Back To School

This year more than ever before, back to school has snuck right up on us with an early “deadline” to get everything in order. This includes all ages and “types” of students, from little ones starting their first day of preschool or kindergarten to adult students returning to the classroom to pursue any number of professional degree programs, certifications, or continuing education units. Preparation is key to success, and when it comes to all things related to heading back to school, there are plenty of things to get nailed down prior to or within the first couple of months into the school year.

In the modern times and economy we are living in, while many high school students are still choosing to move directly on to college, there is far more diversity in terms of the spectrum of “non-traditional” students that are pursuing a post-secondary education across an ever-growing list of study areas, degree programs, trade-specific certifications, and job training requirements.

When evaluating potential schools and programs, there are some key things that should be considered and compared. “There are a lot of things to think about before starting school, especially as an adult learner,” emphasizes Amy Dillard, College Success Advisor at Iowa Western Community College. “The strongest advice I have for new or returning students is:

1. Attend a New Student Registration Orientation. You receive helpful information at these events and you’ll receive an overview of the services available at the college which students need to be successful.

2. Find out who your advisor is and set up a time to meet with them the first few weeks of class. This will make it easier to approach them when you have questions later.

3. Have your books before classes start. There are times when this isn’t possible but it is very important to attend classes even if you don’t have your book. Let the professor know and they might have an extra one you can borrow or check the library to see if you can borrow the class book until it arrives.

These are simple things you can do to get yourself started on the right foot. It’s also important to remember that self-advocacy is critical; I always tell my students to be their own advocate. Navigating the landscape of an educational institution may be intimidating but there are services and people here to help. We all want you to succeed so don’t be afraid to ask questions and come to us about any obstacles that could prevent you from completing your degree.”

She continues, “The first thing people think about is cost when it comes to college. It’s important to know what the investment will be before taking that step. Community colleges are a great way to earn credits at a lower cost.

Secondly, consider your schedule. Do you work nights or during the day? Are the classes you need going to be offered during the times you are able to take them? Is your work schedule flexible? Iowa Western’s Computer Information Technology (CIT) department is converting all their classes online. If you can’t make it to a face-to-face class, you can earn your degree online.

And lastly, talk to people who are in the field you would like to enter after graduation. Ask questions about the type of experience and skills preferred by employers. Iowa Western has plenty of opportunities outside of the classroom to apply your learning and gain experience. The MyCIT Experience within the CIT program offers professional networking opportunities and internships to prepare you for your career. You can read more about the MyCIT Experience at www.BeITWise.com.

Currently there is a huge demand for qualified women and minority candidates to fill positions in information technology and other STEM fields. If your motivation is to find a career that will support a high-quality lifestyle or support your family, you should consider the IT field. There are employers that only require a two-year degree with opportunities for tuition assistance to advance. If you are interested in learning more about the opportunities within Iowa Western’s CIT program or potential careers, you’re welcome to contact me.”

Chris Liewer, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, University of Nebraska at Omaha, further advises, “For students getting started or transferring, knowing what you want to study and making a dedicated effort to pursue it is important. Students should research their top choices and be familiar with specific programs of interest and their requirements.

Whether you are transferring or going back to school, here are some things to make the transition easier:

1)  Visit campus. We encourage students to visit campus, take a tour, and learn about their major or area of study.

2)  Talk with an advisor. First, find out who to visit with for the intended major or degree program. Ask questions about what credits will transfer. If possible, bring unofficial transcripts from your previous institution(s) to have the advisor evaluate them. It is important to figure out what classes you have taken and where any gaps may be.

3)  Apply early. If the transfer student knows where they will be going, it’s advantageous to get the application in early. This will help move through the process and get things done in a timely manner to be prepared for classes to begin. This will also aid in the other processes associated with being admitted, i.e. financial aid, orientation, registration, etc.

4)  Once the student has transferred to their campus…get involved! It is integral for transfer students to be active on campus and in student organizations. It is a great way to be part of the campus community!

