Wednesday, October 09, 2013

Unexpected Pep Talk

It is amazing how sometimes you will be going through the motions of your day and things will happen to you that will get your attention that you didn't expect.
Lately I have been feeling down about my education process and  why am I putting myself through this stuff as it seems futile to keep going knowing nothing will come of this.  I go to class each day and sit at the computer and push through the homework assignments and for what?  A good grade?  Making the teacher happy that they are teaching someone new things?  Do I really believe I will end up using this in a job when this process is done?  Some of these feelings have started a few weeks back since my funding is going away in a couple of weeks.  In fact since the government shutdown there are no more funds for me to continue.  I will have to come up with the money myself to keep on my path.  At my age is it possible someone will hire me?  So many questions and I continue on hoping at least I can finish what I started almost a year ago.
I was sitting in the computer lab working on my assignment on ,"the computer", that was due the next day when the door to the classroom opened up and a student walked into the computer lab.  He walked over to the row in front of me and he sat down at the computer directly in front of me. He sat there while the computer was going through the start up mode before setting up and working on the assignment he needed to work with.  As he was sitting there the instructor, for that time frame, walked into the lab.  The student noticed her walking in and he immediatey motioned for her to come over and talk with him.  What happened next not only surprisd me but I am sure the instructor has heard these before.  He started giving her excuses about the class he was working on.  She eventually stopped him and asked him if he wanted to drop the class. He then stopped giving the excuses and said "yes." I am sitting at my computer trying not to pay any attention to this as I am working on my own assignments.  I noticed the instructor looking at me and she said "Steve", I looked up at her and she continued speaking to me.  She asked me if I would talk with him about what he is about to do.
I looked at the student and he looked just younger than myself.  He explained to me that he was in the worker retraining program and he didn't feel like he could grasp the material in front of him.  I then explained to him that I am also in the same program having lost my job as well.  The reason the instructor wanted me to talk with him was because I had taken the class two quarters ago and would understand what it would take to finish the assignments.  I started talking with him about the class and the amount of time it would take to finish on time and I told him not to give up. I explained to him he was only in the second week and he hadn't given it enough time to make that decision. I restated to him that he should keep going and not to give up on the class.
  
When I was done talking and I sat back in my chair, it hit me like a ton of bricks, it sounded like I was giving myself a pep talk.

Have a good day.......

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