anniefayesue

Applied to St Eds in Austin….

I had grand ideas of a four-year school out of state and then later a Masters maybe even a PhD. My mom had finagled in my parent’s divorce that I would continue to collect child support from my father as long as I was attending school. I dropped out of high school early and started college before I turned eighteen. I planned to attend community college until I earned enough credit hours to transfer to a four year. On my eighteenth birthday, my dad took me out to lunch and informed me of a loophole my mom overlooked. He and my stepmother did not have to continue pay support since I was not attending a four-year school. He gave me the whole “If it were up to me” speech and that was that. I finished one class that semester and had to find a job.
Over the next few years, I would attempt repeatedly to go to school. Some semesters I would be able to finish a couple of classes. Some semesters I would register only to withdraw after a few weeks because I did not have to ability to pay my tuition or I wasn’t able to buy the books I needed to attend.
When I was 23 I caught a break, I was able to get some grant money. I registered full time, moved my work schedule around and dug in. It was what I had been waiting for and working towards. College is hard whether you are at a community college or a four-year. I had not anticipated all the work that went into full time school and full time work. I was able to make it through that first semester.
Right after finals and Christmas my mom was diagnosed with lung and spinal cancer. I was also laid off. I looked at it as right timing. I would have the free time to take her to her daily doctor’s appointments and help her through her day. College would always be there and there would always be other jobs. I used all my time and financial resources to take care of my sick mom. Three semesters went by while she was sick.
After she died, various people encouraged me to go back to school. I just was not ready for various reasons; money, time, focus. Now two years after her death I have the itch again. I have been thumbing through class schedules and picking out online courses to start. I think I only really have about 21 hours of usable credit. To be honest it is a little discouraging. I am 27 now and five months pregnant, but I have to do something. So be it. Slowly but surely that will win the race.
Everyone is worth an education.