Tricky and Over Done

Going back to school to obtain your masters degree is a challenging, yet rewarding goal.  First and foremost, your earning potential greatly increases.  In addition, your opportunities for advancement increase.  And if you’re lucky enough to work for an employer who will help pay for the tuition, then why not?  Well… going back to school can be tricky… and it can be over done.

In 1979 I left San Diego for BYU in Provo, Utah to begin my college education.  Although I thoroughly enjoyed the change in climate… I became directionally impaired without the ocean as my compass.  My goal was to obtain a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education and become a PE teacher who was not overweight and out of shape.  All in all my first semester went very smoothly aside from an annoying cough I had acquired.  During Christmas break, it became apparent that I was too sick to return to Utah.  This is where “going back to school” became a profession. 

I transferred to UCSD for the following semester.  A beautiful campus and I managed to complete another semester before taking another break.  This time I was out for a year… a year of doctors and hospitals.  But after the year I was good to go… and back to school I went.

I flew west to one of my best friends… and the BYU Hawaii campus.  I changed my major to Recreation Management because I was unable to maintain the physical requirements to be a PE major.  This change in major allowed me to take… among other things… hula and basket weaving.  Both fulfilled requirements for a Recreation Management major, however, when you take classes of this caliber you are expected to ace them.  I managed a 4.0 with this daunting schedule… both semesters. 

I then returned to BYU Provo and put another year under my belt. 

Then a serious detour from my college education… but one of the best decisions I’ve ever made… I got married.  Naturally, children followed and my degree was getting farther and farther from reach.  I did attempt one last going back to college at Weber University in Ogden, Utah.  Once again, I changed my major.  I chose Communications and Public Relations which seemed more applicable to my life.

So my goal of obtaining a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education has been a journey of twists and turns, taking breaks and going  back.  I don’t miss being a PE teacher.  I was one.  I satisfied that dream by raising seven extremely active children.  I have completed enough time as Mom managing recreation for these same children.  But now as I delve into the public speaking arena… I must admit that a Communications and Public Relations degree would prove helpful.  And I’m only one year away.

The newspaper had a picture of a 93 year old woman who had just recently graduated from Weber State University.  At 50, I’m a little over half her age.  Maybe I could go back to college and finish up.  And while I’m there I might as well get that Masters Degree.  Maybe I will.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for a full time MBA school and was compensated, however, the views and opinions are my own.

Due Tomorrow

It’s time for bed, and your child asks if you have a poster board for a school project.  To which you reply, “I’ll pick up one tomorrow”.  And then your child gives you the all too familiar, “But it’s due tomorrow.”

I have seven children so we have experienced “due tomorrow” a lot.  But no matter how inconvenient it is, or how frustrating it can be, those nights have always turned out to be some of the best memories that we still laugh about today.

We’ve had to run to the library, in our pajamas, with hopes of gathering enough information for a report… due tomorrow.  We’ve had the whole family up half the night in the backyard trying to make a catapult… due tomorrow.  We have had a son write an entire semester worth of poems in one night!  We have even done a complete science fair project the night before.  After trying to make my daughter understand that you can not just whip together a science fair project… after dinner… for the next morning…she won!  No lesson about the consequences of procrastination there.

I have often contemplated that I could make a fortune carrying project, report, and science fair supplies in my home.  Just stop on buy and pick up that poster board, glue stick, or report cover.  Come on buy to print those color pictures!  Pick up two live plants which have been growing with rock music playing in the background, and two plants that have been growing with classical music playing.  Sold complete with a science fair board!  Open 24 hours!  I would clean up!

My youngest and I had a “due tomorrow” moment last night.  A project that she had known about for the past two weeks had to be completed… tonight.  It was a sort of getting to know you theme.  She had to find a way to display items that would describe her values, goals, wants, and needs.  It included a one page paper explaining each of the items.  In an effort to be creative (and not have to run to the store) I had a bag from our favorite chocolate store, which does describe her wants.  She began pinning and taping things that were all about her.  She had her name tag from Baskin Robbins showing where she worked.  A playbill to show how she loved theatre.  Ticket stubs from her favorite concerts.

I finished cleaning the kitchen and was off to bed.  I had just laid down when she asked me to please come proof read her paper.  Exhausted and blurry eyed I came out to the computer and started reading.  My name is… I work at Baskin Robbins… I value my religion… my goals include going to college… I want to pursue theatre… And… I need my Mom.  Tears came to my eyes as I saw taped to the middle of the bag was a picture of me.  I need my Mom.

You raise your kids to be able to be independent and take care of themselves one day, but if you’re a Mom, there is nothing sweeter than…  I need my Mom. 

On my list of needs?  I need her too.

Once again, our night of panic, because it is due tomorrow, turns out to be somuchmore than a project.