After nearly a year, the psychology course that has been plaguing me is finally behind me.
I took the exam on March 21, and I received the results back on March 27; I was — pleasantly — surprised with the results.
Despite the preparation I did going into the exam, I went into it with a significant amount of unease about it, and, in all honesty, I would have been happy to squeak by with a pass.
I did significantly better than that, earning 86 per cent on the final which gave me an A- minus for the course overall.
With that course done, it has me at the one-quarter mark for the credits needed towards my bachelor’s degree, although the program I’ve been working toward is changing as well.
To go along with my writing, I’ve been working on my Bachelor of English, with a minor in History; however, with my writing and journalism career going the Communications route seems to be a better fit.
I was previously told by academic advisors at the university that because Communications is a degree-completion program, I couldn’t apply for it until I had the requisite 60 credits, however after speaking with advisors and enrollment services over the last couple of days, it seems as if the program is now open to entry for everyone on a “pre-admission” status.
So, after consultation with the appropriate advisors, the request has been formally made to change programs. Now it’s a matter of hurrying up and waiting while paperwork gets done on their end.
In the meantime, I am going to work on another history course that I begin April 1.
This experience highlights a major lesson of not just journalism, but life in general.
If you don’t know the answer to something, ask.
In my experience, there are not many needs that can not be met, conflicts resolved, information received, or compromises reached by just having a simple conversation with someone.
This concept can be carried over to journalism as well.
Ellen Goodman, an American journalist, writes “In journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.”
Personally, I lean towards getting it right; I’m not afraid to hold off a bit until I make sure my information is accurate. That said, if I can manage first and right, that’s a bonus.
There is an irony here.
The only reason I spoke to my advisor is because I had reached the one-quarter mark in my program; I had previously spoken with an advisor a couple of years ago.
For someone whose job is asking questions, I could have asked the questions sooner which would have gotten me onto the path I needed to be on, which would have saved me from potentially taking some mandatory English-requirement courses when others might have been a better fit.
Still, in the end, the questions were asked, and the lesson was reinforced.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions; you never know what the result will be!
-Kevin Sabo is the editor of the Bashaw Star, Castor Advance and Stettler Independent for Black Press Media.