We are excited to share today’s NOVA Online spotlight written by a current NOVA Online student. If you are interested in sharing your story on the NOVA Online blog, contact elistulife@nvcc.edu!
I am a 46 year old wife, mother of three children (ages 6 years, 8 years, and 26 years old that have special needs), an ordained minister, and I have my own business. I wanted to go back to school to earn my associates degree and it seemed like I couldn’t find the time. But I did not want to give up on my goals and dreams.
Going back to school was exciting and scary for me. It was exciting because it meant that I would have an opportunity to move my business out of the house and my dreams would become a reality. I’ve always wanted to operate my own business but in order to move to the next level, I needed a degree. It was scary because I haven’t been in a college setting for at least 12 years and I was sure a lot had changed. I wasn’t sure how I would do academically since I am much older than the average college student. At least that is what I thought.
I have chosen to take NOVA Online classes because my schedule is so hectic with my obligations to my church and my job. I work over 60 hours a week and I attend church at least three times a week. Going back to school seemed impossible. I researched the type of degree I wanted and looked at the courses offered through the NOVA Online program. There were only a few courses I needed that are not offered through NOVA Online. I immediately signed up and began my journey.
The classes are at your own pace but within the given schedule of the course. For example, I had a week to complete an assignment and I could work on it at my own pace within that week. I signed up for two 3-credit courses and one 1-credit course. My first experience was a wonderful one. The Orientation webinar was a big help to assist me with how to use the blackboard and understand the course. It showed me the programs I needed on my computer to ensure they were compatible. I made sure to complete this process before the my classes started so I would become familiar with the system.
Even though I wasn’t in a classroom setting the communication between the other students and the instructor was awesome. The assignments were designed to help me think and also share my thoughts and ideas with others. One of the classes was the (SDV100) College Success Skills course. I learned lots of skills to help me with my classes. Even though I know what career I am interested in, the class gave information to help towards my goals and useful study habits. If you want to go back to school and don’t have the time to go to a campus, then you should defiantly consider the NOVA Online program. All the classes for your major may not be offered through the program but they have a large variety to choose from. Even though this is my first semester I am excited to know that my goals and dreams are attainable.