College...GRADUATE?!?!

It doesn't seem possible to be that in 5 very short months, I will be a college graduate! Granted, I still have a lot more schooling left afterwards, but still...one degree will be done and over with and in my possession...finally!


I remember moving out of my parent's house at the tender age of 17, a few months after I graduated high school, and living in the dorm son campus at a college close to home. I was young, naive, scared, excited, and on my way to falling in love (yes, with Frank). I ended up dropping out of college a month or two later, because I was nowhere near ready for college and the commitment that came with it at that age. I moved back home to my parent's house, worked for a while, and lived the "adult" life of coming and going and hanging with friends and not having many worries in the world. I moved in with Frank on my 18th birthday, and though we struggled for a while, we managed. When we were finally somewhat settled a year or so later, I enrolled in my first semester at my local community college. I was going part time, for an Associate's in Human Services, and my plan was to then continue on to a Bachelor's in Social Work. I wanted to help foster children like myself, and give them the love and support I lacked from my social workers. Of course there were the semesters that I took off while I was pregnant with the twins, after I had the twins, and when I was pregnant with Mason, and of course when he was born, so a 2 year Associate's Degree has actually taken me 6 years to complete. But that's the beauty of community college. There really is no rush, you can work at your own pace, and it's so worth it! The other beauty if I have done the majority of my work with online classes, so college hasn't gotten in my way of being a stay at home mother, which is my top priority and first dream come true.


Back in the spring of this year, I switched my major to be an Associate's in Liberal Studies, which covers a broad range of topics, so that I can continue on to a Bachelor's in Nursing. Not only is  nursing a well paying field, but it's so very rewarding, it's guaranteed work no matter where you live, and for me, it will be fun! I realized I wanted to do this line of work after Mason was born, because I want to help in the labor and delivery of babies. Years down the road, I am considering going to medical school for OB-GYN, or midwifery school. But that's a whole other story altogether......


So, I will hold my first degree in my hands in December of this year. This fall, I will be taking my last CCV course, my Senior Seminar in Educational Inquiry. It's my huge culmination thesis class/project/paper to finalize my time at the Community College of Vermont. My plan for afterwards is to transfer to the college I attended at the age of 17, Johnson State College, about 10 minutes from where we live. There, I will be completing my Bachelor's degree in Wellness and Alternative Medicine. That will take me only 2 years if I go full time, or about 3ish if I go part time. After that is completely, I will then apply for a nursing program at Vermont Technical College, about an hour from me. It's the most popular and competitive nursing programs in Vermont, because it's shorter. The first year is for an LPN (Licensed Practical Nursing) and the second year is the actual RN degree. Since it is much shorter than your average nursing program, it's much much more intense and hands on, but it will be beyond worth it! So, when all is said and done, I will have my Bachelor's in Nursing, and by that time, I will be ready to head back into the working world, as all 4 (we are planning number 4 as we speak!!) children will be in regular school, freeing up a lot of time for me to get back to work.


I think my plan is a great one, and I cannot wait to get started! I cannot believe I have come so far, and I look forward to the next journey!