That was the first email that I sent when I was deciding if I would go back to school. My cousin had just completed her Master's online and she was telling me how the online program worked. Now I started my college journey 26 years ago and at that time the intranet was a basement idea so the thought of someone being able to teach me anything online was still a stretch in my head. I listened to what she had to say and after that conversation I begin to look on my company's intranet because they offered tuition reimbursement and I, first, had to see if they would reimburse for online schools. Not only did they approve, they actually had a list of preferred schools. I remember choosing Colorado Tech only because my daughter once said she would love to live in Colorado. There was no other reason, it was that random.
I sent the above email and immediately go a reply from a recruiter. I pretty much told him that I didn't want to begin until the start of the year. He began to describe how their classes were set up and the schedule was not the normal semesters like traditional schools. He was trying to get me into the next term but I said no because I still had to think if this is something I wanted to do. I was a single mother of three children in a position at work that between October and February I am working an average of 50+ hours a week. I can say that he had a great pitch because he made it sound like I would listen to these chats and submit work and in no time I would have my degree. I bought it. I guess a big part of me wanted to buy it because school was the single most important thing I wanted to finish. Plus, I have been preaching to my children about college and they were getting to the age where I begin to feel like a hypocrite. They never made me feel that way, I did it on my own. What better way to show them than to do it myself.
That beginning seem so long ago because when I started my program I had an 8-year old desktop computer that was slow even though I had high speed internet through the cable company. Not to mention I had three children whose schoolwork required the use of the computer so many times I had to wait until everyone was finished before I could even begin my work. I never will forget the feeling I got when I heard the professor say my name. It felt so official. That first class was pretty simple and I was like, "Oh yeah, I got this!" That next class was more, "what the hell?" And the classes afterward was more of the same. I had to repeat some classes but 6 months later I had completed my Associate's degree. I had mixed feelings about it because on one hand I felt that I had made a big leap in my reaching my goal, on the other hand I could have beat myself up for not doing it sooner. But in the end there was no need to look back because I still was not where I wanted to be.
When I started to work on bachelor's program I had just returned from visiting my friend Alicia in Texas and I was not in the mood for school. I began to see changes in my daughter and things just seem to change. I always say God knew what I was about to encounter and He knew the first thing that would have suffered would be school. So I truly believe He felt I needed someone that would help me to stay on track so I wouldn't have to live with yet another regret. I believe that's how I got my BFF. How else can you explain me meeting someone who is just as determined to finish school as I am and who would be able to support what I was trying to do and provide the support throughout the trials that came my way. I had to withdraw at some point in my program but when he saw things getting back to normal, he began to inquire about me returning to school. I don't think I would have done this on my own. My BFF knew that the situation would not stay the way it was and I am forever grateful for his support and love. So grateful I married him. Well in August of 2010 I finished my Bachelor's. Then I began to consider my Master's program.
Now when I began this, a Master's degree was not in the cards. Not sure why, I was just not interested. I always thought a Bachelor's was enough. Then I looked around my workplace and noticed a lot of people had Master's degrees so I started to think that if I wanted to remain competitive, that may be the road I need to travel. Well, needless to say my BFF would be needed again because I reached a point on my job where my work hours increase to about 60+ hours a week and when I finished that job, concentrating on schoolwork was difficult because my mind was constantly thinking about the things I needed to achieve the following day on my job. I had to withdraw once again. This lasted about 6 months and honestly I would have been okay with it lasting longer. I will never forget my BFF standing over me and he said, "don't you think its about time for you to go back to school?" I was so casual. My first thought was, dang! One thing he always said, its not that he cared if I got my Master's but I should complete what I started.
Well, the other day, I received the proof that I had finally finished a life long journey and a great one at that. I look at this degree and know that about 8 years ago, I never thought this would be in my immediate future. I always knew I would go back, I just thought it would be once my children left home. I never thought I could juggle being a full-time mother, employee, student and after a while wife. I know what I have done is nothing new but knowing ME that way I do, it was an accomplishment. The entire time I went through this, my children never felt like they were being neglected, although I felt I was neglecting them. Between work and school it was hard for me to attend wrestling matches and choir concerts and other events but they didn't complain and they were happy when I achieved a milestone. I will continue to say I am truly blessed to have these young people to call my children and because they invested in my goals, I don't think twice about investing in theirs.
Peace.
TB, MSM
