Closing Chapters.

"It is never too late to be who you might have been." - George Eliot.

It's been a long journey for me, one that started back in 1994. I graduated High School class of '90 and took some time to work and make money, basically delaying the inevitable decision that had to be made: "What do you want to do?"

1994 I enrolled as a bright-eyed freshman at WVU . I had made to to Morgantown in wild and wonderful West "by God" Virginia and had no expectations of college or real life. I had come because I was clinging to some intangible sense of comfort (which I would never find).

College life and real-life overwhelmed me and was unceremoniously dropped from the program, and it was back to square 1 I went.

Fast forward four years and I attempted once again with a new school to pursue a degree. UNH in Durham New Hampshire would be my next collegiate home and history repeated itself.

Let go again and depression was becoming a good friend of mine. It did seem this path was not one I was meant to take.

Hit that fast forward button again to 2017 and life events had me re-evaluate my current employment and living situation. The reality was I had settled and become comfortable again, except this time I asked myself the question "What would I do if this was all taken away?" I had worked at a sales position for a very long time and had no other skills (to my knowledge) that could be applied to any other industry. This scared the shit out of me, and made me realize I had to do something about it. Enter online classrooms and Granite State College. I felt the need to get back into college to learn some new skills and become more relevant in future work spaces (and not feel like the only job I could do was my current one!)

End of 2018 I finally had my Associates Degree and realized my previous assessment of school was not true. This was my path and I was not a complete failure for dropping out of college twice.

September 10, 2021 was the last day of my capstone program at GSC and figuratively the last day for that chapter of my life. With the projected grade earned in that class I will have finally completed a journey that started almost 18 years ago with a Bachelor's in Science, (Magna Cum Laude).

Write Your Next Chapter.

It's with this realization that if there is something that is meant to be AND you really want it, go for it. The stumbling blocks and challenges that are thrown in your way is basically the universe reminding you that it wasn't meant to be easy and you're on the right path...you just don't know it yet. Perseverance will be your best friend if you truly want what you wish for.

My real world experience is a testimony to this fact that if you stick with it you'll achieve it. Did I do this entirely for myself? No. I did this for my parents who stated that no one on our side of the family had a collegiate degree and I'd be the first. I also wanted to get over the feeling of seeing myself as a failure and the release of that burden is more than worth its weight in gold.

You will find your own reasons for doing what you want, and ultimately it is you that has to be pleased with the outcome. We are our own harshest critic and as such should live under our own code and standards, not for anyone else.

I'm hoping this helps inspire you to keep doing what you're doing and you will see the results you're looking for. It may not be today, tomorrow or even within the year, but it will come to you. Persevere and then reap the rewards. You got this! As someone that's been there, I'll be your biggest cheerleader!

Turning the Page.

I have the feeling the sky's the limit and anything is possible. The amount of positivity, relief, happiness, etc. cannot be expressed with words alone, and cannot wait to see what experiences are going to happen next.

In the words of Adam the Woo, "Join me, shall you?"