Realization

When I was in community college, I planned out my entire 2 year degree on an Excel spreadsheet according to semester. I wanted to be able to sit down, look at my class plan and know when I was going to graduate.

I'm in my mid-20's - so in reality, by now I should have a 4 year degree. I can't tell you too much about my about my real age (I have to keep my identity a secret, otherwise I wouldn't feel comfortable blogging - I have way to many nosy extended family members). I have always worked full time and taken classes part time so I could afford other things, like a new vehicle and several years ago, an apartment.

Anyway, back on topic, the idea of charting out my degree was to make myself feel comfortable about where I was going and the progress I was making. I graduated in May 2007 with my associates degree and transferred to a 4 year institution. I have been attending this college since Spring 2007, so roughly 2 years.

About 2 weeks ago I had an appointment with my academic adviser, during the appointment she helped me plan out the classes I needed to take to complete my degree. In my usual, anal retentive, have to have everything planned out attitude, I had a copy of my spreadsheet that has my classes planned out in order to graduate. My projected graduation date was May 2012. Her projected graduation date was December 2011.

Guess what? I am going with her plan.

She helped me figure out what classes I should take together, and which semester I should take the classes. To graduate by December 2011, I have to take 3 classes in the Spring and the Fall, and 1 in the Summer. It is entirely possible to do this, it will just keep me busy until December 2011. However, I am an education major, so 1 year of my degree (Spring and Fall 2011) will be me spending my days in the classroom, learning from another teacher - so I won't actually be on campus.

I was elated to find out that I could graduate in December 2011, because my car will be paid off in October 2011, so after graduation and a secure job - I can begin house shopping! Now that's exciting!

I register for classes today, and I am feeling a bit nostalgic because I hear students all over campus talking about registering for their introductory English and Math classes, and here I am registering for Junior level classes. Next year when I register for Fall 2010 classes, it will be my last semester on campus taking a seated class, I believe it might make me a bit sad. I'm sure I will have to post about it when the time comes.

I read a great quote from Theodore Roosevelt that I really liked and it reminded me that I'm putting all this hard work in to reach a goal that I have dreamed about since I was a little girl, and WOW....that was a long time ago!

Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

-BB