who loves school? this girl!

Okay, maybe love is a stretch, but it’s definitely no secret that I enjoy learning. From obtaining a new certification to taking classes for the sole purpose of learning something new to obtaining a degree, my life has been a perpetual classroom. My recent endeavor, which officially began yesterday but monopolized the majority of the past weekend (pre-course assignments? really?),  is a Master’s Certificate in Study in Project. Basically, it’s two-thirds of a master’s degree in project management (less 12 credits and a capstone/thesis).

Why project management? Well, as with nearly every facet of my life, this decision was not made without careful consideration and planning. Not knowing what the future will deliver, I’m hoping to expand my options and marketability through the completion of the program, while also expanding my project management knowledge — both conceptual and practical. Regardless of what lies ahead, the program will be beneficial in my current position, as the last year or so has brought involvement in a number of projects. Plus, did I mention I really love, ahem, like, learning?

I did scale back a bit from my initial plan of action, deciding to take just one course per quarter instead of two. This will involve stretching the program out over six quarters (essentially, two years), but I decided that having a life outside of work and school was also perhaps important to my emotional well-being. Yes? The good news is once I’m done with the coursework, I’m done — no capstone or thesis. Yay! One of those in a lifetime is enough for this girl.

Unfortunately, the course I am taking this quarter is online, which is not my favorite delivery option. And, so far that class has consisted of a lot of reading (damn pre-course assignments) and a few discussion posts (dislike). But, the information is interesting and I’ve already been able to apply some of it to work projects — bonus.  My most capacious concern as of current is how I’m going to get through the first few weeks of assignments when the next two weekends involve traveling (Cali!) and my birthday weekend. I guess this is where prioritizing and time management come into play, which are two concepts intimately involved in project management. Score! If only I received points toward the program for my personal project management skills . . .