[Arethusa]

So, I will be starting classes next week -- next Tuesday! -- and I am full of doubts and insecurities. Did I mention that I haven't been in college since 2010 and now I'm going back, albeit to a different school, after a three year absence. I'm taking online courses to finish up my degree. And I am hoping that I will do well. I am hoping that I will be able to juggle school work with my full time job and my boyfriend.
I keep telling myself that I can do it. I'm trying to not think negatively because I don't want to bring myself down. I think I can do it.
I will be taking a history course and I will have to get back into the "college mode" -- writing papers, researching, thinking critically
Oh no, what if I don't do well? What if I fail?

[davie08]

Do you feel that there is enough time for you to do school, along with a full time job and boyfriend?

[Perna]

Ah, a history course, right up my alley :-) I got my history degree online. Participate in class (it can be very much like here only a different subject :-) a lot and do a lot of writing about subjects and asking more questions and discussing there, in the classroom, and that can help you get the flow of topics and remember points better (works for me better than reading stuff).

Find something interesting about each section of the course that you want to learn and engage with it and you shouldn't have any problems. The biggest problems I had was looking at what was going to be taught the semester, at the beginning of the course and getting scared, but I learned to keep focused on only the section I was supposed to be working on right then and everything flowed along like it was supposed to and I didn't have to worry about graduating from high school when I was only in sixth grade or something :-) If you have to write multiple papers, don't think about the number of them, just do them one-by-one, stick a wall up about the future to keep from worrying.

[Miswimmy1]

Originally Posted by Arethusa

I am full of doubts and insecurities.
Oh no, what if I don't do well? What if I fail?

How about "what if I do well? How will I feel when I do get that degree? What positive next steps do I look forward to taking after I finish school? What if I *succeed*?"

[Rose3]

Hi Arethusa - yes you can do it! Make a plan to start your readings and things from week one. Get started on your researching and ideas.