Lauren Carlos Greig thought she left college life behind in 2015, until a dream pulled her back.
In it, she was walking across the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 campus, leaving the Student Union. When she woke up, she was in tears.
小蝌蚪APP淚 didn't even realize that I cared that much about going back to school,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淎fter that, I truly could not stop talking about it.小蝌蚪APP
Still, life was busy. She was married, raising two boys, working full time, and serving as vice president of the New Iberia Spanish Festival.
The idea of returning to college stayed with her, but it wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 until she was passed over for a job that the decision became clear.
小蝌蚪APP淭he supervisor said, 小蝌蚪APP榃ell, this candidate小蝌蚪APP檚 got a degree,小蝌蚪APP and that was it,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 came home and told my husband, 小蝌蚪APP楾his is never going to happen again.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
Finding Her Rhythm as an Online Learner
Greig first enrolled at UL Lafayette in 2009 with a scholarship and a spot in the Pride of Acadiana marching band. It was where she found her first college community, until funding from her Native American tribe ended, leaving her with no choice but to withdraw.
Years later, the dream and the job disappointment gave her the push she needed to come back 小蝌蚪APP this time, through the online Bachelor of General Studies program.
It was a big step. Greig had never taken an online course before and didn小蝌蚪APP檛 know what to expect.
"I was nervous at first," she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 was worried about how my messages would be received without body language. I thought it would be too hard without that in-person interaction, but it really wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 like that at all.小蝌蚪APP
The program小蝌蚪APP檚 structure and flexibility helped her find her rhythm.
"April is always a busy time with the festival and the boys小蝌蚪APP sports," Greig says. "But I had great professors. I would just let them know ahead of time what I had going on. Communication was key."
She developed a system to stay ahead, using Moodle小蝌蚪APP檚 calendar to break things down into manageable chunks.
"I kind of looked at it like this huge elephant. And how would you devour an elephant? A little at a time,小蝌蚪APP she says.
Even when she faced an emergency surgery mid-semester, her instructors stepped up to support her.
小蝌蚪APP淥ne of them gave me her personal cell number and would actually check on me after my surgery," says Greig. "It was an emergency, completely unplanned, but they made sure I could stay on track with my assignments."
For Greig, the online format didn小蝌蚪APP檛 just make it possible 小蝌蚪APP it made it sustainable.
小蝌蚪APP淲e have two very active boys involved in sports, and I work during the day, but I could still log in and do what I needed to during the times that worked best for me,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淕oing online was the best thing for us, for my family.小蝌蚪APP
Turning Experience into Opportunity
Shortly after graduation, Greig stepped into a corporate human resources assistant role. But when the position was impacted by economic shifts, she pivoted 小蝌蚪APP landing a front desk administrator job at Clark Integrated Medical Clinics in Lafayette.
The transition felt natural. Though her responsibilities changed 小蝌蚪APP greeting patients, scheduling appointments, scanning documents, and managing sensitive information 小蝌蚪APP the core skill set remained the same.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou小蝌蚪APP檙e handling sensitive information in HR, and now I do the same for patients. It translates seamlessly. Being able to use this degree in both career fields speaks to the versatility of the interdisciplinary degree,小蝌蚪APP says Greig.
Her concentration in behavioral sciences gave her the confidence to make that shift and thrive in the new environment.
小蝌蚪APP淢y coursework helped me understand the psychology behind those daily interactions, and not to take things personally. I want patients to feel welcome, and you never know what pain or stress someone might be carrying.小蝌蚪APP
The career change has also led her to reconsider her next steps.
She recently learned she小蝌蚪APP檇 been accepted into a master小蝌蚪APP檚 program in leadership and human resource development 小蝌蚪APP a sign, she says, that she小蝌蚪APP檚 on the right path.
While she once imagined a future in child psychology, Greig says her journey has taught her to stay open.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou might think you小蝌蚪APP檙e meant for one thing, but there小蝌蚪APP檚 so much out there,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 thought child psychology was my path, and one job opened my eyes to a whole new career trajectory. So don小蝌蚪APP檛 count anything out.小蝌蚪APP
Explore how the online Bachelor of General Studies at UL Lafayette can help you carve your own path on your own timeline.