One of our programs that is helpful to transfer, adult and military students is the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) Degree. This program allows students to, in a way, build their degree program by either selecting a concentration (we offer over 50) with a secondary field or building three emphasis areas. This really allows a student to create a degree program that is a fit for them. For instance, if they were interested in music, science and criminal justice, with a BGS degree, they could study in all three areas. Students are also allowed to use existing credit from an accredited institution towards their degree requirements.

The key is to begin early and make a connection with a transfer adviser or admissions counselor at the institution you are considering attending. Each university has different requirements and processes, so having a connection with a staff member that can assist is important. Once the student is admitted, continue to keep updated on any outstanding items.  Be sure to send any final transcripts from previous institutions. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions throughout the process.”

“The benefits of furthering or beginning your education will far outweigh the challenges that come with balancing a job, family and life with school,” adds Dr. D’Vee Buss, Assistant Dean in the Office of Undergraduate Programs at the College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska – Lincoln. “However, once you’ve made the commitment and school starts, make sure to practice self-care and keep all aspects of your life in balance. While you are focusing on your education, it’s also essential to take care of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, along with all of your other obligations. It will also be crucial that you know how to manage your time. Whether you are a new college student or an adult learner, we all have outside activities that can draw our focus from the classroom. Learn how to block out time to study, time to relax, and time for your outside job. Moreover, take time to cultivate your relationships and utilize your resources; your family, friends, peers, university staff and faculty want to see you succeed.

Along the same lines, take advantage of every opportunity you are given and try to take away something from every interaction.  It may not be important today or tomorrow, but somewhere down the line, the role you played in an event, program, or service will benefit you in the future. Meet as many people as you can; get to know them.  You never know when your paths will cross and when you (or that person) will be a resource.

It’s incredibly helpful to approach every class with an open mind and assess what you expect and want to accomplish through completion of the course. Set your goals high—you will achieve more.  Map out how you will spend the 168 hours there are in a week and treat school as you would work; dedicate the required time to be successful by mapping out sufficient time for studying (2 to 3 hours per week for every credit hour, and that includes time during the weekends). Your professors will outline everything you need to know in your syllabus, so make sure to read it! If you come in knowing what’s expected of you, you’ll appear more put together. It’s a great way to earn points with your professor right off the bat.”

For those who are still debating on whether to make the commitment to furthering their education, she advises, “When considering schools and programs, consider first the education you will receive. Are the professors known in their field? Will you get the amount of feedback and engagement from your professor that you require to be successful? Does the school offer the degree or specific classes you need? Your education should be your top priority. That being said, don’t overlook the college experience. Do you feel at home on campus? Are there organizations and clubs that you want to be a part of? Does that campus thrive on tradition and does it make you excited to be a part of something great?  UNL offers all of this. Our professors are well renowned and engaged with their students. Our degree programs are designed to accommodate students’ particular interests. And you can’t beat our school spirit!”

Activities that support learning outside of the classroom are just as important as the learning that goes on in it, so achieving a healthy balance between the two is indeed key. Extra-curricular activities are a must for many reasons; a few of which are cultivating a new skill or talent, releasing stress and staying physically active, meeting new people and enhancing friendships, and simply doing something that you enjoy with your precious free time. There are a wide range of options to consider, so it all just depends on what you have your heart set on and/or what you want to get out of the experience.

Sports and fitness are popular pastimes for all ages, with a diverse range of options from leagues to shooting a few hoops in between classes. The common denominator is to stay physically active so that you stay healthy throughout the mental demands of your rigorous studies and educational endeavors.  So whether you’re dancing, playing sports, hitting the gym, hitting the trails, or taking a walk in the neighborhood with your canine companion, there’s plenty of ways that we can all stay active and fit even though its generally necessary to sit at a desk for a majority of the day.

“In this electronic age, it’s especially easy for kids to get into a sedentary lifestyle early on,” emphasizes Richard Messina, owner of Play It Again Sports. “Participation in team sports not only has the well documented health benefits of physical activity, but it also allows children to develop mentally and socially as well.  They learn vital skills like teamwork, leadership (and followership), patience, respect and self-discipline.

