So Here I Am

I made a very big decision. I decided to start college. It's been twenty years since I graduated high school, may as well go ahead and get started right?

Now of course this was something that I put a lot of thought into. It is something that I took a lot of time to think over, weighing pros and cons and making sure it was the right decision. Naturally, I spent weeks or maybe even months researching online schools to find just the right one, making sure it was fully accredited and that the credits I earn will be transferable to other colleges and that my degree with be viewed with respect. I looked deeply into myself reflecting on my interests and strengths to be sure that I enter into exactly the right degree program for the career that will suit me best.

Of course I did all that!
Ok....
No! I didn't do any of that.

I got a wild hair up my arse that I want to be a teacher. So, I looked around online for a few hours looking for a school that would offer an online degree in teaching. Ok, no I didn't really think I would find one. Then, I kind of did find one. I sent for more info. A few days later I got a call from the school. Well, actually starting that very day I got several calls a day from some strange long-distance number that I avoided answering in fear that it was a bill collecter and then I finally realized a few days later that it was the school calling. The teaching degree thing wasn't available in my state. Turns out we have high standards here. Who knew?

The guy on the phone who sounded either really sick, really drunk or like he had a cleft lip, went on to tell me about a couple other degree programs they have that I could do and then once I had my associates I could enroll in a bachelors in education program because, "it really doesn't matter what your associates degree is in". Yes, I knew that sounded stupid. Yes, I still went ahead and signed up for one of those other programs. Sick, drink, cleft lip guy got me all set up in the next few days, running me through the enrollment process and all the financial aid stuff. I qualified for the max amount in grants. Sometimes being dead ass poor has its advantages. Again, who knew?

The Friday before I was supposed to start classes I talked with an academic advisor. He sounded healthy, sober and cleft free. He also found out that I was originally interested in the teaching degree and he went on a bit of a tirade about how I should be in an education specific program for my associates. He even went so far as to look up schools in my state that I should be attending instead of the school he works for. He gave me a lot of good information and advice. I explained to healthy, sober, cleft free guy that I didn't have time for real school and had to do it online. He found a state school that offers an education degree online. Then he proceeded to pull me from my classes so I could have time to contact this other school and look into attending there instead.

At this point healthy, sober, cleft free guy had done so much to be really helpful, and was so nice to me that I didn't have the heart to tell him that I wasn't exactly totally sure I want to be a teacher. I didn't know how to tell him that it was just a wild hair decision and that I really only wanted to go to college and get a degree to prove to myself, my family and the rest of the world that I can do it. So, I let him pull me from my classes.

That Monday I did call the school he found. It is a good school with a great program for teaching degrees. That is good to know since Dot is considering a teaching career. It didn't really work for me though. The online program is to get a bachelor's degree. I am still in need of my associates. I was one of those genius kids that decided against college when I graduate high school. I did ask about the school I was officially already enrolled in to see if my credits would transfer over to this school. Ummmm... not so much. Grrrrrrrrrrreat!

Yes, I did stay enrolled in this school anyway. I did go ahead and start classes the next week. Many of the credits I earn probably won't transfer over to most schools. It was probably a really stupid choice to have stayed with this school. I don't even care. If I have to spend extra time and take extra courses at another school later, so be it. I just knew that if I didn't get started, I would never do this.

I need this!

I need to prove to myself I can function at the college level. I need to know that I am capable of doing this. And yes, I need to prove it to everyone else too. Not for them. For me.

So here I am. A college student. A college student in an online program at an iffy school, but a college student none the less.