Tips & Tricks from Michelle: Don’t Freak Out
The start of a new term is always an exciting, nerve-wracking experience for me. New classes bring a new set of challenges and expectations—there are new instructors, new classmates, new textbooks, and new opportunities to excel. Then there are also a lot of new things that can be, well, just a little bit scary. Or a lot scary. Take my textbooks for instance…
Before each term, I anxiously await the arrival of my textbooks. I find myself checking my email 50 times a day waiting for the email from MBS Direct, then checking the tracking information to see if my books have reached the next stop on their journey. Sometimes the arrival of my books instills confidence and makes me think, “Okay, I can handle this. This class will be fine.” Other times, I see the long complicated titles or the thickness of their spines and I think, “How the heck am I going to learn all of this in seven weeks?!” And this term my books weigh 17 pounds and don’t fit in my backpack—that’s definitely intimidating.
Or how about the first day of class…
On the first day of class, I am always like a first grader who is excited for the first day of school. I wake up eager to login and see what each course is going to be like. The first thing I look at is the course calendar—are there a lot of assignments or is the workload a little bit lighter than usual? Most terms, I have at least one day each week where nothing needs to be turned in. But this term, I have assignments or discussions due seven days a week. That’s right. Seven. Every day. Every week. Yikes.
What about my instructors…
My instructors add more to the first-day experience. I love reading their introductions, learning if they have a ‘day job’, families, or fun hobbies. One former instructor lived in the Czech Republic and had his music featured on MTV. Another taught science classes for an online high school. A third worked for Time Warner Cable. It adds to the online experience when I take the time to get to know my instructors but sometimes they can be intimidating. I had one professor that sent an email out the first day of class saying he never accepts late assignments and that he’s a tough grader.
Or my classmates…
In addition to several awesome instructors, I have had the pleasure of meeting many fantastic classmates. So many have interesting stories to tell and several are in situations similar to my own. Those that are similar to me give me confidence that I can achieve my goals, and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know everyone. I took a history class with a woman who had lived through many of the events that we covered, which made discussions interesting. I was in two classes with a man who always had something to say, and he was very good at getting his point across. This led to some entertaining discussions in my philosophy class! I think it’s natural to be a little intimidated or shy with your fellow classmates but, if you do anything during your time at Ivy Bridge, try to connect with the other people here! There are so many interesting people and potential friends, and if you never reach out you’ll never know what you’re missing.
I have learned a lot during my time with Ivy Bridge, but it can all be condensed to the single phrase: “Don’t Freak Out.” Take your time, take a deep breath, and stay confident. Get to know your instructors and your classmates. Make friends. And always remember that you can do anything that you set your mind to.
Have you had any interesting instructors or fun classmates? Did you have a time you felt intimidated? Do you have any stories to share? Add them to the comments below!
Michelle is a current student enrolled with Ivy Bridge College and the author of the monthly Tips & Tricks from Michelle column for The Bridge Blog. Follow her on twitter at @BloggerMichelle.
