A Different Kind of Student

My life has been a wide array of changes in careers. So far, I have been a mall employee (10th grade through college), a wife (42 years now), a mom of three (41 years), a preschool teacher (one summer), elementary school teacher (5 years), a youth director (17.5 years), a counselor (almost 10 years), and a blogger (brand new to this game). Most of these jobs were not just a few months here and there. Each one represents a pretty long time, especially the wife and mom careers, which have been the most joyful and the longest.

In my most current place in life I am a full-time counselor with a small private practice. It is demanding and rewarding work that I feel privileged to get to do.

I have been to college several times in my life for additional degrees or to take courses to renew a license/certificate. One year I enrolled at our local community college to take a course necessary for renewing my Florida teaching license. In order to be a student you were required to attend a four hour orientation session. At that time I was working weekends as a youth director and a full-time momma during the week. We didn’t have money for me to pay for childcare so I took our youngest son to the orientation with me. Frankly, I was hoping that once they saw a small child they would dismiss me and realize every student isn’t a naïve 18 year old. No such luck. I signed in and my son and I took our seats in the big auditorium.

My son was about 2 years old and armed with a backpack full of toys, snacks, and juice boxes. I sat in an aisle seat, for quick exit, and he sat on the floor next to me and dumped out all his stuff. The ‘regular’ students around me oooed and awed at him and I am certain many of them rethought their current birth control plans.

Soon, a well-intentioned student walked to the podium with a huge smile on her face and shouted, “Welcome students! We’re so excited you’ve chosen us and we’re sure your future will be bright with a degree from TCC!” She was wearing a polo shirt bearing the school logo and was so freaking excited it made me a little nauseous.

My son played on the floor and I listened while person after person stood at the podium and told me how to be part of their student government, where to purchase my books, being careful about STD’s, the importance of actually showing up to class, and lots of other stuff aimed at someone far younger than my 37 years!

Not pictured: toddler with backpack

After about an hour, I had had enough. I helped my son repack his little backpack and we walked to the back of the room planning to make a quiet and quick escape from this silliness. I had already signed in on arrival and hoped this was enough to allow me to be a student. We were almost at the exit when another well-intentioned student stopped me saying, “Excuse me. Excuse me, ma’am? You can’t leave. If you leave early we cannot sign your form and you won’t be able to take classes.” Now, I know this kid was simply doing her job but come on! I took a deep breath, while my 2 year old son was pulling on my arm saying, “Mom, c’mon, let’s go!” I looked at this sweet little girl-child-student and said, “Look at me. I’m old enough to be your mother. I have no intention of joining a sorority, having sex with a minor, or over-throwing your little student government. I need a class for continuing education. That is all.” The girl-child-student stared at me in disbelief as I continued on. “You’re going to sign my form, check my name off of your attendance list, and tell no one about this conversation.”

Silly rules have never stopped me. After completing that class and renewing my teaching license, I took a break from education for awhile, then returned to college again when I was 45 spending two years working towards a MS/EdS in counseling at Florida State University – Go ‘Noles’ – and then opening my office where I work daily. I’ve always enjoyed going to school so returning at 45 was not a big thing to me. Plus, I’d be on the same campus as my beautiful daughter and we’d get to have lunch occasionally. No, I did not go to her dorm, join the SGA, or a sorority. I went to class everyday, did my homework after my full-time job as a youth director, and learned lots of interesting stuff.

Why am I telling you all this stuff? Because I am a big believer that every single person is capable of so much more – including me – and we have so many opportunities to do things that make a difference.

Is it hard? Yes.

Expensive? Sometimes.

Frustrating? Of course.

Worth it? ABSOLUTELY!

No matter what your age, no matter your circumstances you can do things that make the world a better place. Whether it is going back to school, serving dinner at a shelter, reading to a child, holding a door for someone, or (fill in the blank)__________________.

The time is now.

The place is here.

The person is you.