September 6, 2011
Plus 40 & OnCampus

I’ve completed all most three weeks of school at the time of this writing, and things are going well.  I am happy to report that my schedule is much more manageable this semester, and I’m keeping up with my work hours in a much better fashion.  I’ve only reconnected with a couple of people I had met in previous semesters, but one of the women is in both of my on-campus classes, which is always helpful.

Thus far, I am very happy with my classes.  English Composition 102 is a departure from English 101, in that it is primarily composed of reading assigned selections and then assessing the selections via classroom discussion or essay.  I do love to read; however, I’m not that keen on dissecting literature.  However, it is getting a bit easier and I am sure it will get even more so as time goes by.  What I enjoy about on-campus courses is the classroom interaction and discussion, and we have a lot of that in this class.  It is especially enjoyable to hear young and old(er) discussing issues.

Spanish 101 thus far has been very easy for me.  It is amazing how much I remember from high school 46 years ago.  I may have mentioned previously that I had four years of Spanish in high school with excellent teachers.  This course is only different in that we are learning everyday Spanish as spoken in the Americas.  In high school, I learned the proper Castilian Spanish, which has some differences.  The only thing I have a problem with in this class is people with no prior exposure to Spanish are in the same class as those who have studied Spanish previously.  It makes for an unbalanced class.  My instructor, Sr. (Senor) Colina, has a very interesting background.  He is originally from Venezuela and experienced the cruelty of Chavez’s regime.  He was also a baseball professional with the Pittsburgh Pirates before a motorcycle accident took his left arm and right leg.  He told us his compelling story the first day of class.  I am looking forward to acing this class!

I am also enjoying American History 201.  The material covers the first settlers through the Civil War.  Although I do miss the classroom discussion, I am fascinated by the stories of the first settlers, as well as learning more about the Native Americans of the time.  I don’t know if I ever really thought about the hardships suffered by the first settlers.  It is very unsettling to read about what they faced in the North and Southeast.  Thus far, we’ve just about gotten through the 17th century.  Studying history tends to make me think about life today and just how far we have come, as well as what has not changed about human nature.

I like having an hour in between classes, as it allows me catch-up time to go over assignments, as well as time for a quick trip to Walmart for necessities while in Cheraw.  Generally, free time is spent in the library at one of the computers or reading.  I also like to peruse the many informative magazines available in the library.  So little time, so much to learn!

By the time you read my next column, I will have taken one exam and have written one short essay and will have a more realistic idea of how I’m doing this semester.  Stay tuned!  As always I welcome your questions and/or comments.  Thanks for being with me on this journey!

Karolyn Tredeau, 64 of Ruby, entered college after taking a 40-year hiatus from formal education. She is a student at Northeastern Technical College and will write about her experiences in this column, “Plus40 & OnCampus” once a month. Karolyn can be reached at karolynt@shtc.net.

Read Karolyn's August column.