College

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.