Well, I finished my first semester of seminary Sunday night. I learned a few things along the way … and I’m not talking about class content …

• I’ve been out of school for 13 years. Going back was overwhelming, scary, and challenging! It definitely took a month or so to really start to feel like I was getting back in the range of student mode.
• I learned some valuable lessons about scheduling classes. I accidentally scheduled too many at the same time which made for an insane four week period of time when all of my classes overlapped. I actually registered for more classes next semester than this one, but I balanced them better so I won’t have that kind of nightmare again!
• In a bizarre twist, I think I’m a better student than I was in the late 90’s. Back then I did what I needed to get the grade I had to have; now I’m working harder and offended when I don’t get the grade I know I could have gotten. Weird!
• Technology has REALLY made being a student easier! Text books are cheaper digitally, and easier to highlight and retrieve information from. Doing work from my laptop in my office, iPad here and there, and iPhone on the go has made getting stuff down in spare moments a GREAT use of time.

Being a student is strange. I’m working towards a Master of Divinity (finally). Going at a full time pace (fall semester, spring semester, summer semester), I will finish a few weeks before my oldest starts his freshman year in high school (also known as August, 2016). I’m really motivated by that milestone – once we have kids in high school and middle school, life is going to be a lot more chaotic and will continue to be so until our youngest graduates (June, 2027). It makes for a busy few years, but I think it will be a lot harder as our kids get older, so here goes!

On the plus side, I do have the next month or so off. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.