Adult College Classes

Speaking of incredible adult college courses that deeply impacted
me (well, I was speaking of it in my last post anyway), I'll never forget another class I took through Granite State College-- a Manchester, NH college class called Humanities in the Age of Technology. I always loved the unique course selections available to me every term, excited when a crisp new course schedule would arrive in the mail, and this was no exception.

Professor Jeff Haight was the instructor's name and he was really tough. But he was the best kind of tough, because his high standards, proficiency, and insistence on advanced-level learning challenged me beyond what I thought I could do. He introduced me to another genre of learning that was to become a lifelong love of mine-- philosophy. His passion for the subject made it easy to attend that weekend college class.

His was the type of course that went beyond just career training education; It was a class that provoked me to pursue questions about life and meaning and analytical thought. He introduced me to the discourses of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, exposed the class to the trial of Socrates, and taught us the concept of consilience-- the unity of knowledge.

So, yeah. Here's a shout out to you, Jeff Haight. Thank you for your teaching excellence. I won't forget it.

I happened to be up late last night flipping through the channels, when I came across the movie "Mona Lisa Smile" with Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst-- a great cast!  It's one of those movies I'd always wanted to see but just kept getting pushed further and further down my Netflix queue.  So, I grabbed a bag of pretzel twists and some mini Hershey bars left over from Halloween (one pretzel + one square of chocolate in your mouth at the same time = the best chocolate-covered pretzels ever) and I burrowed into some covers to watch the movie. It was so incredibly good! I had no idea it would make that much of an impact on me.  By the time it was over I was simultaneously crying and laughing from my mixed feelings of righteous anger and inspiring hope.

The movie is about women. It's set at Wellesley College in the 1950s and focuses on a strong, "subversive," female art history teacher (played by Julia Roberts) and her female students. The movie portrays the messages that were prevalent at that time about the roles of women, their long-inherited expectations of what they were "born to do" with their lives (basically have babies and serve their husbands), and the misguided and unfortunate beliefs that their value was merely rooted in their looks, their ironing skills, and their ability to have dinner on the table by 5:00. In the end, the art history teacher's commitment to empowering her female students changed the courses of their lives in ways they'd never could've dreamed without her.

It got me all worked up and angry. It made me think of all the messages in today's society that continue to perpetuate women inequality and objectification. It vividly reminded me of a couple of evening college classes I took at Granite State College some years before. And more importantly, it reminded me of a teacher that changed my life-- Professor Judy Jones. She was for me what Julia Roberts' character was for her students.

I hadn't thought about her for years and we'd lost touch, but she taught two Women's Studies classes, the first I'd ever taken, and she was responsible for opening up a powerful arena of study for me that fundamentally changed me. She helped me recognize the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that women are raised to accept a less than equal footing in the world. She helped me become an even more empowered woman through her Women's Studies courses. And by extension, she helped me offer the tools my daughter needs to recognize the same messages, at a much earlier age than I could have.

That's the amazing thing about the quality adult college education that Granite State College offers. Almost every class I took not only got me one step closer to a degree, but also made a significant difference in my personal evolution as a well-rounded, thoughtful, critically-thinking, impassioned, engaged member of society. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to take those remarkable classes and be impacted by such a remarkable teacher.

In 2010 I earned my adult college degree from Granite State College in Business Management.  My 23 year old daughter is now in the Business Administration program at White Mountains Community College.  She chose this school because she is living in Berlin, NH for the next two years.  She knew that once she received her Associates degree from this New Hampshire Community College she would be able to seamlessly transfer all of her credits to GSC to pursue her Bachelor's degree through the CCSNH Transfer program.

My daughter is worlds brighter than I but she loves to be able to come to me and ask for my assistance with any questions she may have regarding her assigned course work.  To date, I have been able to help her with everything she has presented to me!  I have had to pull out some of my own books and notes from the similar business classes I completed at GSC, but I have succeeded in helping her every time either through finding the correct answer or offering my personal insights.  What a great feeling it is to know that earning my adult college degree not only improved my own life but it is helping my daughter in her life as well.

Unfortunately my business degree was of little consequence to me when it came to helping my younger daughter in her course work.  Business and creative hairstyling have little in common.  Below is my daughter on the right with her model from the Avante Garde hair styling fashion show she participated in for her studies in cosmetology.  Thank goodness she did not ask for my advice in this undertaking!

