My name is Nicole and from now on I will accompany you on this fantastic journey of self-discovery and academic achievement. Together we will discover the challenges of university life as a mature or part-time student and conquer them. I welcome you to York University and to the blog for the Atkinson Centre for Mature and Part-Time Students (ACMAPS).

 A Little About Myself

I am a second year Communication Studies major at York, studying all about the media and how it affects our reality. I already possess a degree in English. I am listed as a transfer student since I already completed one degree at York, however, I am technically a mature student. So, we are in this together.

Even though I haven't been out of school for too long I still felt anxious coming back. My routine was going to be disrupted, I would have to study and write essays and exams again. I asked myself whether it was the right decision. Would I be better off with this second degree? What sort of challenges would I face? Could I keep up with the classes? This time my whole world wouldn’t revolve around school. Like all of you, I have several things going on at once.

My Words of Wisdom

I don't contain all the answers and I am certainly not a fountain brimming with life-changing advice. When thinking about this blog post there was one thing that immediately came to mind. It is a monologue made by Jaques in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. It appears in Act II, Scene VII and begins with “All the world’s a stage, / And all the men and women merely players.” It talks about the seven roles we play in life as we age from an infant to a senior. Being a student is just another role within your life and one you should be proud to perform. I will try to help by being your director and instructing you on university procedures, answering the multitude of questions you may have or just by presenting you with some support and a bit of a laugh.

This is another stage of your life, one that may be a little intimidating and that’s fine. Put on your best pair of 16th century tights and strut your stuff because you deserve your spot at York University and I am here to make sure you know that.