It's Never Too Late

I've had a lot of people ask me why I waited so long to go to college, well I figured it was time to share that story.

Most high school students have the desire to attend college right after graduation but there are those that simply feel burnt out from the school. 

I graduated high school at 17 and already had a full-time job. I made the promise to my parents to go to college (well to at least attempt it) and I was determined to keep that promise. I enrolled in classes and began a hellish schedule. I worked Mon-Fri 7am-5pm and attended class from 6pm-11:30pm every night. I was okay for the first few months until I realized that I was spreading myself too thin. I wasn't willing to give up my full-time job because at that point I was living with my sister and had bills of my own to pay.

I ultimately made the decision to drop out of college, let me tell you that was the most difficult decision I ever had to make but I knew it was best for me. I had feelings of guilt because I thought I was letting my parents down but all they wanted was for me to be happy. I put any idea of going back to school in the far back of my mind and continued on my working path. When Kyle and I got married I had an amazing job but opted to not transfer and settled into married life.

After a while I started to feel like I was missing something. Most of our friends had college degrees and while they never made me feel less than them I always felt like I missed out. Not so much of the college experience but the educational aspects. In 2013, Kyle came to me and told me that he was finally eligible to transfer his Post 9/11 GI Bill to me. It is an entitlement afforded to service members (they can transfer to a spouse or children) that pays for 36 months of schooling. Cue the guilt, I knew it meant an additional 4 years of service. He assured me that even if he didn't transfer the benefits he was staying in the Army. 

I bit the bullet and started school that fall. I am grateful that I waited. Looking back I realized that I just wasn't ready at 18 years old, I didn't have the drive and determination to continue school at that point. You know what?! That's ok! I didn't appreciate the process then, I didn't appreciate the work that the professors were putting in to educate me, and I didn't appreciate my time being taken up by something I wasn't happy with.

Too often I see parents forcing their kids to go to college just because that is the natural progression. Yes, we will encourage E to go but if she comes to us and says it's not for her, that's okay too. Some just aren't ready and honestly some may never be ready. It's important to encourage kids and let them choose the path they want, whatever that may be. I am so glad I waited because I proved to myself that age doesn't matter, I may have been 28 years old when I went back but all that matters is that I did and I did it on my terms.

It's never too late and you are never too old to achieve the things you want to.