Trial and Error

This article was originally published in the Mount Mercy Times on Dec. 6, 2018 by Caroline Groesbeck, editor-in-chief.

Even though she started at Mount Mercy as a first-year last year, Alexis Costello is about to graduate with a major in operations management and two minors in criminal justice and economics.

With about 10 different commitments, besides school, Costello has a full workload. Currently, she is balancing these activities with 18 credits worth of classes and 25 hours of her two part-time jobs. 

“I came in with 36 credit hours,” Costello said. “And then I took 15 credits over the summer, three of those were my internship, so I still fit that in.”

She went on to say that she also worked around 50 hours a week this summer. Most would shy away from a heavy load like this, but Costello has found coping mechanisms.

“I will get it done in the morning or it just won’t get done, but at that point sleep’s more important than a grade.”

“If it gets to a point—if it hits 1 a.m.—and I still can’t get things done, I just go to bed,” said Costello. “I will get it done in the morning or it just won’t get done, but at that point sleep’s more important than a grade.”

Costello didn’t always push herself as much as she does now. “In high school, it kind of depended,” she said. “If I knew I couldn’t do it, I would just back down really quick so then it didn’t look like I failed. I always looked like I achieved things in high school when really, I could have probably pushed myself further."

When classes were winding down last year, Costello decided to begin a plan to pursue a Master’s degree.

“I’m getting a Master’s degree because last spring I sat down with my mom and I was like, ‘I think I can do it,’" said Costello. "My mom said, ‘I never thought you would get less than a Master’s degree.’ And I literally started crying. I was like, 'Oh my God! She thought that about me!'"

While Costello doesn’t have clear plans for the future, she knows the basics. “I want to get married and have kids and eventually be able to provide for my family,” she said. “I want to be happy.”