The prompt from the highly intelligent wordsmiths from the daily post at word press is “Decisions, Decisions”. Yes I am aware many colleges are starting their fall term here in the United States right now, but those decisions should have been made a long time before it is time to actually start the enrollment process!
Remember when you were little? What job did you always dream of holding down when you grew up? For me, I wanted to be an astronaut. Figured I should pursue a career in aerospace engineering, to further that goal. Dug into my dream career in high school a little more and to hold the position I wanted on the shuttle crew, I would need to join the U.S. Air Force. At the end of my junior year in high school, had a military recruiter promise to get me an appointment to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs but because of my young age (entered kindergarten when I was only four years old) my parents would have to sign the paperwork to agree to let me in.
My parents refused to sign, so I lost that appointment and chance to go to school free of charge. Had to find another way to fund my college career. Won a full ride scholarship to Southwest Missouri State University due to my academics while in high school.
Was used to working as a full time hired hand on our family farm while growing up, but my parents told me not to get a job while I was in college. Here I was, over six hours away from home, all alone with extra time on my hands. The course load I had chosen was much harder than anything I had experienced so far in my sheltered little life. At the age of 17, developed a drinking problem.
Took over a year of steady drinking for me to catch on to what was happening in my life. Two of my college friends and I were drinking basically every day. Started out with rum and coke, but ended up just going with straight rum. Knew my father’s side of the family couldn’t have a decent time without the addition of an alcoholic beverage, but come to find out my mother’s side had the same problem! My best computer coding required the addition of alcohol! Lost my scholarship after my freshman year, because my grades had slipped too far. That and I had found out I could never become an astronaut because of my lack of height. (Only five feet one inch tall. Needed to be at least five feet four inches,)
Returned to go to summer school to try to get my grades back up. Got a job as a dorm night shift front desk attendant over the summer. Switched to a better dorm and got a job as a front desk attendant there. About half way through the year, went back home to get some of the things I had left there like my vanity, bed, dresser, and my parents gave me their car so I could try to find a better job. Came across some pictures on my camera that I had no idea who had taken them or who was involved. That sobered me up really quick . Spring break my sophomore year all my suite mates left for the long weekend.
I dumped away every last drop of alcohol down the drain. Then went to work cleaning up our suite. Threw empty boxes, bottles, every reminder I could find of the mess I’d let my life become. Then my body started going through withdrawal. Glad there was no one else that needed the bathroom as much as I was throwing up! By the time my roommate had made it back to the dorms, the worst of the shakes was over.
She was able to let me know who was there when the pictures had been taken. My greatest fear, that I had changed clothes in the same room with the guys never happened. I had came back to our room and changed clothes alone in the bathroom! Was an extremely long year! Lost my scholarship, conquered my drinking problems, and was forced to grow up.
Saint P. Blogging 