Kristin Marino knew she had to work hard to raise her family, but she didn't love her options. Without a degree, she bounced from job to job, unsatisfied. While she worked as a church secretary, the part-time pastoral assistant and full-time mom knew she had to make a change in her life.
When Kristin made her first attempt at college, she was a teenager more interested in the college lifestyle than its reading list. "My social life was first and foremost, and there was nobody to monitor me," she recalls. She dropped out a year and a half later and joined the workforce.
A dead-end job becomes an unlikely inspiration
As Kristin worked as an administrative assistant and a file clerk, she realized she wasn't happy with the jobs she was finding. "The kind of work I was getting without a degree was not for me," she says. "I worked a few years without a degree and realized that the kind of work I wanted to do, I would need to have a degree." The dead-end job became a motivating factor for Kristin, who wanted to work as a writer and editor.
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Keeping promises to yourself
Beyond her career goals, Kristin had a personal reason for returning to school. "I always felt like something was unfinished," she says. "Truthfully, I felt like I had let myself down by not graduating when I was in my early twenties." She enrolled in one class at 25, and began taking one or two classes a semester, continuing to work while she attended school.
Completing an education and earning her degree became a personal challenge. "I wanted to prove to myself and others I could do it," she says. Whether you never made it to college after high school or you attended for a while and left because of work or family commitments, completing your degree can become a long-lost challenge.
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The full-time mom returns to school
When she was 28, Kristin had her son and didn't return to school until he was three years old. By then, the extra challenge was obvious. "I flew by the seat of my pants," she remembers. "Got some scholarships, charged some school fees on a credit card." Having children added an additional difficulty to her return to education, but Kristin made it work. "I was lucky in that I only worked part time but juggling kids with school was much trickier," she says.
Adding to Kristin's challenge was the fact that she was pregnant with her second child while she worked to finish her degree. She suddenly had to balance child care, pregnancy, and school all at once, while continuing to work. Kristin took it all in stride; 10 days after she took her finals for one semester, she had her second child. Less than a month later, she was back in school for a new semester.
Returning to education as an adult
When she stepped back into the classroom, Kristin found that things had changed since her last time behind a desk. "I was older than many of the people in my classes," she says, "never the oldest, but especially in some of the core classes in science and math, definitely one of the older ones."
Adult learners like Kristin often find special challenges and rewards in the classroom. Fortunately, they aren't alone. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that two-thirds of nontraditional students consider themselves primarily employees, meaning that work has to balance with education for many.
Lessons learned in continuing education
What did Kristin learn about working and going to school? "How much more you appreciate it if you're paying for it yourself," she jokes. She was happy to find it easier to concentrate and study as an adult. "I realized the importance of what I was doing, and had a firm goal in mind," she says. That goal allowed her to continue attending school while she raised two young children. The support of her husband also helped; like many, Kristin found that her family became a safety net and a motivating factor.
Kristin earned her English degree and found a job that challenges her and offers room to grow. Today, she works as an editor and copywriter, and does freelance writing on the side. For Kristin, a college degree means breaking free from the ordinary jobs she was limited to before. The training she received gave her the knowledge to enter a new field with confidence and skill.
Top tips for school success
If you're considering going back to school, take note: Kristin's biggest tip to success in school is to jump right in. "Even if you have to take one or two classes a semester for now, do it," she says. "The time will pass regardless if you take classes or not, so there's no reason in the world not to take one or two classes."
Starting off with a low course load gives you a chance to test the waters, to learn more about how much time you need to complete coursework, and study for exams. If you've been away from school for a long time, taking just one class to start could have a number of benefits.
Get started at a community college
Kristin also recommends taking classes at a local community college before transferring to a four-year university. "You'll save a lot of money, the classes are often smaller, and the faculty and staff are very supportive," she adds. Community colleges are more popular among adult learners and other nontraditional students, meaning you'll be in good company when you make the journey back to school.
In the end, Kristin doesn't regret her road to a college degree. "I really love it and am glad I didn't put off marriage and having kids to focus on education and career," she says. "I'm just where I'm supposed to be."
