It’s been 22 years since I was in college. Back then, I was aiming for a degree in Computer Animation/Graphic Design. I had to drop because the financial aid department of Westwood, and many of the other staff, made continuing exceptionally difficult. Bottom line, I didn’t have the money to pay tuition.

Here we are, a tad over two decades later, and I’m trying to get a degree yet again. This time, though, it’s in English (Creative Writing). And unlike the first attempt all those years ago, I am in a much better place financially and mentally. So, I am 95% sure I’ll receive my bachelor’s this time around.

I can’t say that it’s an absolute certainty…especially with the way things are going in the world right now. Still, I’m attacking this attempt with some gusto and look forward to hanging my degree on the wall behind my desk.

Still Feeling Somewhat Aged

I wouldn’t necessarily call it an issue, but it’s a bit disheartening to be the oldest person in either of my classrooms. I know there are a lot of folks who go to school later in life and succeed. But it’s a constant reminder that I’m no spring chicken.

Sure, I can draw on my experiences and years of knowledge to help me in classes. In fact, having my background has been extremely helpful during class discussions, both written and oral. But the cohort still reminds me that I’m advancing in years.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not nearly as hyper-focused on my age as I was about five years ago. Yet, there is a part of me that still gets a bit melancholy seeing all the very young faces, with very little life experience, getting ready to head out into the world.

It’s all good. I plan on hitting 100, so I have plenty of time to do a few things. This next chapter in my life is where the tempo of the story picks up.

Planning Tuition Ahead of Time

Unlike my first attempt at a degree, I am in a better position in terms of income. For one thing, I started school in 2002 without having a job. I was duped into thinking I could coast with financial aid to help pay for things, such as my apartment. Well, that’s not exactly what happened.

In fact, I was removed from classes, evicted from my apartment, and was quite destitute. Good times.

Nonetheless, this time around, I have two jobs that are easy to manage, proper financial aid packages, and a few side projects that generate a few extra bucks each month. So, even if the administration gets rid of all the financial aid elements of college, I can still afford to keep going.

From what I gather, I need $1557 for each semester for each class. That breaks down to an extra $28 per day that I need, not including supplies such as books and whatnot. And I’m going to keep trying to get the YouTube channels to generate that much.

Unfortunately, writing channels don’t do as well as others, and YouTube is so saturated with creators that you have to do something amazing to stand out.

Anyway, I’m setting aside funds while planning for the next semester. I don’t want to get into the same dilemma I had at Westwood more than 20 years ago. Of course, that was an apparent shitty school anyway.

Trying to Balance My Weeks

So, I figured I would have a bit of difficulty trying to balance school, being a creator, being an author, and attending to clients. The first couple of weeks have been a bit of a struggle, but it’s starting to smooth out – somewhat.

For instance, this week was all screwed up because the link the professor wanted me to use for the Respondus LockDown Browser was not working. I managed to contact the IT department and get things going. However, that wasn’t until the day my assignments and quizzes were due.

In other words, I had to forgo everything on Thursday just to make sure my school work was turned in on time.

That’s why I created the priorities like I did before classes began. It means I publish less content for my blogs and YouTube channels, but it ensures clients and college work are taken care of each week, which is the highest priority at the moment.

The bills and my education have to take priority over anything I want to do as a creator or author.

I don’t foresee as many issues cropping up next week, so I should be able to publish a few blog posts and videos. But I can’t make a guarantee because my life is so chaotic. The universe is constantly tossing hurdles at me regardless of the circumstance. That means I need to be light on my feet and keep leaping over everything that is thrown my way.

I still have faith that sooner or later, I will find a groove that will let me spend some time building brands and writing books.

New Camera!

I was finally able to buy a new camera this week for the YouTube videos. However, I think I should have researched it a bit more. It seems the Canon Rebel T7 is a bit more difficult to use for live streaming than other cameras.

It’s all good. I like the camera, but I’ll have to spend some time figuring out the logistics of using it for video content. That means diving into some research while writing a few blog posts for Tube Arcanum, while I learn how to use the Canon.

The free Webclient Utility software from Canon only runs it at 720p. If I want to live stream at any higher resolution, I have to upgrade to their “pro” services for an extra $5 per month. I’m already operating the brands and books at an $800 loss this year, and I don’t think the upgrade with help generate $5 more in ad revenue.

Anyway, the goal is to learn all I can about the camera and use it to the fullest of its capabilities. I just hope it’ll eventually be a worthwhile investment for the YouTube channel. Even at 720p, the color is far better on the Canon than on the 4K Aluratek webcam.

So Far, So Good…

After the first couple of weeks, I’m still earning an “A” in both of my classes. Things are progressing nicely, and I’m thoroughly enjoying going back to school. Every day, I’m excited that in a few years, I’ll finally have a degree from a real university. And then, it’s on to a master’s, eventually leading up to a PhD.

Now, all that’s left is to get things squared away so I can publish Shadows of Atlantic City next week. I’m looking forward to getting this one out and spending some money on a bit of marketing.

While I might not have been able to hit some of my goals for this year, it’s turning out to be better than I could have imagined. Let’s keep the momentum and do some amazing things over the next few months.