Seize the Day

Several years ago, Robin Williams starred in a movie called, "The Dead Poets Society". Williams' character was a rather unconventional college prof (more than normal) who encouraged the young men under his tutelage to follow their dreams, to "seize the day".

As nontrads, we have dreams, goals and aspirations - or we wouldn't be here. What is your dream? To finish your undergraduate degree? To finally get through that dissertation in order to get your doctorate? To prove to yourself that you can do this? Seize the day.

Now is the time to pursue your dream of getting your degree, whether it's your undergrad, Master's or PhD. Obstacles, excuses, etc. will always be looming on the horizon. They are a fact of life. Purpose yourself, steady your gaze and move forward. Seize the day.

As a nontrad, we have a unique set of characteristics - we have a family, we are over the age of 25, we are perhaps already working full time, we may even have some college under our belt. We are older than the traditional student on the traditional college campus. We wonder if online really is better when we tend to be easily distracted. Take it all in bite sized pieces, one day at a time. Seize the day.

The economy is not especially "user friendly" right now. Education costs are soaring and personal incomes are falling. Be creative - think outside the box. Dialog with other nontrads and your advisor. A recession is a wonderful opportunity to cultivate creativity - in funding your education, in creating your "niche" in the workforce, etc. Seize the day.

One person I always think of when it comes to creative nontrads is Elizabeth Sheppard, a fellow blogging nontrad. She's out there in cyberspace - encouraging, working and being most diligent in discovering new resources for her fellow nontrads. Elizabeth knows how to seize the day.

Walk outside today, take a deep breath (if you're not experiencing an air quality alert day), close your eyes and say "Thank you" for another opportunity to seize the day. Stay tuned . . .