One of the most valuable things I got out of attending classes at Granite State College was from my fellow class mates. They ranged widely in age and background from me and each other. At both my night college classes and my weekend college classes, I was surrounded by a plethora of experience, knowledge, and unique perspectives in addition to what the instructor also offered.

I was able to give peer feedback to a lively, aspiring writer in his 60's who extended his own constructive feedback to me with grace, compassion, and wisdom attained from his life's journey as a middle school teacher, father, husband, and grandfather. I was given the opportunity to support a recent high school graduate majoring in Psychology who was even more scared and unsure about college life than I was. And I found support, myself, from others like me-- tired, single moms working hard all day long before attending part time evening college classes.

I remember sitting in the classrooms and looking around me and being very grateful for this exposure to people from all these different walks of life. And these people were still basically aiming for the same goal I was-- a quality education to fulfill my love for lifelong learning and the golden bonus of a continuing education degree at the end of it all as a New Hampshire graduate. Even though we were vastly different from each other we also had at least that one fundamental dream in common. And I stopped regretting not being able to go to college straight out of high school as I once envisioned, because I wouldn't have been able to experience all of those wonderful voices, young and old, that were only available to me through adult education courses at Granite State College.

Yes, I am a Grammy once again. A little girl entered the world at 7:46pm weighing in at seven pounds even. She was embraced by her daddy and mommy at time of arrival.  Oh what a joy, oh what a delight and blessing from above. My young son and his wife wanted to be surprised and never found out the sex of their baby. I have always thought it is the one thing in life that should be a surprise. After all, you don't put in an order for a Boy or Girl, you get what you are suppose to have and really folks, we are not sending them back!!  I am glad they waited and I know that surprise was wonderful and one they will never forget.

I remember one surprise I got when I received an A on a Business Statistic test I took while attending Granite State College when I was attempting to get my adult education degree.  It was such a nice surprise though as that class kicked my butt everyday I was in it. It was one of my hardest classes throughout my education but I did it, I made it through and live to tell about it. 

So whether it be babies or grades, surprises are a nice part of life. I am seriously thinking about going back to school and getting my Master of Science Project Management degree. At work I see how project management is a huge part of big businesses these days and I enjoyed school so much, this just may be my next goal.  My children will be surprised again if Mom goes back to school.  Oh well, surprises are good!!

I was so delighted when I went to my Dad's harmonica group gathering. He has played the harmonica for years; I think he said, that he "has played since he was around ten years old." He still has the first one he ever played. He  taught me how to play at a young age also. I can remember driving to Florida when I was just a child and my dad would have the holder strapped around his neck and would playing songs throughout the long drive.  Since we really didn't listen to the radio, we had better learn how to play the harmonica or the spoons.  My choice was the harmonica with the first song being You Are My Sunshine.  It was a good night with all his friends. These are all older folks as my dad just turned 90 on Sunday and his friend is 92, who calls my dad young!!

Life is good being back in Michigan. I think dad enjoys me being around and sharing some time with him.  Time is all we have; time to grow, learn, enjoy and have fun.  I had so much fun going to the Manchester NH college campus and meeting new friends at Granite State College. We would laugh about our classes at times, about your essays about each other really, we were all on the same boat, we wanted our degrees and we were going forward to get it. 

Those days in New Hampshire were happy days and happy memories, same as days with my dad.  So if you are thinking school and getting an adult education degree is all work, think again and just do it!!

In a recent class for the early childhood education major at GSC's Rochester NH college campus, we were talking about family strengths. One of those strengths revolved around encouragement and setting a good example. If parents are not only telling children that they care about how they do in school, but are also demonstrating the importance of school by taking a course they might need for work, or starting a new degree in an area that you have always been interested in is the prime way to set the example and encourage your children to value education. Consider taking courses in early childhood for your Early Childhood Certification, or maybe courses in project management, towards a Masters Degree in Project Management, or special education teacher certification. Try showing how much you value education, by getting involved yourself in either online adult education classes or face-to-face courses. Your children will learn from your example.

The "Public Good" of higher education can only truly be achieved when it is accessible to the masses. As tuition increases across the country continue to outpace inflation and public funding (including financial aid) decreases, higher education begins to become unobtainable for more and more Americans. In fact, the U.S. has slipped dramatically relative to higher education trends around the globe and it is only logical that this will ultimately translate into a loss in comparative advantage and competitiveness. However, non-traditional pathways do exist that strive to keep tuition affordable and access to a quality education achievable for students who are able to find them. As a public institution with the University System of New Hampshire, it is important that Granite State College provide affordable access to the residents of New Hampshire and the region.

