College.
Has it really
been 2 ½ years since I started? Goodness, but time flies.
As I come to
the close of my college life (well at least at Kirkwood, who knows about
anything more at this point), I find myself reflecting on all that has been my
life these past semesters. Oh you don’t measure your life by semesters? Huh. J
I can
honestly say that college was nothing like what I had thought it would be.
It was more. It
was less.
I learned so
much at Kirkwood. The greatest lesson I learned is that I have so much to be
thankful for. Taking classes that pertain to the Social Work field opened my
eyes to what a gift my up-bringing has been. People are messed up. They are,
and most of the time it is because they didn’t have a solid foundation to start
their life with. Things I have like two parents, friends, and a solid, loving
church are often missing in other people’s lives. I have been given so much. So
thank you Mom and Dad. Thank you for instilling in me the importance of church
and community. I never really appreciated it until I went to college.
I also
learned plenty of things I had no desire to learn. We won’t go into those…
College also
taught me a lot about myself. Ideas I had going into college have since been shattered.
Take for instance the idea that if you just get married and have a family soon
after high school you are wasting your life. Instead I thought that you needed
to get out and experience the world, go into voluntary service, or better yet
go to college. Now each of those things are well worth it and do have their
place, but where I once encouraged other girls to go to school and “do
something” with their life, I hold back a little more. To the girls I used to
scoff and scorn when they got engaged or married, I’m sorry. I didn’t value
your choices. Please understand that this does not mean that I don’t think girls
should get out and see the world and gain an appreciation for other cultures.
Opposite in fact. Do all of those things and more. Just don’t do as I did and
place little to no value on the girls that stayed home and worked. And got
married. And had babies. Sometimes I envy you. Especially when my student
loans come due.
Recently, I
took a job as a Secretary at a local business and people have looked at me and
said, “You went to college just to be a secretary?” No. Yes. I don’t know. I
told everyone I was going for Social Work. I was. I got part way there. I have
my degree in Human Services. I put a lot of hard work into that degree. I don’t
regret it. I just sometimes wish that it wouldn’t have taken going to college
to learn some of the lessons I did, but it did. But I’m thankful I’ve learned
them. I may go back and finish someday. Just not this year. Maybe never. And
that’s ok. I’ve learned that I sometimes it just takes swallowing my pride and
admitting that I don’t have everything figured out. But I’m thankful for my
journey and to be honest I’m really excited where life is going to take me now
that I’m done with Kirkwood.
So long
Kwood. It’s been real.
