Lessons From a Free Kayaking Class

April 28, 2009 1 Comment

One of my goals is to kayak at the Apostle Islands in Northern Wisconsin.  I have never been kayaking or to the Apostle Islands, but both are something I’ve wanted to do for a while.  Having never been in a kayak and knowing next to nothing about the sport, I was excited by a photocopied flier at our local fitness center advertising a free kayaking course.  I signed up immediately.

Apostle IslandsWhen the day finally arrived I wasn’t sure what I would be getting myself into.  I was glad to have my girlfriend and another couple of friends taking the course with me.  There was a brief introduction into the different types of kayaks available and the cost associated with each.  After the introduction we were able to get to the meat of the class; test driving them.

The first boat I tried was a whitewater boat, which is small by design but too small for me.  After trying a variety of different boats of varying types, lengths and styles I finally found one that seemed suited for what I desired from a kayak; ease of use.  I won’t need to use a whitewater kayak for my trip to the Apostle Islands and I didn’t need an ocean kayak.  I had settled into one somewhere in the middle.

When I was searching for kayaks before taking this class, I was clueless that there was any difference in kayaks except that some where longer than others.  As a typical consumer I had always just assumed that bigger was better.  Luckily I learned that it wasn’t so simple by taking this course and now I know the differences between kayaks.  If I would have purchased a kayak before this course I would have ended up with something much too large for my needs and would have probably hated kayaking because I was using the wrong equipment.

At this time I have no plans of buying a kayak, but still hope to be able to accomplish my goals of kayaking at the Apostle Island sometime this summer.  I’m sure I will be able to find a place to rent one that fits my needs.

What is the moral of this story?  Do your research before making a major purchase.  Even if you aren’t able to participate in a course that allows you to engage in hands on learning, the internet is a great place to do research.  There are many websites about whatever you are interested in.  A lot of these websites have a knowledgeable community willing to answer any questions you have.  Get involved with these communities, they are a wealth of information.

Don’t buy blind.  If I would have bought that kayak a year ago, I would have regretted my decision each time I used my kayak.  Don’t make a decision based on an assumption you hold but have no evidence to support your assumption.  Educate yourself before making a major decision, not only when making purchases, but also in your daily life.

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Please check out the ”All Things Eco Blog Carnival” which features links to numerous environmental blogs with tips about going green, eating organic, saving the environment, and enjoying nature,  including this site!!!

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Filed under Apostle Islands, Education, Spending

Algebra Update

April 14, 2009 Leave a comment

"Lineare Algebra" by boba! @ FlickrLast Friday was our third major test in Algebra.  For much of my life, mathematics has been a weakness of mine.  Last year I felt as though I would never make it through my Introduction to College Algebra class, and subsequently dropped the course halfway through the semester.

In order to graduate with my Associate Degree, not only would I need to pass my Intro class, but also College Algebra.  At the point when I dropped the Intro course I felt as though I would never have any chance of passing College Algebra.

I enrolled in the Intro class again to give it another shot.  I ended up with a brand new professor, one who had never taught at a college level.  I thought I was doomed.  I quickly learned that my professor was actually quite good at explaining the material he presented and things began to make sense for me.  Instead of wondering what in the world was going on, I was able to understand.  I passed my Intro class with a B-.  A huge improvement over my previous attempt.

At the end of the semester our professor informed us that he may not be teaching at our campus any longer because he didn’t have a Master’s Degree.  Once again I felt as though my chances of succeeding in Algebra had been dashed.  I felt as though my only real chance at understanding Algebra lied entirely in the hands of my professor and his ability to explain the material in a way which I could comprehend.

I enrolled in College Algebra and hoped that with some luck I would somehow be fortunate enough to have the same professor once again.  A week before the semester began I found out who my professor was going to be and as luck would have it, my professor would be teaching my class.  I felt as though I had a chance at success once again.

Today, after our third major test, I am managing to be doing better than I ever would have dreamed.  I passed this test with the third highest grade out of 54 students.  My current overall grade is an A-.  If someone would have said to me that I could earn even a C in Algebra I would have called them a liar.

I have been working hard and still struggle with the material from time to time, but I finally have hope of succeeding in Algebra and look forward to taking other mathematics courses in the future such as Trigonometry and Calculus.  I have never been a fan of classes like these, but as with anything, the more I practice, the better I become.  I hope to finish out the semester with at least a B, though it would be incredible to be able to get an A.

Filed under Education, Goal Updates

Student Loan Debt

February 25, 2009 1 Comment

"Last Student Loan" by here_for_now @ FlickrLike many college students, in order to fund my education I decided it would be best to take out student loans.

Like many college students, I didn’t consider how this would affect my future.  I took out the maximum amount of money available and never gave it a second thought.  The money that didn’t get applied directly to my tuition and other education expenses is now largely unaccounted for.  How could I possibly have let so much money slip through my fingers and not know where it went?

I am still in school and will be for the next few years, possibly more.  For now I am off the hook for having to make any payments, but once I am through with classes the bill will come due.  In the meantime, what should I be doing in order to brace myself for when I have to pay those loans back?

Take only what I need- I have been taking the maximum amount available and that adds up fast.  Did I really need that money?  Probably not.  I shouldn’t have been trying to fund a lifestyle that I couldn’t afford with loans that will have to be paid back.

Start repayment early- I recently set up my account to begin a repayment plan.  Though I will only be making small payments for a while, even a small amount over time will help.  If nothing else, it will help keep my interest from compounding like crazy over the next few years.

Live like a broke college student- Even though I have a full-time job and earn a decent wage, I need to scale back my lifestyle.  It is better to live like a broke college student while I am a college student instead of living like a broke college student when I’m 45.

Eliminate all other debt- Interest rates on student loans are typically reasonable, and as such, I would be better off focusing my efforts on elimating other debts.  If I focus on eliminating my car loan I could then apply that money towards my student loans.  If I don’t focus on eliminating my other debt, I could find myself with a car payment and a student loan payment.  Being in that situation would really leave me with empty pockets.

Filed under Debt, Education, Student Loans

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