Completing my bachelor’s degree would be easy, or so I thought. It was more difficult than I expected. Graduating from UMass Dartmouth in 2014 is one of the accomplishments I am most proud of.
Part of my challenge in returning to school was picking a major. Wanting to be practical, I thought about following my interests in marketing and public relations. Although, I found economics interesting, accounting and statistics were very challenging. Fortunately, it didn’t take me long to realize that a business major wasn’t for me.
I’d wanted to be a writer since I was young. I found Nancy Drew Mysteries fun to read. The books took up a whole shelf on my bookcase. I imagined that writing a book was like making a puzzle. The author would bring the reader along with clues leading to the conclusion.
I remembered my childhood dream of becoming a writer. Could I really pursue it? Would it be worth it? Did I have what it takes to complete the requirements of an English major?
This dream was pushed aside for many years.
I decided to pursue an English major. One of my professors was Kara Miller. She taught journalism and currently writes for The Boston Globe. She has been on WGBH radio for years.
She often repeated, “Everyone has a story. You just need to find it.” There are stories everywhere.” She taught us how to be curious.
My English classes with Professor Miller helped me realize I made the right choice to pursue English. I found the first two years challenging. I struggled writing papers every week. Writing became easier in my junior and senior years.
I was learning that writing is a skill that takes time and practice to develop.
College wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. However, it was more exciting and fulfilling than I ever dreamed.
What are some of your dreams and aspirations? Maybe you think it’s too late. I learned that I could follow my dreams to complete my college degree. It was more difficult than I thought, but I learned many lessons in the process.
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