Granite State College was recently identified as a "Best Buy" through GetEducated.com for having the lowest bachelor tuition rate in New Hampshire and one of the twenty lowest accredited bachelor tuition rates in the nation. Granite State accomplishes this efficiency by focusing on teaching and learning rather than research or a residential experience. Our classes are taught largely by practicing professionals who can put theory to practice, and more than half our students attend classes online for adults. By offering every program online, including our graduate program, we minimize infrastructure costs and reach more students.

Granite State also maximizes affordability by being transfer friendly and by having a sophisticated system of prior learning assessment. In addition, accessing what financial aid is available is paramount to the ability of many students to attend. Granite State College is unique in our scheduling and calendar in that it is possible for a student to take one course at a time (using our 6-week hybrid model) and be eligible for full-time financial aid! Students may also be eligible for full-time financial aid in any one of our Fast Track programs. 

So while the cost of higher education continues to outpace the ability of many students to pay, it is important that colleges such as Granite State College, remain committed to access to quality higher education through diligent cost containment; delivery and schedule innovation; online technology; and by focusing on our core mission of teaching and learning. 

It's been a year since I received my associates in general studies from Granite State College. I can't believe the year has gone by so fast. After taking some time off, I'm ready to get back in the saddle again and dive back into my education. I'm currently enrolled in a Literature and Ideas course, and a Psychology course at the Conway NH college campus. Although it's a bit hard getting used to doing homework again, I'm learning some really great things. Not only just about the courses I'm taking, but about the world around me.
  
I'm really looking forward to some neat projects coming up in the next few weeks in my adult college classes that will help give me good hands on experience of what I'm learning, and how to apply it to my life. I can't wait to see what this semester has in store for me :)

My 23 year old daughter started her adult college program this week.  She not only asked me to attend her orientation day at White Mountains Community College in the North Country but asked me to accompany her shopping for her back-to-school supplies.  I was able to help Brittany choose her courses and class schedule because she trusted my knowledge and advice in this new challenging era of her adult life.


Brittany chose a community college because she could not find full-time work in the north country so she decided to attend school full-time instead.  She only expects to be living in Berlin for the next two years so she knows once she receives her Associates degree from WMCC she can easily transfer all of her credits to Granite State College to earn her B.S. degree as GSC has pre-approved transfer degree programs with all NH Community Colleges.

Receiving my adult college degree has earned me respect from many people.  The respect it has earned me from my own daughter is really the only one that matters.

Good Morning fans and friends,

I just woke up and saw that Westland is going to be selling Rain Barrels with some of the proceeds going to the cancer foundation.  My mum died of cancer so whenever I can give, help promote research, I am in for it.  But, it is not just for the cancer research fund, it is for the rain barrel.  I have always wanted one to water my flowers, garden and save the water that comes from the sky and recycle it.  I think it is a good thing for our earth as well as a good example of conservation. My grandparents had two of them at their cottage in Canada and I can remember at a young age, putting a dipper in and getting out a bucket full of water.  The Cottage didn't have running water, so we used it to wash our hair, water the garden and yes, even flush the toilet.  I know I won't use mine for all those reasons but I do think it is a good way to reuse our water that comes from the sky. 

I have to research it and see where the best down spout to put it under. But, that is no different than researching a subject for school.  Learning again is what I am talking about, learning about something new, exciting, is all part of life.  I just found out that Granite State College is offering a Masters of Science Degree in Project Management.  I am so excited and want to get signed up as soon as I learn my new job better. I want to be proficient in this new position before I put other information in my brain.  Taking these classes is a great education and career advancement opportunity. I am so excited about this new class, I have told other colleagues about the program and who knows, maybe a few of us will go to Granite State College and take these accelerated adult studies classes. 

OK, I am off to get my rain barrel.  I hope you all have a great weekend!!

I had such a nice Sunday afternoon.  I was invited to an old friend's house for a farewell party for both her young adults; they are leaving the state. One is moving to Seattle, Washington and other to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  She had never had them so far from her before and unlike me, with mine all over the US, she is going to be so sad.  It is always an adjustment to see them go and do their own things but it is part of growing up and living. Her son is going back to school at the university of Alabama.  Her daughter is going back to Seattle to live and work.  Both of them have turned out to be such nice young adults that have already gotten their Bachelor's and Masters degrees....something any parent would be proud of.  I watched these kids grow up and have known them for years; they are like my own.  

