Hello and welcome to my blog! I am excited about being nominated to be one of UT’s student bloggers, because I have so many interesting experiences to share with you about my life here at The University of Toledo.
As well as being a full-time student here at UT, I also spend time hanging out in the admissions office. (Technically I am a recruiter for UT, but the job is so fun, it seems like just hanging out with friends.) The greatest part about the job is being able to do whatever it takes to help other students get accepted into The University of Toledo. On the weekends I also work part-time as a toll collector for the Ohio Turnpike. The best part of that job is that I’m allowed to work on homework in between customers. Gotta love getting paid to do homework!
I earned my first degree in the 1980’s and college life has changed drastically since then. Or maybe I’ve changed drastically. I’ll have to get back to you on that one. I am 44 years old, a full-time student, have 2 part-time jobs, a husband and three kids (two of whom are also attending college), am active in my community as well as here at UT, and still managed to make the National Honor Society. I am what we in the college circuit refer to as an overachieving non-traditional student. The non-traditional part is how UT describes me — the overchieving part would be how all my friends describe me. (Ok, actually most of them say crazy, but there’s a fine line between overachieving and being crazy.)
As a non-traditional student from a VERY small town, I was a little hesitant about attending a fairly large four year university. The student population at UT is 21 TIMES the size of the entire town I grew up in and I assumed everyone here would be twenty some years younger than me, but finishing my bachelor’s degree was something I really wanted to do, so I dove in head first.
Gladly, I’d like to report that my experience here at UT has been beyond what I expected. There are actually other students here who are my age and even the younger students are happy to include me. The faculty has been unbelieveably supportive when I have felt overwhelmed, and trust me, with the schedule I keep, overwhelming is the one word I most often use to describe my life. But as my grandma always says to me, “What would your life be without a little drama?” She thinks drama follows me around.
So I guess I would say that, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your age, UT is ready and willing to accept you and help you put your best foot forward. I have been not only accepted into, but highly encouraged to get involved in the on-campus opportunites that UT has available (such as this blogging project), and I would have to say without a doubt, that the warmth and encouragement of everyone here has made all the difference in the world in my experience and my feeling of belonging. And believe it or not, the campus really is easy to get around!
During my blogging, I hope to tell you all that The University of Toledo has to offer (good and bad) to me and to every student who attends here. So please, venture back to my blog from time to time. I hope you find it informative as well as entertaining! And that’s no song and dance…
jk
