Today I submitted my final assignment for my very first class in my Master’s program.

It seems fitting that I am staring at my Christmas tree as I do this. There is joy in the air - both from the time of year and because I have made a real, tangible step in completing my degree. I know I still have a long way to go (11 classes to be exact), but this final submission felt really good.

I know this is likely the easiest class of the program, and while that makes me a little nervous - I am looking forward to just how much I will learn in the coming months.

A few take-aways from this class that I hope to remember as I continue with this degree:

• A grade on an assignment can tell you how well you met the objectives as set forth in the rubric, but it does not have to define how well you learned. In fact, after the grade has been presented, it offers an additional opportunity for growth and learning. It is unique to higher education where there is (hopefully) an expert providing feedback on the subject you are trying to learn. So while I may be working hard before the due date to achieve a grade I can be proud of - it is important to remember that a grade that is lower than hoped for does not mean that I did not or cannot learn or improve. In fact, it may be the best opportunity for learning.

• TV kills productivity. It steals our time. I am better off without it, and so is everyone else. This seems extreme, I know. I admit that I will not be throwing our television in the dumpster, but I hope to remember that the TV is a thief - every time.

• Sometimes just starting is the hardest part. So just put some words on the page. They can be bullet points, they can be stream of consciousness, they can be general ideas, they do not have to be complete sentences. Put something on a page. Once that hurdle is overcome, it gets so much easier (this applies to writing papers for school, for writing that novel you’ve been dreaming about, for writing in your prayer journal, etc). Perfection is the enemy of good enough. Something is better than nothing. I can edit trash, but I cannot edit something that does not exist.

• The Bible deserves more of my attention. Books about the Bible and about Faith are awesome and have a place, but if they take priority over the Bible I am missing out on the Peace, Wisdom and Joy that is stored in those pages.

• There is a lot I do not know. That’s okay.

If you are considering pursuing another degree, I hope this post encourages you.

I also hope you’ll follow along as I learn more about myself and about my faith, I promise to share it with you. In fact, after the class ends I will post my papers here for you.

It feels good to have one class down, and the Holiday Break to look forward to. Now to save money for the next one!

Yes I am accepting donations, you can see it on the STORE tab.

Cheers,

Kathryn