I just encouraged them to be happy, keep learning, keep going to school and dream.  I may sound funny to say, Dream, but some dreams are small and some are big. My dream was to get a college education and I got that from Granite State College. My next dream is to get my Masters Degree and I will be heading right back to Granite State College for that. Why? Because it works for me. Online adult education classes give me the ability to get my education and still work my full time job. 

Focus: HOPE has established a memorial fund to honor the organization’s co-founder Eleanor Josaitis, who passed away today at the age of 79. This women was such a pillar in the community, helping rebuild Detroit after the riots years ago and carrying on a dream that we all are worth something, each life is valuable. 

Her famous words, "Let your light shine and make the world a better place" What wise words!! Yes, she was a wise woman. She was the woman that stepped in after the Detroit riots to educate people on equality amongst the races. She was also the co-founder of Focus Hope which helped feed, educate young Americans and mainsteamed them into society. She was given many awards throughout her lifetime, including the 1999 “Distinguished Warrior” by the Detroit Urban League and the Ford Employees African-Ancestry Network's 2002 Heritage Award and the National Caring Award from the Caring Institute in Washington D.C, just to name a few. She will be missed as she passed away this morning. She inspired young people to keep learning throughout their lives, embrace life and as she used to say, "let your light shine to make the world a better place." Going to school, learning is just a way of life.

Granite State College is a good place to start that dream, vision. Give them a call, make an appointment, work in those adult college classes in the evening or weekend. It can be done, it is never too late.

Yep, it was a great weekend. It started out with a golf outing and learned how to set my golf ball when teeing off to use my driver...it worked and I have never seen my ball go so far!!  After that on Friday night, I enjoyed a day at the Detroit Dream Cruise. We went down Mustang Alley as we reminisced about the old Stangs as well as the new upcoming ones.  The power they have is remarkable and the old relics brought back some fond memories of cruising days.

We first stared in Royal Oak then went through Birmingham where we were hit by a sudden storm.  The rain came down so fast and furious that big branches of trees ripped off and tents were flipping. Some of the cars took off early as they were calling for hale and Collectors do not want hale damage to their beautiful vintage cars.

It has been over 30 years since I've been to Birmingham. The last time I was there my son was in a baby buggy being pushed down the main street. He is now 31 and everything has changed in Birmingham. Speaking of change, life has its' way of changing for all of us. Some times in our life everything is good and other times it is low and depressing. School is a great avenue to get a fresh start on life. It gives you a goal, a plan and plans seem to help one focus on the Now and Present. Granite State College can work with you to get the goal heading in the right direction.  Either on site classes or on line adult education classes,this could just be the right plan for you.  Don't wait another minute, get a plan and follow through with it, one class at a time.

At all of our Granite State College campuses, we have recently implemented a new model for serving students on their path to degree completion.  We have formed Student Success Teams at each of our campuses.   I am very excited about this because it provides students with even more support than they have previously enjoyed. 

At the Conway NH college campus where I work, everyone is coming together to support our learners.  We have so many new options to make college learning easier!  We are offering a series of workshops, including writing and math labs, workshops on time management, organization....lots of different kinds of information to help students be more successful. These workshops are offered in a small group format, which allows us to support more students while fostering networking and relationship building.  

Another exciting direction we are moving in is offering Career Advancement Services.  We have always offered one-on-one career counseling, but we are expanding our programs and will soon have more to offer to students who need extensive career and life planning. 

We are very unique amongst colleges with online classes in that we offer so many different kinds of learning supports.  We have online 24/7 tutoring, "Smart Thinking" and online students who have access to one of our GSC Campuses, are also able to attend the live workshops. 

Another exciting tool we offer is a degree auditing system called CAPP.   Its available online, 24/7  and helps learners track their path toward an adult education diploma. CAPP shows students where transfer credits fit in, display grades and gpa information, and allows students to do a "What If" analysis that shows where their credits would fit in if they switch majors.

If you have a suggestion for workshops you would like to see to support your learning, please email me your suggestions at jan.hodges@granite.edu.  

    The inspiring story below is that of John, another ALA Scholarship Recpient for 2011.  John is just one more example of the unique and diverse student population you will find within the classrooms or on the blackboards of Granite State College.

