As I get closer to becoming a student again, I figured I'd document my little journey into my transition as a student. I've had to do so much in order to even become a student so far.
When I first decided that I was interested in going back to school, I had a lot of research to do. It's a lot different going back to school when you're not going into college straight from high school, and I quickly learned that! I knew there was 1 school I wanted to apply to, because all of their campuses are close to where I live. I was not in the market for having to commute to school. George Brown College it was.
Then I had to figure out what it is I wanted to do. This is like having a second chance in life, so what is it that I could do, that would be transferrable no matter what industry I wanted to be in, and something I knew I would be passionate about. I attended an information session for mature students back in the summer to try and help me figure out if this is what I wanted to do, and that really helped.
I know I've discussed this before, but my choices came down to nursing or marketing... how I came to these completely opposite programs in my final 2 choices, I have no idea. I read through a detailed course outline with all of the classes and I found myself more excited over "event planning" and "digital marketing" than I did about "anatomy" and "chemistry".
Marketing it is.
Then I had to find out how to apply to college. I learned more about this in the information session I attended. Luckily I was about a month before the deadline for applying for a start date of January 2014, so I got in just in time. Did you know it costs $100 to apply to college? Literally just apply. Brutal. After you apply, then it's like a ridiculously long waiting period. There was a month between the deadline of applying and when they start sending out acceptances. I kind of put it in the back of my mind until the first day of acceptances. Then I started to check online EVERY SINGLE DAY.
The day finally came and I saw that I had been accepted into the marketing program I applied to and I was SO happy!!! I was sending messages to all of my friends and I couldn't stop smiling! Then it clicked, I have a lot of stuff to get ready and forms to fill out - shit!
So between the time I got accepted and the date the college needed my deposit on my tuition was 1 month. I had to apply to OSAP (for a school loan), fill out a ton of forms, send them to a bunch of places and put a "down payment" on my tuition. Luckily for me I had some money saved up so most of my school tuition is now paid for (YAY!) until September (the "new year").
Because I'm starting in January instead of in September, I don't get a summer vacation in my first year... which is fine because I haven't had a summer vacation since like 2008 so it won't be much of a difference for me. This week I ordered my text books for my classes, literally 1 text book cost me about $150.. insane! Then we arrive at today. I thought I'd spend today applying for a student Metro Pass since I'm going to be taking transit as of the new year. There isn't much online on the TTC website about when to apply or what you need other than proof that you've been accepted into school and money for a photo ID Metro Pass ($5). I get there and then get told that I'm not allowed to apply until December.... sooo basically that was a massive waste of time.
I'm thinking of this backpack. Thoughts?
Things I've bought so far?
- a Kate Spade agenda
- Kate Spade pencils
- a pencil case
- 3 cute French inspired notebooks
- highlighters
- pens
- white out
- 1 Principles of Marketing text book.
Do you think I'll need binders or will note books be ok? I think I will need to buy a printer, maybe I can ask for that for Christmas. I also need a back pack, a laptop sleeve... I'm pretty sure that's it? Am I missing anything? Current students out there, what am I forgetting?
