This is a bi-monthly blog post from Shawn Stevens, DJ at a Utah radio station and student of Stevens-Henager College. Follow his bi-monthly updates to gain insight into his experiences as a student.
I think we all doubt ourselves occasionally. I’m sure you had second thoughts about going back to school, right? Heck, maybe you haven’t even made the decision yet. Whatever the case, my experience has shown me that there is a cynical voice inside each of us that tells us that pursuing our dreams is going to be a long, hard road. In fact, it’s rather discouraging as it tells us all the reasons why we shouldn’t go back or continue in school. It reminds us that we already have a busy life with no time for going to class or taking online courses, and then there’s the homework. We’re easily convinced that we really don’t want to get out of our comfort zone and into a commitment like that. And life drags on.
But if you listen closely, there’s also a voice inside that says, “What do you mean? I can do this. And not only that, I deserve to do this.” The hardest thing is getting up the confidence to take the first step. For too many years I put off pursuing my dreams because I listened to that pesky voice telling me why I shouldn’t go back to school to learn new skills to better myself. I’m 11 months into my college degree right now and extremely happy that I made that first step.
When hard work pays off
This week a friend of mine, and a fellow student at Stevens-Henager, proved to herself (and everyone around her) that she can do this! Like me, for years she listened to her inner voice tell her that she just didn’t have time and that she couldn’t do it. Meanwhile, she kicked around from one unsatisfying job to another. One day she got up the courage and made the appointment to meet with an academic advisor. Just over 3 months later, you should have seen her. She was glowing as she accepted the President’s Award for achieving a 4.0 for her first academic quarter. She is a changed person. She has made a commitment and she has proven to her doubting inner voice that she is able to accomplish whatever she puts her mind to. She’s on her way to fulfilling her dream.
Congratulations Jen, I’m proud of you!
Author Bio
Shawn Stevens is the Program Director and midday personality for the radio station K-Bull 93 FM (Cumulus Media) in Salt Lake City, “Utah’s New Country Leader.” Stevens has over 30 years’ experience in the radio broadcast industry, having worked in several major cities throughout the United States. He is a student of the Online department of Stevens-Henager College, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a Social Media Technology emphasis.