If you’re getting your kids signed up for sports this fall or winter, consider buying used equipment. At Play It Again Sports, we have everything for the sports enthusiast.  For those young kids that haven’t quite found their niche or want to stay active year round, we offer an affordable way to achieve that.  Play It Again Sports has a great selection of gently used gear that still has a lot of life left in it, and that way you could save a lot of money on equipment and apparel for baseball/softball, football, soccer, hockey, lacrosse and more. We also offer our customers fantastic prices on new sporting goods and fitness equipment as well.  You can even create your own discount on anything in the store by trading in the equipment you or the kids no longer use.  We buy all day, every day and pay cash on the spot for clean, gently-used gear, but we do offer 20% more for in-store credit. Our staff can help outfit you or your athlete for just about any sport along with plenty of fitness gear to help you meet your goals.”

Staying active is important for all of us; both your mind and body benefit when you add some form of physical activity to your daily routine.  We live in such a busy world that we often forget to take care of ourselves the way we should.  Especially for adults who may be juggling work, school, family and so on, eating healthy and exercising tend to be the first thing we sacrifice. If you have the opportunity to get involved in a team sport that you enjoy, that often forces you to participate on a regular basis in some form of physical activity.  The key word is ENJOY.  Find that activity that is fun yet allows you or your kids to develop socially, mentally and physically.

When many of us think of going back to school as a kid, we were generally the most excited about new clothes, new school supplies, that cool new backpack, and hanging out with all of our friends again. Well, thankfully most of this really doesn’t change much as we age either! A mainstay on the back to school to-do list is freshening up the wardrobe, with a mix of comfortable daywear staples as well as professional outfits when you need to look the part and dress to impress.

Nouvelle Eve is a boutique in the Old Market that offers unique ladies clothing in flattering styles, as well as great accessories, for high school and college students of all ages.  Susie Keuck, owner of Nouvelle Eve, says, “Remember to start with the basics! Everyone should have their favorite denim, favorite tees and tanks, a couple fun, easy to wear, day dresses and, of course, accessories! Whatever you do, have fun and be confident!  Many styles that continue to remain trending are easy to wear, light and flowy tops and dresses that come in exciting prints as well as bold or neutral solid colors, along with statement pieces that add style to something as simple as jeans and a tee. Stop by Nouvelle Eve and let us help you find a couple of new wardrobe items to get you excited about heading back to school!”

She adds, “Just remember if you look good, you feel good and that can give you the confidence to take on the world–or at least another year of high school or college. Have a fun and safe 2015-2016 school year! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and if you’re not a big fan of social media, go to our website nouvelleeve.com and click on the news tab for in-store promotions and new arrivals this fall.”

Along with covering all of the bases as far as enrolling for classes and getting your school wardrobe and supplies in order, many students will also be coordinating a full-scale move to their college housing. Whether living on or off campus, temporarily or permanently, moving from one home to another is still generally a major undertaking. Luckily, however, there are still ways that you can make the process of moving much less stressful so that you can focus on everything else that’s going on during the back to school “crunch time.”

“BlueCow Boxes are perfect for back-to-school students,” says Reva Tyler, co-owner of the local BlueCow Boxes franchise. “Arrangements can be made to get boxes to the college-bound student along with a central time and place on campus for return to us.  BlueCow Boxes are cleaner, cheaper, eco-friendly and help take the hassle out of getting our future leaders settled in to concentrate on their studies, friends, and all that college life has to offer.

BlueCow Boxes are stackable, nestable, and roll around on the ‘cow wheels’ provided with every order. Once outside the residence they can then be moved on a two wheel cart to the moving van, trailer, pick-up truck or automobile.”

She adds, “BlueCow Boxes is gaining popularity daily as the moving public becomes aware the service in now available in the Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs areas. We are appreciative of the business we have enjoyed to date, and look forward to continued service to the surrounding communities.”

It’s important to continue learning throughout our lives, and to follow pursuits that nourish the mind, body and spirit. Especially regarding students, it’s essential to not only a find a degree program that fits your needs and goals but to pursue what you love, plan ahead, be proactive about taking care of all of the details whether they are major or minor, and to keep a healthy balance within all areas of your life during the school year. We wish all of you students returning to the classroom luck with your future endeavors, and remember, you can never be too prepared!