After 3 schools and 11 years I FINALLY made it! Graduation was on Mother's day. It was long, it was hot, the fire alarm went off twice, but I graduated!
I don't often tell people about my educational journey. But I figure since I finished, maybe someone could learn from my experience. I attended BYU-Idaho right after I graduated high school. Life at home was stressful as my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer. I am so grateful for my time in Rexburg. I know I was supposed to be there. I still have some of my best friends who I met during that time. In my 3 years in Rexburg, perhaps the greatest lesson I learned was how to have fun and enjoy life. I may or may not have slept through my bowling class for 4 semesters in a row.... I also didn't really have an advisor, and I didn't have a clear plan of what classes I should take. Then, I met that boy, he broke me heart and I got really depressed. I wore my giving up on life pants, and when combined with my past years of play, I was put on academic suspension. I left Rexburg, and a piece of my heart.
I am grateful that I was able to come home and re-group. It wasn't until later that I really addressed my issues with depression, but it helped put me on a path where I could move forward. I then moved to Utah and decided I would try school again. It was frustrating because most of my credits didn't transfer, and I still didn't have an advisor. I was again overwhelmed and quit going to school. After this setback I convinced myself that I wasn't good at school, I'm a 2 time college drop out and obviously I wasn't cut out for higher education.
I then got my job with Alyeska, which was again a great experience, but I wasn't doing what I loved, what I knew I should be doing. I knew I needed to be a teacher. But that meant facing my fears and inadequacies, I had to go back to school. My job with Alyeska ended and I went to care for my grandmother and I remember so many people encouraging me to go back to school. I kept thinking "Yeah, but I'll never make it. I fail every time I try."
August 2010. I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to go back to school. I went to UAF, registered for classes starting the next week and found out who the Elementary Education Advisor was. I am so thankful for my advisor. She looked at my transcripts and made me a plan. It wasn't going to be easy, it was going to take 3 years, in addition to the 3 years of credits I already had, but I could do it.
I poured my heart and soul into school, because this time I knew this was what I wanted and needed to be doing.
It wasn't easy. At least once a semester I had a full-on meltdown, tears, "I can't do this," the works.
But there was a quote from the movie that she posted on the mantel that really hit me.
The quote made me realize that my family knew I could be successful in school. I didn't have to let my past experiences define me because I had the power and ability to get my degree, I just had to realize it.
I couldn't have done it on my own, but I am thankful for the support of my friends and family for getting me to this point!
NINE DAYS UNTIL GRADUATION!!! All that stands between me and that funky black robe and hat is a presentation and a reflection paper. AHHHHH! It has taken me 11 years, but I'm so close I can almost taste it!
Still no job prospects. :( I'm a little sad about that. I keep applying, so pray, cross your fingers etc. that I will find a job.
I keep thinking about getting a summer job... but then I don't want to.... And then my mom says that my idea of a "summer of self-exploration" isn't gonna fly. Party pooper!
AND, because blog posts without pictures are boring...
Here is a picture of my classroom, and the leaky roof. Apparently there isn't money to fix this, but ceiling tiles are rotting and falling. Nice.
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