Ah…the first week.  Every week for the next 15, you will be overwhelmed with work, life, family, and likely 3 – 5 classes each with weekly due dates.  Something I find helpful to managing my goals is to write them down.  When I was in my late teens/early 20’s working full time and going to school, I was introduced to a program called Managing Goal Achievement (http://www.integrityservices.com/sales/managing_goal_achievement.aspx).  This program taught me many things, but most importantly to set goals and give specific deadlines.  A few of my goals were things like “Earn 75,000 by the time I was 30” and “Complete my Masters degree by the time I was 25”.

While those goals are part of the big picture, I learned that the little things that help get you there are very often the most challenging.  Right now,  most of us are working on those little steps that will lead to the big picture for you.  A few tips for the little steps this semester:

• Find a pencil and paper.  When you sit down in front of the computer and listen to a lecture or you’re in class learning, your mind starts spinning and ideas, thoughts, so many things come into focus for just a brief period of time.  Write it down!
• Homework should not be a period of stress.  Give yourself enough time.  I’ll make up a number and say that 75% of you won’t do that.  If you find yourself stressed, maybe next week you will start earlier.  Try it…Mikey would.
• Find peers with similar interests in education.  This will help with building future contacts and help you gauge your success and strides through discussion.  I’m not the only one you can learn from.  Even if you’re in an online environment, take part in email discussions, social forums such as this.  Find a friend.

Ron Burgundy is surely funny…but wise?  I’m not so sure about that!

As the swirl of a new semester is about, I must pause for a minute and reflect on what I’ve learned.  Next week, I begin my 15 and 1/2 year as a college professor.  That’s 31 semesters, plus summers which I took off 1 when I had my first son, so let’s just say 45 semesters of teaching!  Oh my word…I’m getting some experience!

As of late, I’ve been teaching too many classes.  That’s in part because we are short staffed and in part because I feel such a strong commitment to our students and our Networking program, although my joy is in Programming.  I try to do too much and it’s no use trying to change that.  But, at the beginning of each semester, I pause and reflect on what I want to do different, how I want to be better, how I want to create an environment where students not only learn the content, but find their own passion.

I have learned that the big picture is what matters and I’m such as small piece of your own puzzle.  You see, we can cover content and learn, we can code and accomplish, we can forge and meet deadlines, and all those things are important.  But finding your purpose and your passion is going to happen.  Maybe it did already, maybe it will click this time, maybe a wheel will turn, maybe you will see your purpose in life and find your passion.  And maybe I can help by doing my part, and the only way I know how to do that is for me to just be me.  I know this upcoming semester will not be perfect.  We might fail, we might flay, we might fall.  But we will get up and we will be okay.

And so I begin another semester feeling it couldn’t be better than the last, knowing it must be better than the last, quite filled with emotion because so much has happened and so much as been shared.  You see, I have seen all types of learners, different levels of winners, and all kinds of interesting characters. And I know in no other world would I have had the opportunity to watch the growth of so many minds, educational goals come to fruition, and long term determination turn into rewards. I have made many friends, and for that I am most grateful.  When we connect, you are my family and that’s why I’m here.

To all my friends, family, and students who will begin another semester or start their college career tomorrow, I encourage you to not quit. Listen to every word and read with an open mind. Find your place and pace, and do well. Know that what you do today makes this journey worth while. Find your passion and move forward.  I, with you, will do the same.

Onward!