Personal Narrative: Coming Back To School Here In California

My decision to go back to school in the fall of 2012 was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I’m a stay at home mom of 4 boys with 2 of them being special needs. My oldest was born with a rare genetic condition called hereditary spastic paraplegia and my youngest son was born with a rare condition called Dravet Syndrome that requires 24/7 care. I was at a point in my life where I had lost my identity of who I was and I wanted to be me again. I made that important decision to go back to school for myself with the fear of how I was going to do it, but I knew that it was right. It took me 3 years to complete my AS but with the support of my husband and kids I was able to receive my degree. I worked hard and was able to juggle being

I really enjoy doing my homework and learning but, I hate going to school to learn and get my homework. I moved to Vermont after eighth grade because my father got to move higher up at work. I don't know a lot about his job but, I didn't have a say. Back at home in Mississippi I didn't have a lot of friends. I had one named Lucy but when I told her I was going to move she said we weren't friends anymore. I'm starting high school now and I'm so scared to start over again. I love my new room the view is very pretty but, tonight I hate it because tomorrow is my first day of school.

I started to work as a waitress at very young age. I stopped receiving education because my grades at school were not good and studying seemed to be boring. Working in my twenties appeared to be more adventurous and full of promises. As the time passed by, my routine at work turned out to be a nuisance. I was feeling empty inside without knowing the reason. As my level of expertise in the catering business was growing, the idea of starting up a restaurant on my own was beginning to take shape. I believed to know how to handle a business but I was missing all the technicalities. Getting back to school was a good alternative though I did not feel ready.

Throughout High School I thought I was proficient in reading and writing in my English classes, from freshman year to senior year English classes were easy and felt I could transition my confidence to community college after graduation until I took the English assessment exam and failed in the spring of 2012. Failing my entrance exam was devastating and I refused to accept my results, I waited two academic year before I can appeal to retest my English entrance exam and after weeks of waiting I was approved to retest. After I retest the results were the same, I was placed in remedial English not only was I devastated again but I personally felt worthless. I did not know what was wrong with my reading and writing but I had no choice to enroll

After recently graduating from Fullerton College with two associate degrees in psychology, I could have not accomplished this goal all by myself without the proper guidance that I received from EOPS and FYSI at the time. These programs were established to support former foster youth at Fullerton College in their education as long as they met all the conditions for each semester. As a result, this was valuable for me during my time as a community college student, allowing me to guarantee that I would finish all my requirements on time to transfer to a good university, and becoming more involved with the campus each semester. That being said, this is one of the main reasons as to why I am applying to your program, so I could receive the support

In 2014 when I decided to go back to my local community college I was told that I would have to retake my math class. My goal was to pass this class and to be able to move forward in my studies. This is something that was very hard for me to complete when it was placed in front of me because it was by far my weakest subject in high school without a doubt and that was back in 2008 when it was somewhat fresh on my mind. This was now six years later and to be honest I really had no idea how I was going to complete this class. Which made me feel very defeated I felt as if there was no one for me to move forward because of the roadblock.

Returning to college has been a prodigious challenge. One in which I determined I would meet head on with resolution. As a fine arts student I was fortunate to find a mentor in the Paradise Valley Community College Theater Director, Andrea Robertson. Andrea perceived potential in me and encouraged pursuit my goals as a writer/director. I took the initiative to approach Andrea with the idea to write and direct my own play in the Advanced Directing course. This past fall that idea came into fruition. As a director I oversaw numerous different areas in the production of my play. These were roles filled by fellow students, allowing the opportunity to provide guidance and leadership to peers. I worked with actors, stage management, set design, prop

It is pretty cool that you had the same teacher for three years and that you liked her. It is nice to be reminded that there are teachers who care so much about their students and it is sweet that she wrote you letters over summer break. She is definitely a teacher that leaves a memorable impression on her students. It is too bad that college was a lot more difficult than you expected, but congratulations on deciding to go back and finish. I honestly do not know if I would be able to go back to school after stopping, however, maybe after discovering that I need an education in order to move up in my career then possibly my opinion would be different. I agree that this program is a lot of work, yet there is no doubt that it pays off.

After sitting at the same desk for three years, I figured I was beyond seeing anything new. I was wrong. After that third year I saw a lot more than I thought I would. I went up to high school and everything was so much different. The grades were harder, the assignments were harder and the teachers were harder.

It’s never too late. These are words I whole heartedly believe. A year and a half ago I decided to go back school to study nursing. Coincidentally, a week after I enrolled in classes I found out I was ten weeks pregnant. As any woman would I had my doubts about whether I could handle going to school and now being pregnant. But then I thought, I now had even more of a reason to go back. I would soon have a child who would be looking up to me. I wanted to be able to set a good example for them. I started attending classes in the fall as a part time student. Considering I had not been in school for over ten years the transition was a lot easier than I had thought it would be. My teachers were nice as well as my classmates. I finished a semester

I made the personal choice to come back to school, based on an injury; that happened in winter of, 2015-2016. It was a decision that was made because of talking to a University I wanted to go to. I was told, it was my best route to return to Halton to upgrade my marks, and apply when I finish my upgrading. The decision was also made on something I thought I wanted to do a long time ago, back in high school. In high school, I went a different path in college, and with the injury, I was able to return to the path I wanted to take. Plus I learned, I now have the maturity and, confidence to go into the program, I originally wanted. Plus some of my past education brought me back to this path for success.

“Vandi, what was it like coming to America?” I looked up to see my friend Carson staring at me intently, his eyes big blue eyes full of wonder, his blonde hair shining under fluorescent lighting. Suddenly, I was self conscious about my dark skin and eyes.

I was laying on my fluffy bed thinking about what I should do before going back to “uh” school. I absolutely despise going to school from everyone not liking me to rules and directions and, my super popular older brother and sister Heacter and Winter. What made it worse was that Then I remembered that there were posters all over school before spring break saying that there was going to be a party today across town at 4pm. I rolled over to see that my clock yelling 3:30pm and, that I needed to go. I realised that there was no way I was going to make it in time and, being two hours late would not work out. There was only one thing that I could do. I ran all over the house until I found Heacter and Winter.

One day, I was getting ready to start school back and I got a phone call from the school. The school said from now on school is going to be one and half hours longer a day. I started freaking out and thinking about how much later I'll get home and stuff. I told my mom and dad I didn't want it to happen and they said it will be okay and I thought to myself how I might get school over with early.

The journey that has taken place over this past term has served to enlighten me at a number of different levels. I feel that I am reflective of the many adult students who have added to the list of everything else they have to do on a daily basis the commitment to further my education. This has not been an easy path for me and often finds both my family and me making sacrifices. The hope is that I will better myself and improve my career plans. I also feel the decision to return to school serves as a good example for my children. However, there have been costs that have been paid for this ambition. At the forefront has been both my mental and physical health. For a long time, dinner happened late into the evening and exercise consisted of lifting