In life we often have to make decisions. Sometimes decisions are really difficult to make, like taking a job, getting married, having children, or your home security. Then there are other decisions in life that tend to be a bit easier to decide. Those types of decisions are things like what you should wear for the day, what to eat for dinner, and which shows you want to record on your DVR. Then there are the times when you feel like your decisions are made up for you. You have no other choice but to go with what is already mapped out for you and you must stick with that plan no matter what. That is what happened to me when I wanted to go back to school for my masters degree. My decision was not really a decision at all because I really only had one option. I could not go back to school.
Some people think that I just did not have enough drive or desire. You know that old saying, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” The thing is that no matter how much will I had or how much desire, my life is not set up for me to be able to return to school. Sometimes things get in the way and your choices are made for you. The things holding me back from returning to school are countless, but the main things include my student loans from my four-year degree, my jobs that help pay those loans, and the fact that I have to care for my younger siblings due to family circumstances.
When I set out to get my degree, I was the first person in my family to ever think about going to college. I was not given any help or financial aid, but I was determined that I would succeed and finish my education. While I worked part-time through school to take care of most of my expenses, college is not cheap. I had to take out loans that I am still paying on to this day.
To keep my bills current, I have to work, a lot. It is not a boring life, but it is a busy one. I work two different jobs, one full-time and one part-time. I also do some side work for small projects that help out financially. Maybe if I did not have other financial obligations like caring for my younger siblings, returning to school would work.
Alas, I will never be returning to school it seems.
