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Returning to School Motivations and Decisions

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Motivations and decisions on returning to school

I never thought at the age of thirty five I would be going to school, doing home work, and writing college papers. I graduated High School in June, 1995. I went to college for about a month and decided I wanted to wait a year so I could hang out with my friends. However, like a lot of others, I kept putting it off with one excuse after another. I have had many jobs in my life; the way I was looking at it back then was as long as the bills were paid that is all that mattered. In the following pages, I will discuss my motivation and decision for returning to school. I will also talk about the benefits that will follow once I get my degree. I remember when I graduated high school I had a lot of time to go to college. But I decided I would get a job and hang out with my friends, I was still living with my mom so I did not have many bills. When I was twenty-one I had my son, and at twenty- three I had my daughter. I got my own place and was a single mom of two kids for 9 years. Mentally, it was too late to even think about going back to school. It was hard enough working a full time job and taking care of my two kids; there is no way I could handle going to school. My main focus in life was my kids. I had to make sure they were taken care of. In March, 2009 I got married to a great guy. We moved in together and we both have pretty good jobs. One night we went to my mom’s house to spend some time. She was really excited to tell us that she started taking classes on line at Ashford. I was really excited for my mom. She told me that I should call and talk to Felicia; she is one of the counselors at Ashford. She said she can give me lots of information on going back to school and they are willing to work with anyone. So that night I went home and my husband and I talked about both of us going back to school because we wanted our kids to have a better life. I did not know what I wanted to go back to school for all I knew is I loved helping and working with people. I have been working with kids with developmental disability and behavioral youths for ten years really enjoy the field I am in helping youths. So after lots of thinking I called and I talked to Felicia and let her know where I was in life and what I wanted to do to further my career. Next thing I knew I was attending Ashford University online classes to get my Bachelor degree in behavioral science. After receiving my degree, I am hoping to gain employment in the field I enjoy and I think will be the most fulfilling. I really would like to be a counselor for troubled and behavioral youths helping them with addiction, such as alcohol or drugs, and abuse issues. All of these will have great benefits for the future; not only for myself but also for the people I will be helping. I enjoy helping others in any ways that I can; it raises my self esteem and makes me happy knowing I have helped someone make their life better. The past ten years I have looked at life in a different way. I didn’t care how much money I was making, all I knew is I loved my job, I loved working with youths. It is such a powerful thing watching them grow and change their lives. Some of the events things that impacted my motivation to further my education are; mainly to show my children how important a good education is, so they can have a better life then I have had. If they see their mom going to school at my age, it will help them focus on the future more and know that they can do it also. I am really going to encourage my kids to go to college as soon as they get out of high school. It is well worth it rather than waiting. The most important reason I chose to return to school is to obtain a degree so I can help troubled and behavioral youths. It is really important to me. I really enjoy helping others and seeing the joy on their faces when you help them. I know the next four years are going to be stressful at times working full time, being a full time mom and going to school, but once I receive my degree in behavioral science it will all be worth it. And I am really looking forward to my family’s future
I have discussed my motivations, reasons and the benefits of returning to school and getting my degree. I find myself excited, scared, and nervous about all of this, wondering if I can do it. Four years seems like a long time; in high school I never did do very well academically. I did just enough to be able to graduate. I am hoping that age and experience will help me learn all the things I need to. But I know that with a great support system from my family, Ashford university and by keeping my mind focused on my goals and the long term benefits to come I can do it.

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