With our youngest entering full time kindergarten just a couple of weeks ago, my life is changing pretty dramatically. I've spent the last year, praying and discerning...sometimes with a sense of excitement but mostly with the wailing and gnashing of teeth...., trying to figure out what I am meant to do in this next stage of my life.
Over time, I started to feel like returning to school to get a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling was the direction I should to go in. So, I signed up for 2 classes this Fall to get my feet wet and figure out if this is what I'm meant to do.
It's been a VERY long time since I've set foot in a college classroom. Over 21 years to be precise. To say that the experience is a little overwhelming would definitely be an understatement!
Day 1 last week, I was filled with much anxiety. I pulled into a parking lot next to the building my class was in. (Actually, it was the building that I thought my class was in, but I will get back to that in a minute!) I had to stop at the check in and I tell the "guard" I had a class in "Kelly". The guard asks me if I'm a teacher...if I wasn't so overwhelmed and confused I probably just could have gone right in. I doubt he sees many 43 yo students driving a 12 passenger van to class. Instead, I'm told several quick directions to a PARKING LOT FAR, FAR AWAY...(it really wasn't that far. A 10 minute walk)...but I had no idea where anything was and I was feeling very overwhelmed!
I took a breath and asked him to repeat the directions again. I briefly considered begging him for mercy...take pity on this 43 year old tired mama with hip bursitis and taking prednisone that hadn't started to take effect, yet. I kid you not...graduate school AND hip bursitis! God certainly has a sense of humor! Makes me feel ancient!
I found the parking lot...eventually. I did have to stop and ask an officer directing traffic for directions. I made it to a class which happened to be the wrong class. It was a mix up from the syllabus. Thankfully, I realized the mistake and made it to the correct class with a minute to spare!
I survived WEEK 1 feeling very overwhelmed and sporting a killer headache!
Week 2, I had to head into school early to get a college ID card. I had gotten the wrong information and ended up in the wrong building on the complete opposite side of campus! There was lots of traffic, too! I was worried about getting to class on time. I hopped back in the car, parked in the same lot as the week before, and I had to walk to the tip of campus. I was walking in the very hot, humid weather...grateful that the Prednisone had started working a little on my hip bursitis AND that I had taken Advil before I left just in case!...and considering all the students that were walking to and from classes around me. I could have birthed the majority of them! Quite the sobering thought!
I finally made it to where I needed to go. I was SO hot and sweaty! The college student running the counter, (who I also could have birthed), seemed a little pompous to me. At that point, I just wanted to get my ID card and go get a cold water bottle before class. (I realized I forgot my water bottle in the van and I was NOT walking all the way back to the parking lot!)
I had to take a picture for the ID card. You can imagine that it was no Glamour Shot with my red, sweaty face and disheveled hair! Gotta love humility....
I made it home that night, still feeling overwhelmed but with only a mild headache. I considered that progress!
Here's to a headache free WEEK 3!
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| Yeah...pretty much just insanity! |
