The Outliers Reflection

As a returning student seeking a bachelor 's degree in my fifties, married for thirty-three years, I returned to college when our second born went to first grade, to become a registered nurse. As a typical nurse, I tend to put my needs second. Therefore, I am working toward completing my degree. As I read chapter one in Malcolm Gladwell 's book, the Outliers, I do not agree with Malcolm’s philosophy. While I was growing up; my childhood experiences were not about having choices to practice my talents, but the want and need to be part of a family business. Granted it was, great fun growing up; always a function going on or a community event on the weekend since our father was a commander of the VFW and he was involved with the local

In Chapter One of the “Outliers,” we learn Gladwell’s view on “The Matthew Effect” and how it determines how successful a person is going to be. The chapter explains how earlier birth months can predict success, based on birth dates and circumstances that occur in an outlier’s life. The chapter makes one think how a few more months of development go far in areas of the development process of skills, talents, and even size. When I look back, having a September birthday may apply to some of my academic success or struggles in grade school. As a result of being born in September, and my friends that were born in January through August may have had an advantage over me in grades one through six because they had eight more months of development. For the most part, I felt I always struggled more than they did in school work. Usually, I was the last to hand in an assignment. Also, I was much smaller than my classmates, always second when we had to line up according to height. When I look back, I do not think if I was born in January, I would be a

Looking back, I recall that I was accepted to go to a mortuary science program in Boston to be a mortician upon graduation. With enthusiasm, I was planning to take the train to school. Believe me, I worked with the guidance counselor and thought, and this was my plan. Sadly, I remember the day my father told me that they could not afford to send me to Boston and instead, they wanted me to attend a local community college first to take classes, and they would help me in the next couple years. Thinking back, I was crushed; I expected to be able to attend the college of choice for my friends. After reality set in, as being the sixth child out of seven and wearing hand me downs, I should have realized I could not go away for school. Afterward, I did end up attending a local community college and working while in school for several years. However, I then took a five-year break before returning to college to a changed career path to become a nurse. At this time, I was in my early thirties, when I received a nursing diploma and completed an associate 's degree. Proud to say, I was the first and only of seven to graduate from college. Unquestionably, I feel that I put in 10,000 hours or more to get an associates