November 3, 2011
Plus 40 & OnCampus

I cannot believe there are only four weeks left until the end of the semester. I think I say the same thing after each semester. I hate being redundant, but it certainly is the truth. I have been enjoying the short amount of time I spend at school and have developed some loose relationships with some of my classmates. I find it to be very satisfying how the younger and older students interact with each other. I am the oldest in both of my classes, but in class we are all equal. We share a common bond and help each other, as well as have fun.

I am sure you have all waited with bated breath to see how I did on my second history exam. Well, I am proud to say that I received an 82. It was not easy. I studied like crazy and used up every bit of the one hour and 15 minute time allotment for the test. I don’t know why, but this next one has to be taken on campus by next Monday. I am devoting my whole weekend to preparing for the test. By the time you read this, I will have finished that next milestone for American History 201. The subject matter is very interesting, and it is very eye-opening to see the parallels that exist between what’s going on in the world today and what was happening back in the 1700s and 1800s, especially in politics and economics.

In English 102, we have been studying poetry, which I thought would be boring because I’m not into that type of literature. However, I have learned more of an appreciation for the genre. Our poetry essays are due next week. I can’t say that it has been easy, but it has been informative and educational. I have continued to do well in English, although I received a 75 on our first paper. That is a first for me. There are rules that must be followed when writing a college English paper, and I am just not used to that. However, I know I will come out of English with an A or B.

Spanish has been progressing along smoothly. Lately, we’ve gotten into conjugating the verbs, which I believe is the hardest part of the language. I have consistently done well on the weekly quizzes we take and am sure I will end up with an A. Some of the other students have had a more difficult time. I can’t help but wonder if the Southern accent has anything to do with it. 

It is time to think about next semester. It’s always hard to choose, especially when working at a full-time job. Right now I’d like to take a sociology class and Spanish II, but the days and times don’t line up. I believe I will only take two classes because it is much easier to handle, and I am in no hurry. I am still scared to death of algebra but know I have to take it sooner or later. Maybe I’ll bite the bullet. I guess you’ll just have to wait until the next column to see what I decide. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving y’all!

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 October column.