Educational Journeys

I'm Jeanne Lester, and I'm a student here at Granite State College.  When I started my journey at GSC, I was a stay-at-home mother of four.  Feeling a little bogged down at times between Rice Krispies and Sesame Street, I began looking for an outlet to remember who I was in addition to "mommy-the-human-napkin."  Caring for my children was a wonderful gift and sometimes a challenge, but I also wanted to be challenged intellectually.  My husband had just completed his degree through  the College for Lifelong Learning -- later renamed Granite State College -- (incidentally, he went on to get a job paying $15,000 more than he was making without his degree) and he encouraged me toward Adult and Continuing Education at Granite State College.

Perhaps what I like best about Granite State College is the ability to adapt my coursework to my life.  Let's face it--life rarely proceeds in a straight, planned-out line, and when I was at home full time, I loved the ability to go out and attend class.  When family plans and events seemed to all come at once and I needed to free up time during the week, I took advantage of the "weekend intensive" courses.  Now I work part time, and sometimes between work, kids, and school (theirs and mine!) online classes sound like the best option.

I love meeting other adults who are also working toward their degrees, and many of them are also juggling families, jobs, and myriad other life events.  I learn a ton of things from the other students--practical and impractical--it took a class trip to Star Island (love those Portsmouth, NH classes!) and an informative friend for me to learn what an obelisk is, and I have a great recipe for steamers with seaweed from a guy I met from Newfoundland in my Intro to Oceanography class.  It's amazing hearing some of the life experiences students bring to the table!  And the faculty, of course, has been knowledgeable and accessible--great combinations!  Completing my degree is certainly my goal, but I'm loving the journey!