Welcome to my blog, “How to be a Superstar Student -- at Any Age, at Any Level.” Over the next few months, I will share tips and suggestions to help you not only survive in an educational setting, but to help you to become a “superstar.”

As adults, many of us find ourselves returning to the classroom five, 10, 20 and even 30 years following graduation from high school. The very thought of becoming a student again after so many years away from the classroom makes our heads spin and stomachs flutter. How will my skills compare to all those twenty-somethings? How will I be able to complete my assignments while at the same time working full-time and taking care of my family? These are only a few of the questions that cross our minds. We worry whether we are up to the task, and how we will “fit in.”

The truth is that the student body of the twenty-first century looks a lot more like you and me than the cute little co-eds in their cheerleader sweaters that we see in the movies. Fifty-eight percent of today’s college and university students are past traditional age. Forty percent are part-time students. More than half of the students earning degrees are female. Many are earning their degrees online rather than in traditional classrooms. Many programs follow non-traditional academic calendars that allow students to complete degree programs in accelerated timeframes (worldwidelearn.com).

In order to be successful as a new student in this new educational environment, new skills are necessary. The most important of these is time management. Our next blog will we devoted to discussing specific time management techniques, and how you can use them to stay on schedule and not fall behind on your assignments.