By Tiffany Kyall
Special Contributor, In Military Education
This month, I wanted to share some exciting news with the readers of this blog, I will be graduating from American Military University this Spring/Summer with an Associate of Science in Web Publishing! While it was quite a journey, I would like to take a step back, reflect and give some advice based on my experience, so without further hesitation, here goes…
When embarking on an educational journey, plan it out.
I have mentioned this piece of advice before in my previous articles; however, I think it is important to have a solid plan going into school. It helps to keep you focused and shows you the way to go if you ever get lost. By utilizing my academic plan, I was able to do this throughout my studies.
I began my journey at AMU in May of 2012. This moment in time is when I started my first online class. While it was a required course, it was the course I learned valuable information that I would carry over to the rest of my courses at AMU. A few of the noteworthy skills I gained from a few of my beginning courses at the school were:
- How to distinguish and use the different types of citations,
- How to manage my time better
- How to choose appropriate study methods (based on the type of learner I am).
I think the first online course a person completes is important because it sets the stage on how he or she may complete the rest of the courses throughout the duration of the program they are in. With that being said, I moved onto completing the rest of my general education courses with foundational skills that would allow me to be successful.
Once I started taking on more courses, I quickly learned that it can be a challenge. As you may or may not know, I am a military spouse. While some people may not recognize that is an important fact to know, I will clear the air and state that, we are just like any other student and college can be difficult for us too. Some of us have families, jobs, and or other responsibilities to tend to; similar to our peers. I found throughout my time at AMU, it was refreshing to know that my classmates welcomed my view on certain class topics from a military spouse’s perspective. In a few of my courses, my classmates commented on my introduction posts about being a military spouse. I thought this was unique because as a military spouse, sometimes, you are seen as background. While there is nothing wrong with being in the background, it is important to remember oneself and let your thoughts be heard (or in this case, read). You never know, you may inspire a classmate or the professor. This occurred a few times in my courses because I offered my view on specific course topics that some did not consider originally.
Moving forward, and as my time at AMU is coming to an end, I want to just pass along what I have encountered to some of the military spouses out there thinking of applying or starting the journey of furthering their education. Know that it is possible to complete your educational goals, and my story is just one of the many. One of the biggest and bittersweet regrets I have is: not starting my journey sooner. I’ve heard similar sentiments from some fellow military spouses I’ve had the privilege to meet. There is no time like the present to start working on furthering or bettering your education.
About the Author
Tiffany Kyall is a military spouse currently living in Mississippi. She is a current student at American Military University, pursuing an Associates of Science in Web Publishing. Tiffany has a three year old daughter, and two German Shepherds. When not studying for school, Tiffany can be found spending time with her family, tending to household demands, or relaxing by watching television.
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