News
Goals don't have an expiration date
June 16, 2021
People return to school for many reasons: to increase job security, advance in their current career, achieve a personal goal or transition into a new industry. Whatever your motivation, the idea of returning to school may have you asking yourself questions like:
- Can I really juggle the workload with my existing responsibilities?
- Will I be the oldest person in class?
- When will I do homework?
The good news is that you are not alone in having these doubts. College demographics have shifted considerably, with an increasing number of adult students balancing work and family obligations. Recent research has found that:
- An estimated 7.6 million college students are 25 years old and over.
Leah (recent grad of the GVSU adult Integrative Studies program) had the same doubts but she wants to tell you the countless benefits of returning to school...
I am a mother of three that decided to stay home when my youngest was born. My plan was to go back to work once he started kindergarten, but when he turned four, I realized I didn’t want to return to the same position. So, I decided to go back to school to finish my degree and make myself more marketable. When I first returned, I was nervous. I did not know how manageable classes would be with small children and I was also self-conscious about my age considering most students would be traditional college-age. But I dove in anyway. It felt awkward, but it also felt good. I was happy to be back in school, challenged, and using my mind again.
My classes also required me to make changes to my schedule at home. I sent my kids off to school in the morning and while they were gone, I completed my homework. Since my youngest was in school part time, I enrolled him in after-school care two days a week so that I could have longer stretches of time to complete my homework. When their school day was over, I focused on the evening routine with the kids. At first this was difficult because I felt guilty. I felt guilty for enrolling my son in day care when I was home with him since he was born. My house wasn’t always cleaned regularly, and dishes sat in the sink longer than I would have liked them to. And I had less downtime than I was used to, but these changes eventually became my new normal and I, as well as everyone in my house, got used to my school requirements and schedule.
Currently, I am finishing my final semester of classes and I can’t believe my time at Grand Valley is coming to an end. Looking back on my experience, I am glad I overcame my fear and trepidation of returning because I have gained much more than the skills that secured my degree. I have developed personal growth and fulfillment, as well as a different worldview. I have set a positive example for my children to commit to your goals and persevere even when it’s hard and you may not feel up to the challenge. I have pushed myself to achieve a goal I never thought I would have achieved, and I’ve taught myself that goals don’t have an expiration date, no matter how “old” I thought I was to have gone after it in the first place.