That Old College Try

So here we go with another one of the love letters that I have been writing.

Did you go to college or take vocational training? What, when & where?

Sure enough I did go to college...four of them to be exact. I started in the fall of 1994. We moved (back) to Snyder after I had graduated from high school in Midland. All of my desires and hopes and plans for college got changed a bit that year. First I thought I would go to Midland College, since I was a graduate from a local area school, I would be able to go for basically free for those first two years. Well with moving that changed. Also, as a senior I really put a lot of thought into going to a place like Howard Payne in Brownwood. Well being a private school, that didn't exactly work out for me.

So once it was clear that neither of those were going to happen, and I hadn't really looked into much of anywhere else, it became clear that the best place to go would be WTC (Western Texas College) in Snyder. It was cheap and it was local. So in the fall of 1994, I started my college career there as a drama major. After the first semester I decided that I would sit out a semester...this became a running theme for me.

So in the fall of 1995, I started back to WTC really undecided, but leaning toward the idea of coaching. It was ok and I stayed there for two semesters trying to get all of my basics out of the way. Well I was also trying to decide where to go next. So after three semesters at WTC, I finally transfered to WTAMU (West Texas A&M University) in Canyon, TX.

I decided to go here based mainly on the fact that they had a Wesley Foundation (Methodist Campus Ministry) where I could be an active part of ministry that was happening. I also went there with the intention of finding a wife I'll admit, and I figured that the Wesley would be a good place to find one. I started again in the fall of 1996, and quickly decided to be an Elementary Ed. major. It would be good to fall back on, and hey, there were tons of girls in this field, so that was a bonus.

After two semesters of that, I changed to being a communications major. I did this for two semesters as well, and then I got married in the fall of 1998. So I then sat out the Spring of 1999, and went back to WT in the fall of 1999 for two more semesters. After the spring of 2000, we moved to Colorado City and I was too far away to finish at WT. So I once again sat out for about 5 semesters.

I then went back to Angelo State University in San Angelo starting in the fall of 2003. I went here for three years and finally graduated in May of 2006. During that time I drove from Sweetwater to San Angelo at least twice a week for those three years. Also, while I was at ASU I started taking online classes through Midland College (is that full circle?) to get my Spanish credits done.

So, for those who are counting, I started in the fall of 1994, and ended in the spring 2006. That is almost 12 years of going to college alone...nearly as long as what I went to elementary, junior high and high school. It was insane, and not really the best way to do it. Granted, I did take off a couple of semesters, and I got married and I had two children during that time. Still, do it all at once if you can, it makes it much easier.

A few of the things that I did learn along the way:

1) Go to class...seriously it is a huge help.

2) Do the work you're supposed to do.

3) Don't take off too many semesters if you don't have to.

4) Don't change your major every couple of semesters.

That's about it. Peace and Love y'all.