Hi from Kentucky.

Well, the weather is getting a bit colder here in Kentucky. I actually wore a jacket this morning. But by afternoon, it was much nicer. We have had some frost here, so I know that winter will eventually come... complete with snow. But so far, it's been pretty mild.

My name is Elizabeth Sheppard (Betsyanne). I am a former nontraditional student wo went back to school for her teaching certification. I re-started a Nontraditional Student Group there, and learned that having support is SO needed for every person going back to school.

I hope that this newsletter can help everyone who is going back to school after a break, who is thinking about it, or whose job or interests are concerned with nontraditional students.

Last Issue

Last issue, readers voted on what article they wanted next. The winning answers were: study tips, motivation, making friends, and online vs. in-person classes. So this issue, I am tackling motivation and study tips, because motivation helps people go ahead with their plan, plus finish them. Motivation is essential for people who are going back to school after a break. And who can't use study tips?

MOTIVATION

We nontraditional students HAVE to be self-motivated if we are going to go back to school and complete what we have started. For example, we may have semesters or even years to go before we get our GED, our Certificate, Diploma, or Higher Education Masters or even our Doctorate.

And before that can happen, there are certain steps we need to go through, like finding out how much money we can borrow, learning about what schools offer, and applying for scholarships or grants, just to name a few things.

I know of several students who are thinking about going back to school. They know that they need to have motivation. They need to be able to push themselves to make the first steps towards actually going back in real life, and not forever putting that off. And nontraditional students need to make sure that they will be able to care for their families sometimes, too. That can mean at least a part-time job.

All this, the listmaking, the trips to the campus or to the school to sign up, the scheduling, the decision-making - - it all takes time and effort. So how do we become motivated to START, and how can we stay motivated to STAY in school? Here are a couple of things that might help you.

1. Get a calendar and use it if you are just starting, or if you are already in school. Mark down the dates you must be somewhere in order to continue your schooling. For example, make sure you visit the school counselor at least once a semester if you are already in school. If you are already in school, make sure you know when vacations and tests are scheduled.

2. Visit online motivation sites* (listed below this article) each time you feel that your patience or stick-to-it-ive-ness are flagging. Another idea is to tell a friend if you are starting to feel burnt out. They may have some good ideas for you. Also, sometimes a break from school (like a nap, a mini-vacation, etc.) can help. Try NOT to miss a class though.

3. Keep a journal, to see how far you have come with your classes. Did you have a hard day or even a hard week? Write about them in your journal, then put it away or write again in a couple of days or a week. You will find that sometimes things look a lot better later on. And writing about your experiences can help put them in perspective if they aren't always easy.You will be more motivated to try again, knowing that you DID get through a hard day or week. You will know that you CAN do it again.

4. Try to have your family or friends help you around the house or with other responsibilities, if need be, during midterms, tests, or exam time. Or if you are a perfectionist, it is still OK to be kind to yourself and finish that organizing AFTER your school exams or tests are over. Don't guilt yourself about not being able to be a superman or a superwoman when you have a lot of schoolwork to do.

Here are some more tips and sites that I have found that help me in times of stress and that have kept me motivated:

The Motivation page - check out the video "The Power of Rewards" a little down the page. There are also some great motivational websites here on the page.

10 Motivational Tips

The Successful Nontraditional Student

Nontraditional Student Tips and Links

How to Begin (for nontraditional students)

Your ideas are VERY important to me.

What would YOU like to have me research for you?

Do you have questions you would like answered? Send me an email and I will have an answer for you next issue.

Have a GREAT week.

Next Nontrad News: we will get some great STUDY TIPS to use. I hope you have a great rest of the week!