College

Some of you might remember -- I told you I was going to be a college student this fall. A 25 year-old-college-freshman. I didn't go to school when I was 18. When I was 18 I was 100% burnt out on school. So I just didn't go. I knew way to many people who had gone to college for God-knows-what, to then be 23 years old working at Starbucks to pay off student loans. That made zero sense to me. Not to knock working at Starbucks, it's just you can work at Starbucks - with out a college degree - and make money. So I've spent the last six years since High School doing other things, and now I'm a college student.

And I'm so thankful. Thankful that I waited. Because I sit in class now and as the teacher is explaining things I think to my self - six years ago? If I was sitting here, hearing about all this work to do, I would have been mapping out short-cuts. I would have figured out where I could cut corners, figuring out what I had to do-- the bare minimum --to get a passing grade.

I'm also thankful because I know what I want to do. Scary to think if I had gone to college six years ago what I would have gone for....I was super stoked on swimming at the time...I probably would have gone for something like athletic training or something that would have changed about 100 times before I left college. (funny because now I'm still super stoked on swimming, and guess what? You DON'T have to be an athletic trainer to still be involved in sports.) I don't think I would have gone to be a teacher. I hated school a LOT back then, I'm pretty sure 6 years ago the thought of going to school to be a teacher and spend more time at school, would have sounded awful to me.

But now I sit in class and take notes, I plan my entire week to get ALL my homework done & leave enough time left in the week to study. To make sure I understand everything 100%.

I'm in a writing class -- and we had to write an academic summary -- I read the article we had to summarize probably 10 times, I wrote a few rough drafts until I came up with one I liked before I edited it over and over, I busted my butt all weekend on this one page summary. In class on Monday we got into groups to read each others summary's and this kid in my group was like "yea, mine probably sucks, I didn't write it until like, midnight last night" And it did suck. And I know - six years ago - that would have been me. Pissing off some little assignment putting it off until the last minute, putting minimum effort into it. IT. WOULD. HAVE. BEEN. ME. There is not doubt in my mind. & I'm so thankful it's not me.

I think my attitude is different for a few reasons.

1) Because I know what I want to do. I have an end in sight, and although being a teacher with my own classroom feels so far away, I know this is what I have to do to get there.

2) Because I'm paying for it. (or WE are paying for it) so I'm not just gonna piss off some assignment - because I'm paying for that assignment!

3) because I'm older, a little more mature, and actually ready to learn.

You know what I was ready for 6 years ago? I was ready to travel! to whitewater raft! to snowboard! go to New York City! live on my own! eat ice cream for breakfast! I wanted do date someone! get married! Not sit in class and write an academic summary. How boring.

I'm glad all that is out of my system. I'm not sitting in class wishing I was out seeing the world, because I've been to New York City, and I've traveled to S. America, and I've paddled some intense whitewater, and I've met the man of my dreams, had a beautiful wedding, and now, now I'm ready to sit in class. Now I'm ready to write an academic summary.


And I wonder, do we have it all backwards? or am I in the minority? Should we be telling High School seniors to Take the SAT! Pass all your classes! go to college! know exactly what you want to do! where you want to go! hurry! hurry! go to college! we saved all this money! take this test! pass this test! ahhhh!!!!!!

or should we say, wait- save your cash, live a little - figure out some life stuff, then go to college. College is going no where, and more adults are enrolled in school right! now! than ever before.

I guess this subject could be an entire post in itself... and maybe my curiosity and thirst for adventure when I was 18 was abnormal. It's totally possible. I just have to wonder.

ANYWAYS, after all that, college....it's going well =)