Personal Narrative: Moving Back To School

Returning to college, after graduating high school twenty-five years earlier, proved to be not only rewarding quite challenging as well. Viewing myself as a self-starter with extensive investigative skills I truly believed college path mapped out correctly, so I never met with an advisor, what a colossal mistake! I had self-scheduled all my courses and although I faced a few obstacles I was finally at the end. After completion of all my pre-requisites I applied to the LPN-RN Fast Track Program, little did I know my past would stop me dead in my tracks.

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

Coming to school every day as a tenth grader was exciting, but it can get very annoying at times. I had to overcome many challenges to make it this far. Generally, freshman year was a year of change. One of the greatest things I learned as I reached sophomore year, was not to procrastinate.

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.

Coming back to school after being away for 17 years has been one of the most emotionally taxing endeavors I've experienced. My career experience was working in the quality control field. Being apart of the industry was very satisfying until the point in which the 2008 recession hit. Having to go through the uncertainty of being laid off and the frustration of trying to reenter the work force with only a high school diploma brought into focus that I needed to finish the bachelor degree I had started. While attempting to find gainful employment I took the opportunity to begin the process of transferring to a school here in California. I had originally started my degree in Lincoln, Nebraska, but moved out to California with my significant other.

Times were tough when I was 8 years old. However, it was at this time that my mum decided that it would be best for us to move out from our house and change my schools. An obnoxious bar just completed construction across the road and the presence of such homeless and corrupt men would only hinder my growth. That is what my single mum, that had to look after me and my two sisters, thought. But then again, who would think that living in downtown alleyways would be a promising idea for a single mum with three kids.

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

To know how much I have changed over the years, you should know how I was before I went to public school. I was a sheltered homeschooler, and I had very bad social skills. My parents knew this and that is part of the reason I’m at Remington. The other part is because math sucks. So let me start from the beginning of the story.

The hum of fans, the spinning of the disk in its tray. Sitting on my soccer ball beanbag chair that I got for my 11th birthday with a controller in my hands. As a kid, in Washington state, on school days we were not allowed to play video games during the week. Summer was the break from school and the time for lots and I mean lots of video games.  Before I could hit that power button, I had to do something I despised, hated, and avoided like it was the plague. I… had… to… read.

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

It all started on a Friday the day I got off for spring break. I had just got home from school and I had went up to my room to get on my IPad and texting my friends to hang out with some friends. Then, around 4:00 my parents had come up to my room all happy and excited to tell me the greatest news ever. Then, they say, “We are moving to Findlay.” At first, I thought they were joking, but then they keep saying they were not joking about anything and I really just didn’t know what to say about this. I started to ask why we would ever move away and they said “your father got a job transfer.” Then I started to think about it and I just didn’t want to do this at all. Then for the rest of the day I just sat up in my room trying not to think about

First day of sixth grade is a very big and exciting day for everyone. But, for me it was a day that I was not ready for . Over the summer of 2013 I moved from Orlando and I knew that I would be miserable. The next three years of my life would create the foundation I would have for the rest of years to come. Going to a new school, with new people, in a new town is something that nobody looks forward to. But what I was most afraid of were the “cliques”.

Growing up in Austin, Texas, encountering an abounding amount of different beliefs and experienced people happens periodically; Considering my family and I moved frequently from house to house. For the majority of my life I have moved from school to school, and city to city. Not only was moving annoying but it was one of the hardest situations I have been through in my life. I have changed schools multiple times, some experienced turning out better than others. At one school I resembled a astute student that everyone wanted to partner up with, while at another keeping up and learning was arduous due to the briskness lessons were being taught. In high school, I was enrolled in multiple classes that involved working in teams. One of these classes

This is my last week at my site and it has been a great experience that has allowed me to grow and has given me the opportunity to learn skills specific to my school that I will be working at next year. This makes me feel confident in preparing for next year. On the other hand, I was reflecting on all of the things that I have to do to prep for next year over the summer because I want to make sure I hit the ground running when the students return to school. Thinking about all of those things makes it seem a little daunting, but I know I will take it all in stride. One way I am overcoming this overwhelming feeling is by focusing on one item at a time and completing that task and then it is crossed off. For instance, I have created my digital