Follow your dream
Have you ever taken a chance? I mean a real risk? Take a big step outside your comfort range and do something you never thought you would or could do? I had an opportunity to go back to college after I was in my mid 40s. I was a terrible, lazy student in High School, and did not think I could handle college level work.
In 2001, the call center where I was working was shut down; I was forced to do a lot of reevaluating of who I was and what I wanted to do. I guess I had a huge dose of “mid life crisis” forced on me. Having Served in the Air Force, and retired with a minor disability, I had Veterans Administration benefits in addition to the G.I. Bill available to me. I was given an opportunity I thought had passed me by. I took a huge chance, stopped by the registrar's office for the college I had dreamed of attending when I was still in my late teens. During my visit with the Dean of Transfer Admissions, it did not look well. She told me she did not think I had done enough to get into that school. Not willing to give up on my dream that quickly, I asked, "What would I have to do to get in?" She replied, "Good Question." and gave me a list of about 25 to 30 things I could do to prepare myself for the school, she said I should start by taking classes at a community college, get good grades, keep working, and take some specific classes. Then come back in about a year and we could talk again. I followed her advice, did everything she wanted me to do, and called her a year later, made an appointment to visit her. This time, the results were different, after looking over everything I had done in that year, her response this time was, “It's time to apply.” I was beside myself I had worked so hard for a year and a half, to have the door opened like that was such an amazing feeling.
That was four years ago, I am now a senior at the college of my dreams, I found out even in my late 40s, I can do the work that is necessary to succeed at a major college, in fact, I have finished my Major work in History, and working on my second major in Elementary education. I have also finished my “General Education Requirements,” and my foreign language requirement. In fact, I will be graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Arts.
The moral is, never give up on your dreams, become a life long learner, it is an experience you will never regret.
In 2001, the call center where I was working was shut down; I was forced to do a lot of reevaluating of who I was and what I wanted to do. I guess I had a huge dose of “mid life crisis” forced on me. Having Served in the Air Force, and retired with a minor disability, I had Veterans Administration benefits in addition to the G.I. Bill available to me. I was given an opportunity I thought had passed me by. I took a huge chance, stopped by the registrar's office for the college I had dreamed of attending when I was still in my late teens. During my visit with the Dean of Transfer Admissions, it did not look well. She told me she did not think I had done enough to get into that school. Not willing to give up on my dream that quickly, I asked, "What would I have to do to get in?" She replied, "Good Question." and gave me a list of about 25 to 30 things I could do to prepare myself for the school, she said I should start by taking classes at a community college, get good grades, keep working, and take some specific classes. Then come back in about a year and we could talk again. I followed her advice, did everything she wanted me to do, and called her a year later, made an appointment to visit her. This time, the results were different, after looking over everything I had done in that year, her response this time was, “It's time to apply.” I was beside myself I had worked so hard for a year and a half, to have the door opened like that was such an amazing feeling.
That was four years ago, I am now a senior at the college of my dreams, I found out even in my late 40s, I can do the work that is necessary to succeed at a major college, in fact, I have finished my Major work in History, and working on my second major in Elementary education. I have also finished my “General Education Requirements,” and my foreign language requirement. In fact, I will be graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Arts.
The moral is, never give up on your dreams, become a life long learner, it is an experience you will never regret.
posted by Art at 8:20 PM
0 comments
