“Three Down, Two To Go...”

By Terrence Cain

Well here I am again, doing the same old thing I did last year, and I say that with a smile upon my face because I am really enjoying my time being a college student at Howard College at the age of twenty-eight, twenty-nine in March for all those keeping tab. Some people would look at being fired as a scary thing; especially for someone who has been unemployed for almost three years like me. And yes, it has become scary at times for me, and if I was to say it hasn't stressed me at times I would be lying.

With that being said, being fired for being sick twice in a month's span was a blessing in disguise because if not for that event I would have never gone to college because I would have simply never had the time to do so. Being in college has allowed me to finally be in control of my destination and given me the tools to use at my disposal to bring out the best of my true creative talents to make something of myself instead of just doing whatever jobs I could find to pay the bills. So a very big thank you I feel is in order to my old job, President Obama, and Howard College for setting me free and giving me the tools to turn my life around so that I can finally be on the right course for what will hopefully be a very prosperous career in writing by the time I finish being in college in 2014. I still have to find the right University for me, but at the moment I am not too worried.

So here I am in my fourth semester at Howard College in Big Spring. This semester should be a really easy and a good one for me. On Mondays and Wednesdays I have a Cinema class at 9:30 a.m. and at 1 p.m. I have my third, and hopefully final, Pre-college Algebra class. I was supposed to be in college Algebra this semester but since I failed by one point in my second semester I had to repeat the second class of three in Pre-college Algebra last semester. Sadly this week though I was not able to go my classes on Wednesday due to a water line breaking on Big Spring's campus, and of course Monday was a holiday, so I can't really say anything about my classes for Mondays and Wednesdays until next week.

Now on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have English II at 11:00 a.m. and U.S. Government II at 1:00 p.m. I'm really digging my English class this week because it seems to be, so far, like a mix between English I and Creative Writing, taken in my first and second semesters respectively. I could become very chatty about my English class, but I won't write too much because I would end up writing a novel about that class since English has always been one of my favorite subjects to take.

In English II we are just getting started so there isn't too much to say other than we read a short story by Kate Chopin called “The Story Of An Hour” that I really liked because of the broad painting structure she used in her short story. I don't want to spoil the details, so I highly recommend to all you readers out there to click the link below and read the story for yourself. You never know, you just might like it because of all the twists and turns. Well that's all for this week. Welcome back to all those returning and welcome to all those who are new to Howard College. Enjoy your semester and have a great weekend. This is Howard College's blogging machine, over and out!

http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/

“School’s Out!”

by Terrence Cain

Indeed it is. For some of you it’s over for good. That’s not my case, however. I am very happy to be moving on to my fourth semester. 2012 will hopefully be my final year, provided I pass all my classes in the next two semesters. It doesn’t feel like it’s been a year to me since I first started at Howard College in the fall of 2010. It’s definitely been one wild ride and I never thought I’d make it this far. I used to doubt my intelligence and thought that college was out of reach for me. For years I had heard horror stories from people I knew who talk to me about how hard college was. It’s most definitely a lot easier that I thought it would be, or am I a lot smarter than I realized? Well, either way, I’m happy I took that big leap forward. I have three successful semesters behind me; and two left to get my associates. I’m very much looking forward to getting into a university so that I can get my bachelors in print journalism. So what was the craziest thing that happened the week of finals? I got sick. How do you like that? I guess I was being tested to see if I could handle the week. Well despite being ill I did pass all my classes, so take that germs. Okay, enough funny business. I hope everyone has a great vacation and warm and happy holidays with their loved ones. Until next semester, this is Howard College’s blogging machine, over and out!

“Three Down, Two To Go!”

By Terrence Cain

Thank God this semester is almost done! Next week are finals and then no more school until January 17^th! I know what I just said sounds bad to some people. It almost sounds like I was forced to be here, and in a way I kind of was, but I am happy I am in college too, and I am very happy that it was at Howard College. And no, I am not just saying that to save myself. I am genuinely happy to be at Howard College. Like I have said in the past, I wanted to go to college back in 2001 when I finished high school but I couldn’t because my parents were told that my father made too much money for any financial assistance to a legitimate college. How ridiculous is that? My father worked very hard for the majority of his adult life and barely made enough money to support his family. He never made enough money to save any so that he could send his children to college. I really don’t know how they could say to my father that he made too much money in 2001 to get financial assistance to send his only son to college, which just boggles my mind. Funny though they gave me financial aid for a horrible trade school that is now being questioned on ethics by the federal government? Yeah, it’s a crazy world we live in, that’s for sure.

Now the reason I say I was kind of forced is because I lost my job in 2009 with oil and gas production company and couldn’t find work for over a year, so it was either go back to college or go home to live with my parents. As much as I love my parents, I knew I couldn’t go home without a fight. So here I am, completing my third of hopefully only five semesters.

The reason I am happy this semester is pretty much completed, with the exception of finals taking place next week, is because it means I am that much closer to getting my associates and then moving on to a university to get my bachelors in print journalism and hopefully back into the working world as a journalist at magazine or newspaper writing about music, my one true passion. Even if I don’t get started writing about music, that’s okay with me. As long as I can write that’s really all that matters to me in the beginning.

