Making the decison
When I dropped out of college in my Junior year, no one could believe it. In my country, and at the time, it just wasn't done unless you couldn't afford to go, or you kept getting failing grades, or you got pregnant. I didn't fall in any of those categories. In my case, I just had enough!
My decision to go back came when I was married and had my first son. He had started preschool and I was trying to find work to help with the expenses. It's difficult here in the Philippines to get a good job if you have no college degree. But that wasn't the only thing that prompted me to go back. I did manage to earn a living because I was an artist and a crafter, but I after being home all the time, I felt I needed to be part of the world again. I wanted to go beyond the nursery rhymes and children's books and to have adult conversation with other people!
It was a huge step and I was very insecure about having to take an entrance exam. My husband actually got practice tests for me to work on just to build my confidence. When I did get in, my other hurdle was adjusting to being with students much younger than I was. I was 29 and I had a classmate who was 16! Most of them were 17 or 18, but that was not much help.
One of the best things about it, though, is that when you go back and you're older, you're more focused. I was over the angst and insecurities that came with being an adolescent or young adult. I had a purpose and I stuck to it. It also helped that my husband, my son, my sisters, and my parents were behind me all the way. Even my cousin from the US helped me with my research later on when I had to do my thesis.
The first step is always the hardest. It's not easy to step into a whole new world and adapt after years of being a wife and mother. It's also not easy sailing because you're adding another hat to your collection and you want to be able to wear them all with ease. A sense of humor goes a long way too. In the end, though, nothing beats that feeling of accomplishment and a new sense of self-esteem.
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08-30-2006, 05:53 PM
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