“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!

Happy New Year!”

By Terrence Cain

If you're a Pagan you know October 31^st as a day of celebration of a bountiful harvest of the crops and a celebration of a new year beginning. This day for us is called Samhain, pronounced Sau-in. It's a Gaelic-Celtic holiday that has been celebrated for centuries. Many believe October 31^st to be the true end of summer and November 1^st to be the start of a new year. If you're not a Pagan then you only know October 31^st as Halloween, a holiday for dressing up in scary costumes, or some ridiculous non-threatening outfit, that you will undoubtedly parade around in either at a party or with friends or family to go trick-or-treating door to door in while yelling; “Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to it! If you do, I'll be good to you, but if you don't I'll come back and play a trick on you!” Yes, I was bad kid growing up. I used to smash pumpkins, teepee houses, and egg cars if I wasn't given candy on Halloween night, but enough about my criminal past. Happy Halloween to all. Be safe, don't be indulging in any criminal mischief, and have a good time. Now on to more pressing matters.

This week was pretty interesting. I had an exam in my Criminology class, passed it just as I did the last time. In my U.S. Government Class we're getting heavily into the many facets of the Civil Rights movements of the 1960s; showing how the black's civil rights led to the women's, the Indian's, the disabled, and now homosexual civil rights. In my Horticulture class we planted seeds and talked about the various ways farmers speed up the process for bountiful harvests. Horticulture has become one of my favorite classes and I really enjoy Prof. Berry's class. Well that's pretty much it for now. Hopefully the Rangers will win the final game since they fudged their chances last night. Have a great weekend and a very happy Halloween! This is Howard College's blogging machine, over and out!