My Strategy for College Success

ChristinaMiler Columbia Southern University

My Strategy for College Success

What motivates you to attend college, career goals, and the barriers you may face in earning\your degree?
“Put your future in good hands — your own.” (www.quotegarden.com, Author Unknown). I love this quote because it’s very true. I don’t want anyone to alter or change my future except for me. I want to alter my future for the better and this is why I have decided to further my education.
My motivation for going back to pursue my B.S. in Business Administration not only comes from knowing with this degree I will be able to open more career opportunities, but it will give me more focus, more confidence, and more determination. I will be able to be able to show others that it doesn’t matter their age or background. As long as the motivation is there to take that first step, they are altering their future for the better.
With going back to college, I know I’m going to have some fears and/or barriers along the way. My biggest barrier is adjustment; having to find the balance of managing classes, work, and family. In my first class, “Keys to Learning Strategies for Success’, in just the first few chapters that I’ve read thus far, it has given me some ideas on how to overcome this barrier by utilizing a planner, to-do lists, etc., so that I will be able to better manage the different obstacles that may interfere with my studies..

Career Goals
I have so many decisions to make as to where my career is going or more importantly where do I want it to go? “Embrace ambiguity. Absolute certainty is rare. Decide, then move on: The next decision awaits.” ( Credit Union Magazine, Dec2014) The first major decision I made was to go back to college to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Business. I don’t have a clear picture or any definite career goals as of yet, but whether I stay with my current employer or obtain another career path, I will know that with my business degree, I will be able to make decisions more clearly in my professional and personal life.
Time Management Techniques

How I plan my time management time depends on my personal and professional obligations. I try to schedule at least five to six hours a week on my studies, depending on what courses I’m taking in a particular semester. This sometimes never works out due to other obligations or situations that may arise. I use a day planner to schedule this time around other obligations, such as meetings at work, children’s school activities, etc. It’s hard sometime to get motivated in order to study, especially after work, and I sometimes, not often, find myself cramming in my reading, term paper writing or quiz taking in one night, but I muscle through it. I know this isn’t the correct way to study, especially since I have Project Management, Information Systems, and Managerial Decision Making in the near future. These classes are detrimental in my career goals if I am going to continue and advance with my current employer than other courses I will take in order to