearly, you don't have to be in a classroom to learn.Not only are your life and work experiences valid, they can sometimes give you an advantage over your less experienced classmates. Making connections between classroom studies and life experiences can enliven and enrich not only your own learning, but that of your teachers and classmates, too.

2. Get off on the right footTalk to your loved ones about your return to school, and the new commitments and responsibilities you will have. Work towards achieving understanding and support of the changes ahead. Sharon Daugherty offers advice for navigating this process in, "Helping them Help You".Getting off on the right foot also means managing your time effectively and establishing good study habits. One of the first steps to establishing good study habits is understanding your learning style. Do you learn by seeing? hearing? doing? Try some learning style self-assessment questionnaires to help you decide. Once equipped with an understanding of your learning style, brainstorm how to make the most of it. For example, if you are an audio learner, make sure to choose a seat where you will be able to hear clearly. Consider taping lectures and your own study notes for review purposes. Practice good study habits from the outset. Invest in tabbed binders to keep your notes organized by subject. Maintain a calendar of homework, assignment and test descriptions and dates. Break big tasks (e.g., writing a term paper) down into smaller, more manageable targets (e.g., locate library and Internet resources; read and take notes; plan essay outline; write; proof-read; edit). Review materials regularly and consult a tutor or your teacher immediately when you encounter items you don't understand.