*ahem*
I could probably direct you to my Month of 30 Series that I did when I was turning 30, and that would probably give you a good idea of just how familiar I am with mistakes.
But!
I don't let my mistakes define me. I learn from them and move on. It took me a long time to realize that. Once I was able to realize it, I could get through screw-ups and let-downs a lot easier.
With that being said, I do have one mistake that I made, but that I no longer regret, because I am on the other side of that now. I realize what it had to teach me. I needed all those lessons to get me to where I am today.
My mistake?
I went to college straight out of high school.
(I'll give you a minute to let that sink in...)
...
Yes, me the certified English teacher who is supposed to influence teenagers in a positive manner, regrets going to college straight out of high school.
Why?
I wasn't ready. I was not prepared intellectually or emotionally. I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I chose Business. HA! Me? Business? Far from it.
I flunked out of college in the time it would have taken me to get a degree.
I was trying to get a degree when I wasn't even feeling my life. I couldn't function. I couldn't stand to be in public. I would go to class and duck out halfway through or not go at all. I half-assed my assignments and couldn't retain any kind of information.
I used to think I had wasted those four years of my life.
In reality, I needed those four years to learn what not to do in regards to my education.
It may have taken me ten years to get my simple Bachelor's degree, but by God, I got it.
And I learned valuable lessons you can't learn in a classroom.
We're soul mates! It took me about 11 years, 3 schools, and 4 majors to get my BA. I'm smart, but I was not mentally or socially prepared to move away and go to a large, private university. I was miserable and alone and it took years of hard work at a community college to get my GPA back up so I could transfer to a university and finally graduate! It felt soo good to finally walk across that stage, no matter how long it took. All the hard work was worth it! I feel much more prepared for when I have kids and how I can help them be successful.
ReplyDeleteOh my! We ARE soul mates! I did 10 years, 4 schools (one twice) and 3 majors before I got my BA. I just wasn't ready. I had students come to me when I was student teaching explaining to me how they didn't think they were ready to go to college and I had an honest conversation with them about my journey. Some were just having cold feet, others, they weren't ready. I'd like to think I saved them somewhat. It is hard to go to college when you feel like it is what you SHOULD do after high school and then be completely devastated when you struggle so badly you flunk out. It took me a long time to wrap my head around the devastation part. I just hoped I saved a few kids from making my same mistake. I hope.
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