running the race

When I was in high school I didn’t care much about making the perfect grades to get into a University. I actually didn’t even apply to Florida State because I wasn’t thinking straight and thought I would just head down the community college path and have an easier life. I was slightly jealous once friends started moving into dorms, rush, FSU id’s, all the things freshman look forward to. I received a full two year ride to TCC for a student leadership scholarship and began to feel an embarrassing pride for my school. Working with new student orientation and giving campus tours really helped me understand how a college works and saved me loads of frustration when dealing with enrollment services. I was taking 12-15 hours each semester and besides my part time job, school was my everyday. I lived near campus and spent afternoons in study labs and even hit up the 11x15 square foot gym for time to time. I chose Psychology as my major and had dreams of getting my PhD and hanging the Dr. Caroline plaque outside my practice. All those dreams changed when I found out I was pregnant.
With no intention of being astute my mom said it best when she said “You have such high goals for yourself it’s just going to be more challenging and take you a lot longer to accomplish them”. She was right; so very right. I got a full time job and took the pregnant semester off as well as the post baby semester to focus on being a mom. A regret I have is taking that fall semester off before Moses was born because I felt great throughout my pregnancy and could have knocked out a couple classes; but who knows what those first trimesters would be like so I played it safe.
This past summer I enrolled back into school taking one class at a time. I was scared at the extra responsibility after working all day, taking care of a baby at night and trying to fit studying somewhere into my day. Tomorrow I will enroll in 3 summer classes and finish out my last 2 in the fall. I’m feeling slightly crazy for taking on a “heavier” load then I’ve been used to as Mrs. Waldman, but I’m ready. I remember those days were my dreams reached higher than my abilities and accomplishment excited me. Graduation from TCC and getting an AA is a small step for most students, even a joke to some, but for me it’s a great sense of accomplishment. I.CAN.DO.THIS! The spring will bring Florida State and who knows how that will work out, but I’m willing to take on the challenge. One step at a time and I’m doing it.