    My educational journey has encompassed self-learning for most of my life after high-school.  My father passed away when I was in seventh-grade and I was a C+ student in a Catholic High School in Lawrence, MA.  I began college in Maine intending to study Marine Biology but being a mediocre student I needed student loans to cover all of my expected expenses.  I dropped out several weeks after the start for fear of mounting student loan debt.  At eighteen I entered the workforce as a high-school graduate, married my wife in 1981 and began a family in 1983.  As expected my job choices were very limited but I held a desire to enter the technology field.  After much research I chose Sylvania Technical School and entered the Telecommunications Electronics program using student loans once again, but these were limited and controllable.  Our first daughter, Bethany, was born with a heart defect and passed away after heart surgery at 7-days old.  Our second daughter, Noelle, was born just over a year later in 1984 but was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at 1-year.  Her care was a significant part of our existence and it took a huge effort on my part to attend Sylvania Tech three days per week at night after my job to attend classes in addition to sacrificing that time away from my family, but it was for their benefit that I was educating myself to better position me for employment that provided a living wage and benefits that we so dearly needed for Noelle’s care.  Just before I graduated in 1988 with a diploma I interviewed for an Information Technology position at Raytheon and because of the reputation of Sylvania Tech and my grades I was hired as a Data Communications Field Tech.

    Wentworth Institute of Technology purchased Sylvania Technical School before I completed my program so my diploma bore the Wentworth name.  Because of this relationship Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston offered graduates of Sylvania/Wentworth Tech advance standing entry into an A.A.S. in Electronic Technology degree program.  Raytheon’s tuition reimbursement benefits were significant enough to allow me to attend one course per semester at their Boston campus and  continue my career college training.  It took me five years from 1992 till 1997 to complete my associate degree.  Five years of time and travel into Boston and precious time away from my family.  Nights and weekends I worked at our kitchen table on study and research while my family patiently gave me the time I needed for my studies.  My wife supported my endeavor by taking on additional care responsibilities for our daughter.  I wanted to complete my associate degree so that I could advance my career, become a better provider, and show my growing daughter that education is important and is a lifelong endeavor.  Noelle passed away on the second-to-last day of a wish trip to Disney on May 19, 1996.  My life was shaken for months after that event.  I did not attend the spring or summer semesters that year but eventually wanted to complete that degree for my daughter.  Two more semesters and I was finally able to dedicate my degree to Noelle during graduation on May 18, 1997, one day short of the first anniversary of her death.

    Afterward I honestly didn’t have the drive to continue my education at Wentworth.  Like many parents who have lost children I grieved by immersing myself in my work.  I continued to attend annual technical training to hone my information technology skill-sets which made me a more valuable employee but every year that passed I still thought about completing my degree.  After graduating Wentworth I worked with a recruiter from Boston in a job search.  He informed me that he would not be able to even get me into some corporate doors for interviews without having at least a bachelor’s degree.  Fortunately after interviewing at Lahey Clinic Medical Center they valued my technical skills more than my education and hired me as a Data Communications Engineer.  Each year that followed I have given consideration to completing my adult college degree but talked myself out of it.  Each year I thought, “if I had only begun last year I would almost be done”.  Well after a close scrutiny and self-assessment a couple of years ago about my past, present, and future life and career I decided to take that first step to completing my B.S.  I realized that as I grow older I am handicapped from further career growth without completing an adult college degree, B.S.  After almost twenty-five years working in technical positions in the field of information technology I find myself desiring to move into a leadership/management position within my current field of healthcare IT.

    I began the next iteration of my education journey in the spring of 2009 with Granite State College.  I discovered that the program for Applied Studies: Allied Health Services was tailor made to my career.  I have almost twenty-five years of technical experience but I needed to round out my business skills that are so valued in industry.  This B.S. will give me the necessary business skills with a slant toward the healthcare field that I currently work in, providing a targeted learning environment for me.  I began this degree program intending to provide myself and my wife “career insurance” to update and round out my skills, make me a more valuable employee and insure my future ability to provide a home and life for the both of us.  That goal has morphed over the course of the past two years, sparking my interest in pursuing an advanced degree after I complete my B.S. this spring at GSC.  Plymouth State offers a M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration, an ideal advanced degree for my career plans to remain in healthcare.

