What was your start date?
I started court reporting school on March 4, 2013 at Bryan University. I started at CCR (best day ever!!) February 8, 2015.
When did you graduate?
I passed my last SAP on December 10, 2015.
What lead you to pursue court reporting as a career?
I had no idea what court reporting even was until my stepdad suggested I pursue it as a career. I graduated in 2012 with a degree in English after having spent four years preparing to become a high school English teacher. After going through my student teaching, I decided I wanted nothing to do with teaching. I was panicking, trying to figure out what to do with my life. My stepdad suggested court reporting, and I jumped in and never looked back.
What made you choose CCR?
CCR was my second school, actually. My first school was not a good place. It was a money suck, and they really didn't care about the students. A lot of people were transferring from that school to CCR. So I contacted Nicky, and I had my heart set on going to CCR.
Do you have any certifications? If not, do you plan on getting any/which ones?
I don't have any certifications yet, but I am actually going for the JC leg of the RPR on Saturday. I'm hoping to be an RPR by my birthday in June. Ideally, I'll be done before that.
What were your strengths in school?
One of my strengths in school was my work ethic. I always made sure I got my assignments done early and I got a ton of practice in every day, no matter how tired I was. I definitely sacrificed any kind of a social life, but it was worth it.
What were your weaknesses in school?
My weakness during school was definitely my self-esteem. One bad SAP and I thought the world was crumbling around me. If I had a bad writing day, it ruined my whole attitude. I had a really, really, really hard time seeing my "failures" as learning opportunities. I cried a lot throughout the two years, nine months, and six days in school (yes, I've kept track of that).
If you could give any advice to a struggling student, what would that be?
The one piece of advice I would like to give a struggling student is to find something positive in every single day. It's easy to want to give up. I probably wanted to give up probably six out of the seven days a week. It's easy to just see your mistakes, but there is at least one thing to celebrate every day. When I changed my attitude, my writing changed, and then I started passing tests more often. Keep plugging away. Everyone says it, but this career really is totally worth it. I've only been on a few jobs, but I'm having the time of my life!