So was college as hard or harder than you thought it would be? Honestly, at least from my perspective and maybe because I am older than the majority of you, I’ve found it to be a lot easier than I ever thought it would be. I’m not saying I’m making straight A’s, I’m not, but it definitely isn’t crushing me and making me regret I ever attended either. So hopefully you all are realizing college isn’t that hard either. You just have to take things one day at a time and stay on top of your subjects. I find that four classes a week is very manageable and virtually stress free. That’s my recommendation to any of you who are reading this blog and have not signed up for next semester yet. Well, that’s all I have to say for this week. Next week will be my last post until the new semester, so be safe going back home for the semester break, good luck on your finals, and have a great weekend everyone! This is Howard College’s blogging machine, over and out!

“The End Is Near”

By Terrence Cain

So how was your Thanksgiving? Did you overstuff yourself with Turkey and all the other little delicacies that come with a traditional Thanksgiving feast? I know I did. Did your favorite football team win? Did they even play at all on Thanksgiving Day? Me personally, I haven’t watched a football game since that infamous Super Bowl scandal involving Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson. Football just doesn’t thrill me the way that it did in the early nineties when I was a kid growing up. I personally prefer Europe’s Rugby now over any American sport. And yes I know that the Janet Jackson debacle was in 2004, but by that time I had not watched an America football game since 1997. I only watched that Super Bowl game because of who was performing that night. The game was just boring to me.

Anyway, this is my first of three final posts for this semester. It’s a little sad for me, but it’s okay because I’ll be back full swing in January. I don’t know about you but I have already signed up for next semester and I cannot wait to return on January 17th. This week though, at least for me and maybe you as well, has been super hectic. It’s been one mad dash after another to get everything ready for next week since that will be the last for all projects before the finals after that. I just hope everything goes well and that I pass everything this semester.

And I can’t believe I am almost done with my time at Howard College. Two more semesters and I will have an associates degree. I’ve really enjoyed my time so far at Howard. All the professors are nice and helpful, and yes I am including Prof. Tommy Tune in US History and Government here in Big Spring. People tend to think he’s a real hard nose, but deep down he’s a softy and willing to help you out if you approach him in the right way.

I am so looking forward to graduation day because I will be able to move on to a university and get my bachelors in print journalism, which will make me very happy by 2014. Getting back to work is the whole point of being in college at 28, so I hope this all pays off in the end. Picking a university is not easy though. I’ve been looking at three so far. One is in Seattle, one in Boston, and the other in Austin. They’re all great universities, but what I have to look for is what they’re offering because journalism carries many facets and I don’t want to be trained for the wrong area of journalism. Well off to work on my plant and landscaping projects in my Horticulture class. Until next week, this Howard College’s blogging machine, over and out!

“Where Did The Semester Go?”

By Terrence

This week, heck this entire semester has gone by fast! Seriously, where did the time go? I swear this semester just started last month. Ah how time flies. This week was ridiculously busy for me, and next week seems to be even more ridiculous. I had two tests this week, Monday’s was Criminology and Thursday’s was U.S. Government. I also had to finish up an essay for my U.S. Government class that I had to turn in as well. Now I have to finish up my Horticulture plant project and get started on my landscape drawing that is due on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and a three-page biography for my Criminology class. Life just doesn’t seem to be slowing down for me at all this semester. That’s okay though. I’m not complaining. I like to keep busy. Well I hope everyone has a great and safe Thanksgiving. I’ll post a new one after next week’s holiday festivities are over with. This is Howard College’s blogging machine, over and out!

I want to apologize for the long delay. There were some technical difficulties in trying to get things posted. Here is the post you were all to see last Friday. Hopefully things will be fine for this week's post.

“Nothing To Say”

By Terrence Cain

As the title says above I really don't have anything to say. I've been very busy this week getting the few final projects done for three of my four classes; which are all coming along nicely by the way. Next week I have two exams and a five page essay review on a book for my U.S. Government class to turn in by next Thursday. That project coupled with my other project in Horticulture and then studying for my Criminology exam on Monday will be all that I do these next three days so this is where I will end this week's blog. Sorry to be so short but there just isn't much to say this week. This is Howard College's blogging machine, over and out!

“Clocks, They Are A Changing”

By Terrence Cain

The seasons and the clocks are changing once again. It is November and the semester is almost over. It seems like this semester only started yesterday. How time flies when you're moving forward with your life! I don't have much to say. Been busy getting things tidied up for my three most demanding classes. I've got a five page essay in my U.S. Government class, a three page cause and effect bio for my Criminology class, and then a booklet to put together with three other classmates about fifty different types of plants for my Horticulture class. Thankfully the last one is split between us to make the load lighter. Now for the record I am not complaining. I am just simply telling you all how busy my classes are. Funny thing is that this semester my Algebra class is actually the simplest one I have, but don't tell Prof. Buske I said that. She might think I've lost my marbles as much as I complain about my frustrations with math. Well I want you all to have a great, safe, and warm weekend. Don't forget to change your clocks back one hour this Sunday. This is Howard College's blogging machine, over and out!