Ball State

» E-LEARNING IS INSPIRING MORE PEOPLE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL

By China at 6:41 PM

When I was considering all my schooling options, I found there were many choices out there and found it difficult to sort through all the information I was receiving. I knew that I wanted to take some classes, but considered going to school at night, because I needed to work during the day. I knew balancing the equal importance of work and school was going to be challenging, but I also knew that I wouldn't get anywhere in life if I didn't take the bull by the horns and just do it. After all, I was young enough to manage it all and my employer offered reimbursement for the cost of my classes so that was a big motivating fact also. Once I began looking at my options, I came across information about e-learning, and I really didn't know much about it, but I inquired at work to see if my employer would possibly consider paying for these types of classes instead. They said that they would allow me to attend classes online and upon successful completion that they would reimburse me at the same 100% as they do for other employees attending traditional colleges. It was then that I began inquiring about online training and I found a few classes that were kind of job related and really suit me. I am now signed up for a few business courses as well as windows server 2008 training, which is going to be really helpful I just know it. I am very much looking forward to getting started working my way towards an online degree.

I have been so excited about doing this, that I have a couple people I work with now looking into schooling as well. Most people don't think that they can swing working all day and going to school at night, but with the flexible scheduling that online schooling provides, you can have your cake and eat it too. Online schooling provides flexible scheduling, the ability to work through credit hours faster, and a more condensed, to the point course load that allows you to fly through or crawl through your schooling, whichever you desire.

» Baby Showers

By China at 3:58 PM

I went to my first baby shower a few weeks ago. Well actually I think that when I was little my mom may have taken me to one or two, but this one was a friend of mine (which is really weird ha).

There were decorations and games and it was actually a lot of fun because it was also a fun group of people (mostly friends from college). We walked in and it was at a country club outside and it was gorgeous. There were streamers and balloons that were light pink and brown and white and the cake and even the m&m's matched that theme. There were place cards and tables set up that looked amazing and the mom to be had a pink sun dress on (thankfully the weather was really great because it hasn't been lately at all). We got to guess the size of the baby and the due date and eat really cute (and delicious treats). And I guess I never realized how much stuff you get. She basically got everything off of her registry that she picked out (like furniture and crib bedding) and she had a color theme of light pink and brown for a baby girl which was really cute and all of the furniture was a white wicker that went really well together.

She even had pictures of the bedroom laid out so that everyone could see and a magazine of modern cribs to ask people their opinion on which she should get. Showers are a great way to get everyone together and also to get advice from people who have already gone through having kids and know what you are going through. I think that you can read all of the books in the world, but it doesn't really compare to real experiences. And you can learn a lot from hearing what other people have to say and the things that they have gone through during their pregnancy or raising their kids. If nothing else, you can learn what not to do ha.

I don't know if I want to ever have kids, but now that I see people getting so excited about it, it makes me think that maybe one day I will want them. It seems so exciting to get your friends and family together to celebrate. Maybe I'll consider it when I'm much much older.