Monday, February 23, 2009

Winning

Some people thrive under pressure. I, for one, want to take a nap when I start getting stressed out. Well... ok.. you got me, I just want to take a nap all the time. Shiloh still doesn't sleep through the night. Some day when she does sleep through the whole night there will be a party thrown in honor of the rare full night's sleep. I know Tara knows what I'm talking about.

I've decided to become educated. I would say I've been educated before, but having 5 kids in 6 years may or may not have done enough brain damage to remove the previous education.. I'm not sure yet. I suppose we'll find out as I study. Either way, I do not have any college education.

Last November was momentous for me because I actually chose a field that I would want to earn a degree in. That was a big problem for me when I graduated from high school. I just couldn't decide what would be worth studying. I don't know if this was because I thought I should be certain before footing the bill for my own college education, or if it was because I graduated at 17 and I wasn't ready to make that choice, or if it was because I thought (at that time) college was overrated.

In any case, I learned about CollegePlus! a coaching system that helps you achieve your bachelor's degree in less time, which is good considering how old I am to be starting at the beginning of this degree thing. After I earn my bachelor's I plan to apply to Graduate school in my home city here to study Physical Therapy.

Yeah. I know. It's a long road even without 5 kids. But it will be worth it. I'm very excited.

Anyway, CollegePlus! was having an essay contest in which your essay would win a scholarship for a year of free tuition if selected. I immediately started doing my research and put together a few different outlines based on different thesis statements. I started working on a rough draft and was doodling at it from night to night. My sister, a graduating English major, was going to proof it for me when I was finished.

Then... the pressure. Wednesday I got an e-mail at 10 pm reminding me the essay was due at midnight. WHAT?! I thought for sure I had read it to mean it wasn't due for another week after that. I panicked. I wasn't ready. I wasn't going to be able to have my sister proof read it. It was going to be rushed, not how I wanted it, and I was not confident.

At 10 pm the answer seemed obvious "Go to bed. You won't do a good enough job to win." Then some stubborn part of me thought, if I don't even try.. of course I won't win. As my late grandmother always used to say "You got to be in it to win it!" So, I polished it off and sent it in with a few minutes to spare.

Guess what? I didn't win. But I was SO PROUD of myself for not giving up. That the pressure came and I pressed on. And while I didn't win, they said they were very pleased with my essay and the research done and offered me a small discount off my tuition.

All in all, I felt like a winner.

1 comment:

Shawn said...

Kate,

Thanks for mentioning CollegePlus! and for the link. We appreciate anyone who takes the time to spread the word, especially our blogger friends!

Sincerely,
Shawn Cohen
Collegeplus Public Relations
866.989.5432