    After spending over a decade caring for our daughter, Noelle, at home and in Boston Children’s Hospital I would never have imagined that I would be working in the healthcare field yet here I am.  My education has been a struggle of work/life/family/financial balance yet we have accomplished much with the time we have had together.  I dedicated my A.A.S. to my daughter, Noelle.  I plan to dedicate my pending B.S. to my loving wife, Kathy, for her patient support during these past two years and God willing I will dedicate my future M.B.A. to everyone who has supported me and my family.  We have a great deal of loving family and friends in our lives, some have been treated at Lahey Clinic, my employer, and at least one had his life saved at Lahey with a liver/kidney transplant.  I am proud to dedicate my career to such an institution and hope that my continued education will allow me opportunities to serve in greater capacities.  I plan to achieve my B.S. before I am fifty-years old.  I still have between fifteen and twenty career years in front of me; I plan to contribute further to the success of Lahey Clinic’s service to our community, friends, and family.  I may have started as a mediocre high-school student but I believe with time and continued commitment to the goals I set and achieve for my benefit and also for my wife I am gaining back the opportunities I missed in my youth.  Two more semesters and I will have achieved this next goal while I plan yet further!

Please visit John's website to learn more about his personal accomplishments.

Have any of you moved and can't find some of your belongings at the other end?  Well, that happens. It has happened to me almost every time I have moved.  What is missing, is always the question and what just about drives you nuts looking for it. 

That exact thing, happened this time with my move from SC to MI.  An iron is lost and a couple boxes I had packed earlier are also missing in action.  The movers were so great and nice, I have no clue where these items were put or delivered too.  Well, the movers are coming out tomorrow to take a look in my attic to see if they can find the items.  I hope they do, I hope they find everything I have lost.  Hopefully it will not be too hot up in that attic in the morning.  

Moving brings back my memory of my move to NH. Learning the area, finding some friends, learning a new job etc., all very exciting.  I also had to find an adult college program to transfer too from Aquinas College in Nashville, TN.  I found a college that took all my credits and continued my education at Granite State College.  They had an adult education degree program, they had Accelerated weekend intensive classes that helped me move along to that piece of paper while raising a family and holding down a full time job. I mostly liked their evening college classes - they included other adult learners just like myself. 

So, whether it is finding belongings after a move or finding a college to finish your adult college degree, stay positive and you can do it. We can do anything we want to do bad enough, I am a believer, I am proof it can happen.

Every year at about this time teachers begin to think of the end of the school year. One more month, one more week, 4 more days and counting. Why do teachers feel that way? Probably because they are tired. Children have so many needs to be met and teachers are expected to meet them. 

Years ago teachers taught reading, writing and math. Now teachers teach all those things but add on social development, nutrition, stranger safety, anti-bullying and on and on it goes. Try to get all that in to 6 hours a day and teachers are exhausted after 180 days. 

So is there a way to help teachers? How about taking courses to energize your career? Have you thought about a online courses for adults that you could take while hanging out in your yard? Check out the offerings at Granite State College for online classes. You might just find a course to help you with all those extras you need to teach. Try the behavioral science classes, or maybe just a good science or history course for the fun of it.

If you are saying, "I am so tired of teaching." Don't give up. Check out Granite State College and plan on treating yourself to an online boost to your career.

 A new book coming out, called Better by Mistake: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong, by Alina Tugend, looks very interesting.  An article about it in The New York Times describes how making mistakes might be "psychologically healthy."

Teaching psychology classes at Granite State College makes my ears always perk up when I even hear the word "psychology."  (There's a similar effect that describes how we are likely to hear our own name, even when in a noisy crowd and no one else heard it.  It's called "the cocktail party effect."  Social psychology has a million of those cool ideas!)

So back to Tugend's book.  She points out that the important difference for those with perfectionist tendencies between a psychologically healthy perfectionism and an unhealthy one is whether those tendencies "rule - or ruin - their lives."  An example she gives is a person she describes who likes all the glasses in his cupboard lined up in a certain way.  If anyone puts them in a different order, he doesn't freak out.  And he doesn't expect to be perfect in everything he does.

I see tendencies like this in my adult students sometimes.  Students in my adult online classes have to write papers, and when I carefully correct any errors, I sometimes get an anguished response that they "can't believe they made that mistake."  I try to remind them that that's what being a student is.  It involves learning, not being perfect to begin with!

So don't think of mistakes as "nasty secrets."  Think of all the learning you can be doing if you don't demand perfection from the beginning.  At Granite State College, we'll give you the best we have to offer and you may just end up feeling close to perfect!