Returning to School Sylvia Todd English 121 Stephanie Derisi November 18, 2012 To accomplish great things , we must dream as well as act. –Anatole France Here I am 7 years later and I am writing a paper for one of my college classes. Little did I know it would take me so long to finish what I started back then. I am going to share with you why returning to school is important to me, the benefits of getting a college degree and what motivates me to make this choice and continue to stick with it. Like everyone who decides to return to school I would like a better job, better pay and of course a college degree.
When I told my mom that I had decided to go back to school she was very proud of me and told me that I can do it as long as I tried hard enough. I want to get a better education so I can get a good job and am able to give my family the things they need as well as want. When it comes to getting an education I want to be the one to set a good example for my family. If I was able to do it all over again I would have went to college right after I graduated from school. I am willing to give up my spare time to set a good example for my family by going to college.
Like most high school seniors, I felt I knew everything I needed to pass by life. The thought of college very rarely crossed my mind so after high school all I was thinking of was all I need to do now is find a job. I quickly found out finding a job isn’t as easy as everyone who tells you. When I did think of college, I kept telling myself “I think I should take a few years off from school to find work.” Boy was that the worse idea I ever had, and now I wish I could take it all back. Unlike most high school students I didn’t attend a normal class, I felt the teacher was going too slowly at times and there was never any stress from other Students.
Others go to college with a fork in the road outlook on college. They assume they are going to fail or if they are they are going to succeed. This group of people has a fixed mindset. When I first went to college, I had a bit of both. I knew I could succeed in whatever I wanted to do with my life, but the problem was I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life.
Writing this poem allowed me to look back into those past experiences and let go. I can honestly say that until writing this paper, I was allowing my past experiences hold me emotionally hostage. When I graduated from Highline Community College and decided to attend The Evergreen State College, little did I realize how impactful this college would be; affecting my desire to express my thoughts and views about the world. The Evergreen State College opened the door to writing; a door that had been closed for a very long time. Although I hadn’t yet become comfortable writing about my past during the first few quarters of school, I enjoyed writing for academic growth.
It has helped me with the debt that I had prior to returning to school. This started off being the main reason why I decided to return to school but I saw the bigger picture and that was me getting a college degree and making a better life my children. So for me, it is all worth it in the end. While trying to pursue my degree, I know there will be many obstacles in the way such as unsupportive peers and being able to maintain good grades. Some of the strategies are to make sure I study all material as much as I can and turn all assignments in a timely manner.
But still it just wasn't enough. As I began to look for jobs that could take care of me and my nephew I discovered that I need a degree. So I started checking out different schools and comparing the prices. Then I got off track, I put it off for a few years due to other personal issues I had going on. So, 3 years later here I am, attending Ashford University working on my BS degree in Social Science and enjoying it.
These 2 pieces of the puzzle provide the ability for me to pay for school and be able to return fulltime. Personal sense of accomplishment and a new career field are the other reasons I have decided to complete my degree. I was tired of putting some college down when filling out job applications and responding to interview questions. I would like to state this degree is completed not halfway done. In addition I would be the first in my family to graduate college.
Along with that I hope to learn more about better time management in my college skills 105 class. College skills class with be a very important one because, many people including myself need better time management skills. Lastly I look forward to further sharping my skills as a writer in English 101. In this day and age writing and proper grammar seem to be a passing fad, but to be successful in today’s modern world I believe it is extremely important to maintain and further advance these skills.
I Am Returning To College ENG 121 English Composition I Instructor: Dwight Paulsen Jerry Copeland November 7, 2012 Often times I wondered what my life would have been like for a long time if I had finished college. I thought about how much advance in life I should have been. During the 1970’s there were so many distractions in my life and I was not ready for college. In this essay I want to talk about the respect, career change, ability to help people as benefits and the tranistion I made in my decision to return to college. I am proud and encouraged by my three daughters who have college degrees.