Easy as catching a bullet in your teeth

Yesterday was the first day of class and I should have realized the karma when my morning started, as did many others', with the 30+ car pile-up on 360 & Division.  I didn't get caught in it per say but did catch loads of traffic on the alternate routes.  Oh well... on to class.

My first day of class was like a 1st day Kindergartner versus the 8th grade class in a dodge ball game... and I was the one Kindergartner.  Everything came flying at me at a rate I didn't know possible.  Even though as time ticked on and I started grasping partial concepts, new ones few by me also needing to be caught.  I now realize that when they said Quick Pass, they meant "be ready to catch the pass or get plowed in the face".

My frantic note taking was a bit obsessive, especially when most of what I wrote could easily just have been highlighted in the book.  But by the time I found where to highlight I often missed the Layman's explanation and was just as lost as if I had doubled the efforts and written it out.

At each break, which was one about each hour, I wondered if others were having the same feeling of being utterly lost.  The text book in front of me may be my road map but I often could not find the big, red "You Are Here" sign!  I tried to review and fill in what was covered, however, this could not be done - at least for me - within the 10 minutes allotted.  If a dunce cap were propped up in the corner, I would have gladly put it on.

Reviewing all the material last night only confused me more on several topics.  My brain dislikes the sterile memorization of facts.  Acronyms were unhelpful because even in I remembered the words, I had forgotten their what-for's.  I took each chapter's quiz with surprising, yet mediocre, results.  I guess some of it stuck after all or I just got lucky.  Either way, it's good to me!

I decided then, to go in today with feigned confidence yet insane determination.  Being overwhelmed would be an inevitability, but I thought I was prepared.

Was I Wrong!

If yesterday was a dodge ball game, today was a turn inside a money booth (you know the kind where all the bills are flying around you and you're suppose to grab them).  Each time I grabbed for the big bills, I would only review to find I barely had a couple of ones.  But with my note taking still crazy overdone, I was covered one way or another.

Driving home I again felt overwhelmed and wondered what was I doing trying to accomplish this.  It's so much information so very fast.  Today concluded our first "class" which was Principles of Real Estate. 
tomorrow we start a new class, Real Estate Practices.  At the end of each class (there are 5), we have to complete, online, 3 quizzes and a test to receive credit for the course.  There is no "down time" to review except the few hours after we go home until we go back the next morning.  No day in between to absorb class 1 before continuing to class 2.  Remember, this is what they call Quick Pass... or what I now want to call  Keep Up If You Can!

Thanks to my honey Jeremy for the continuous encouragement and (now wet) shoulder I collected myself and was able to review the materials from the past 2 days.  I called my buddy in the RE biz, Jean-Paul, and got my confidence back with his help on the quizzes and more reviewing. 

I've thought of quitting, as I'm sure many had in this spot, but I'm not a quitter.  I may fail - though unlikely as many won't let me - but I WILL finish!  Success will be mine is some form or another!

Tomorrow is another day and a new class.  Let's see how it goes!

Preface

Most of you know that pretty much everything I do eventually ends up as an adventure.  No matter how simple the task, how planned the project, or how cut-&-dry the facts, this red-head will assuredly find the previously non-existent red flags.  But this is the way a good story is born, right? 

(As you read the next part, imagine National Geographic music in the background…)

So… I want to invite you to be a part of my new adventure.  Follow me as I embark on a brand new path in an unknown (to me) place!

It’s been 2 years since I left that world, and not necessarily by choice.  Starched collars, polished shoes, rush hour, Starbucks, multi-line phones had somehow morphed into foreign concepts.  My alarm clock had collected a significant layer of time-forgotten dust.  Normal day-time hours had become unfamiliar.  Making this decision is life, or just life-style, changing.  Though it was not one I made lightly, I did however, have to decide quickly.

About a month ago I had spent a few hours online revamping my resume and profile, searching through job postings and basically trying to, again, figure out what I want to be when I grow up.  (The obvious, having to do with history & travel, not being an option at this time.)  It was all tedious, time-consuming, and just plain boring.  However, hook baited and line cast, waiting for a bite is the hardest part.

A few days go by and nothing.  A week and I receive the form letter emails from the employment agencies saying they have my resume and will contact me if a position presents a match.  Almost worse than a no thanks or no response at all.

Then a window, a speck of light, encouragement is found.  And in all places but one of the best known networking sites… one morning I am sleepily checking Facebook and without even scrolling down too far I see a post by a friend of a friend advertising a position with his company.  I had been able to see it because my friend commented.  The position was no immediate experience necessary.  The career path was one I had previously considered but with no knowledge of where to begin or details of how it works (beyond HGTV) I had all but given up on pursuing it.  Now, it seemed, it had chosen me.  All I had to do was accept.

Thinking why not, I sent a message to the friend of my friend inquiring further.  A phone interview was scheduled for a couple hours later that day.  Nailed it!  Second interview, this time in person, was set for the very next day.  Second interview accomplished.  If I’m willing to enroll in class and pass a state exam, I will be able to work out of this very office as a REAL ESTATE AGENT.

My soon-to-be broker generously offers to allow me to sit in on a currently occurring training class for newer agents to their company.  It will give me a chance to meet my colleagues and get a preview of what I will be learning in my licensing classes.  I felt as if I had been taken by the hand and given a golden ticket to the inside track of realty.  How could I pass up such a great opportunity?

I spent the weekend thinking of whether I was ready for this big of a change.  It may seem trivial to most, but I am not like most.  This was a big decision to make.  From the very start I had the support from the one most important to me, Jeremy.

Monday morning, so this is what the AM looks like, I was at the Exit Advantage Realty office in North Dallas ready to join the team.  I knew that I may not understand a lot of what they were learning but I was determined to absorb as much as possible so I could temporarily file it away to save until I got my license.  The friend of a friend who posted the position, I came to figure out, was not that much of a stranger.  Jean-Paul and I had met a couple of times at our favorite hang-out.  He was now here in the class as well as 9 or so other agents.  I was welcomed very warmly making me feel very comfortable about my decision. 

The classes, turns out, were very easy to follow.  I know I took a ton more notes than the others but afterwards I felt as though I could go out and do the things we learned.  Or at least attempt to do them to the best of my not-yet-licensed ability.  Over all, I felt great, but that’s not to say I didn’t have a couple of second thoughts along the way.  My confidence level through the week went as follows:

Monday – Curiosity, confusion, a little confident but overall excited.

Tuesday – Accepted confusion, growing confidence giving way to me calling around to inquire about classes.

Wednesday – Complete confidence with a willingness to do what it will take to be a licensed agent.

Thursday – FREAK OUT! Doubt, questioning, utter confusion

Friday – I didn’t go to class, had to work other job

Weekend – took a step back to re-evaluate why I was considering this kind of change in the first place – overall found an inspiration, my ultimate down the road goal.

Monday – Went back to class with renewed attitude – called Kaplan University afterwards and officially enrolled.

Rest of the week – off for Thanksgiving

A bit of a roller coaster ride, but well worth it.  I think any major decision should have several levels, though I’ve usually been the one to just jump in without looking.

So here I am, about to get some rest.  Tomorrow I go as a student in Kaplan’s Quick Pass program.  Class starts at 830am, which is going to come WAY too early but not much I can do about it.  I had the option of doing all my classes online, but I know me.  Without being forced to go, I would be tempted to be lazy and not do a good job.  I would really like to pass the test on the first try and in order to do that I will need a thorough understanding of the material.  An actual class setting will do that, but the support I will have from my new family at Exit will make the most difference I believe.

Thanks for joining me on this.  I will need all the support I can get!  Confidence and determination are now on my side!