I Am Student, Hear Me Roar!

I am LOVING being back in school.

I mean, loving it to an extent that I cannot explain.

It is very apparent to me that I thrive on academia.  There is something about returning to school as a non-traditional student (or a "non-trad" as the in-crowd calls us) which makes the experience SO much more fun than it was as a college student straight out of high school.

I have life experience.  It makes the content being taught applicable to my life in ways that it would not have been had I taken these courses years ago.

I have an appreciation for the opportunity being afforded to me.  Not everyone is as lucky as I am to be able to return to school, especially as both a wife and a mother of two babies. 

(Two beautiful babies!  But that is besides the point...)

I want need to soak in as much information as I can.  That was what pulled me back to school in the first place.  I was so jealous of the knowledge the teachers at Goose & Tink's school possessed.  They seemed to have such an amazing understanding of the small children they worked with everyday.  

After thinking about it, I realized I didn't need to be jealous.  

I could go back to school and learn the same things they'd learned.  

I could earn a degree in Early Childhood Education and become a teacher.  

At the same time, I could become a better mother.  
It would be a win all around!

So, for that reason, and many others, I decided to return to school.

And I am so proud to be doing it.

It took me about five years to earn an AA degree.  I switched schools multiple times.  I couldn't decide on a major.  I took one, sometimes two classes a semester.  By the time I graduated with the degree in '04, I was over it.  I said I wasn't going to waste the time, money, or energy to pursue a Bachelor degree until I knew what I wanted to do.

Fast-Forward seven years, multiple moves, one marriage, two babies and three potential careers....

Making money isn't enough.

I made money.

I left the jobs where I was making great money because I didn't love them.

Not only didn't I love them, I didn't even like them.

I left those jobs to take a position at a place where I wouldn't make nearly as much, but I also wouldn't have the stress.  And I really loved it.

For a while.

I loved the people I worked with and I loved my boss.

But it wasn't a challenge.

When I got there, I had to learn all about a business I knew NOTHING of.  I had to learn the language.  And I had to clean up some messes that had been made by the people before me who seemingly had no idea what they were doing.

That was kind of fun.  It presented difficulties and was onerous.

However, once I'd gotten everything straightened out, I couldn't help but wonder if I was going to be content doing the same monotonous tasks over and over again for the rest of my life.

When I asked myself if I thought I would be happy, the answer was a resounding "no."

However, those weren't the most important reasons for my returning to school.

There were two reasons which weighed much heavier on my mind when making the choice to quit working and return to school.

1.) Tink

2.) Goose

In no particular order.  :)

For me, the reality is this:

I've job hunted.

I've job hunted as a junior college graduate.

I've job hunted as a junior college graduate who also happens to be more intelligent than any number of folks out there with Bachelor degrees.  As well as some of the people with post-graduate degrees.

(It was not easy to write that.  I know there is truth to it, but it is really hard to say something which, to me, sounds like a really pompous statement.)

The bottom line, though, is the fact that, no matter how smart you are, there are jobs for which you are "unqualified" simply because you don't have a piece of paper saying you've taken enough classes.

And that sucks.  Big time.

But it is what it is.

I know this to be truth.  I recognize the difficulties of trying to get a "grown-up job" and making enough money to live comfortably without, at the least, a four-year degree.

I have learned the importance of it.

Despite my understanding of the importance of college, how could I ever expect Tink or Goose to listen to me telling them how important it is if I haven't earned the degree?  Why would I think they should be expected to go to school if I haven't put the effort into it myself?

I can't.  

It is like telling them it is important to eat vegetables in order to grow healthy and strong, but only eating ice cream myself.  As a parent, you have to lead by example.  Even if you really just want ice cream.  :)

Lucky for me, when it comes to schooling, I don't want the ice cream.  I want steamed broccoli with no butter or cheese sauce.  I mean, ice cream sounds good and it is easier to have a meal of ice cream than steamed veggies.  By the time you prep the vegetables, get your water boiling, wait for them to cook through...

Ok, maybe it is time to let my metaphor go.  I might lose you.

The bottom line is this:

I am thrilled to be in school.  

I am thrilled to be learning so much.  

I am thrilled with becoming a better mom to 

the two most important little human beings in the world.  

I am thrilled with the idea of someday having the opportunity, as a teacher, to be an important part of the lives of so many other little human beings.

I am thrilled with being a positive role model for Goose and Tink.

I am thrilled that, when I tell them they can finish college and be successful, I will be able to say as much because I've done it myself. 

I am thrilled with being able to tell them that their Dada did it, too (I don't want to neglect mentioning The Hubs' accomplishments in relation to finishing college.  He did it and he had the odds stacked against him as he was growing up.  Considering his struggles, I believe his achievement is much greater than mine.).

I am thrilled to be working towards being a part of the teaching community.  We have a history of educators in my family and I think they would have been proud of me.

And, not only am I thrilled with all of these things, I recognize how truly BLESSED I am. 

 Like I said, I know there are a number of people out there who would love to have the opportunity to return to school, but are not able to do so.  

I am in school, have the complete support of my entire family, have the flexibility to spend more time with my boys, and it has already given me a different perspective on life.

  

I mean, for instance, I used to stress over the house being clean at all times.  

I couldn't deal with disorder.  

Now, I let a lot more go.  

I don't fret over the house not being immaculate.  

I don't worry if the laundry isn't done.  

I'll get to it when I get to it.  

That doesn't mean I have let my house become a pig sty. 

It just means I let the dirty dishes sit in the sink for a while if I feel like reading a book with Tink.  Or I hold off on vacuuming if I'm feeling up to letting Goose launch balls at my head.  

Ahem.

Those are the kinds of things I didn't feel I had enough time for prior to quitting my job.  It is awesome to not be living a Go!Go!Go! kind of life.

And this is part of the reason why I've said I might just become a professional student.  

I mean, this is way better than being out in the real world!  

More fun, less stress, more fulfilling, and never the same ol', same ol'.  

I love it!

Not only do I love it, but I hope that in addition to being an inspiration for my boys, I can inspire other people to feel like they can do it, too.  

Again, I know there are people out there who feel like they can't return to school.

I hope they know it is possible.  

It may take some sacrifice and determination, but it can be done. 

I hope, too, that when they make the choice to do it, they feel as good about it as I do.

I hope they get the kind support I am so very lucky to have.  

The hardest part is making the choice to get back in school. 

And I hope they feel accomplished simply by taking those first steps to better themselves.

 Once making that initial decision, everything in my life has worked its way into place.

The rest has been icing on my cake.  

Or chocolate syrup on my ice cream.  ;)