An Unlikely New Year's Resolution by Lauren

An Unlikely New Year's Resolution by Lauren - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

My personal New Year’s Resolution will probably never make it to the Google “Top Ten”. It is not exactly a standard resolution. Why would it be? I already stay very active, riding my bike seven miles daily and working at a job where I stay on my feet. I do what I can to protect the environment, including keeping a compost pile and decreasing waste. I live debt-free and minimize expenses. I enjoy nature, getting outside whenever possible to enjoy a sunset or play soccer with my kids. I have become adept in a foreign language, and have started learning a third. I try to practice my religious beliefs. I live a healthy lifestyle, and have no weight that needs to be lost. So what is left for a New Year’s Resolution?

Nothing, but to “Become less active and park myself in front of the computer.”

This is understandably not the most inspiring New Year’s Resolution for the Google Top Ten. However, it is one that will help me to become a better student in 2016.

It is true that I am not a lover of technology. I would rather read a book made of paper than a downloadable version. And I am not a lover of sitting indoors. I would rather dig in my garden or listen to the birds doing their morning chores than have my soul melt away in front of a television set. Nor am I a lover of computers. I would rather invite a new friend over for tea than do social networking on Facebook where friendship feels like a game of pretend.

However, I have come to grips with the fact that for me, as a single working mom in a small town, obtaining my graduate education on-line is simply the best option to attain my personal goals. I am pursuing a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, so that I may become a Licensed Professional Counselor. I excelled academically in my on-campus undergraduate program, but know that I face a new challenge in seeking a graduate degree on-line.

Thus, let the New Year’s Resolution begin. Park myself in front of the computer.

Obviously, spending a significant amount of time in study will be key in helping me to succeed in school. I am highly motivated by a number of factors to attain my graduate degree, but am keenly aware that motivation alone is not enough to support long-term sustainability in the world of New Year’s resolutions. One has to do a little planning in order to be successful. One would never resolve to lose 50 pounds without designing and implementing a diet and exercise plan, and maybe a few other lifestyle changes as well.

Likewise, I have designed and implemented the following plans to help me successfully keep my New Year’s resolution and become a better student for my on-line program:
1. Slow immersion. As I await my university start date in February, I have enrolled in a volunteer training course that involves substantial on-line study. This course has effectively re-introduced me to the on-line education world, and I am happy to announce that it is progressing positively.
2. Strategic planning. I complete my study periods before and after work, so that they are broken up by an energizing intermission of cycling to work, being on my feet several hours, and conversing with friends and perfect strangers face-to-face. It is a revitalizing period before returning to the computer.
3. Strategic design. I have arranged my desk and work space to sit directly in front of a large window in my house. It is the one where I can best see the sunset, and even the morning glow draped across the trees during sunrise.

Sit in front of the computer more. It is an unlikely New Year’s Resolution. Yet it is representative of my commitment to attaining my graduate degree, while balancing work, motherhood, and the enjoyment of life. Executed with long-term sustainable planning, it will help me to excel academically—to be a better student in 2016.