USU Tooele Graduation

Two years ago I sat in the Tooele high school auditorium and watched my nephew Steve get his Associates degree from Utah State University.  He had done concurrent enrollment and got his Associates degree right before his high school diploma.  As I sat there watching the commencement ceremony I couldn't shake the thought that I needed to go back to school too.  

I attended Snow College after graduating from high school, but left on my mission before I graduated.  I don't regret my decision, but I always felt bad that I didn't get my Associates while I was there.  Over the years I have worked so Bump could go to school (until he decided not to any more) and then we moved out-of-state.  Each place we moved I looked into the different colleges and universities around, but it just wasn't right.

After moving back to Utah I started having kids and the thought of school just wasn't very realistic for me.  My priority in life was taking care of my little family and school was put on a very back burner.  After moving to Tooele I started having little nudges and thoughts of going back to school, but it wasn't until I saw Steve graduate that the fire really lit under me and I decided to do something about it.  I got online and applied as a transfer student to Utah State University because they have a regional campus right in Tooele.  (Hello convenient location!)  I didn't even tell Bump that I had done it at that point.  Maybe I just wanted to make sure that I was accepted first.

The day I got my acceptance letter was an exciting day for me.  I showed Bump the letter when he got home from work and I told him what I was thinking.  He was a bit surprised because I hadn't been talking to him about doing this, but he was so happy for me.  I then called and made an appointment with an advisor to see what Snow credits they were going to accept and how much I really needed to do to get my degree.

After meeting with my advisor things just felt really good.  I knew why I had been feeling this pressure to get my degree at that time.  She said that the state was talking about putting a cap on any credits of 15 years (at the time there was no cap on credits).  Well my credits were about 17 years old and I would lose them if I didn't get my degree and get it now.

My time at USU has been great!  I have loved my classes and was so proud of myself for doing so well after so many years.  The first picture below is my math teacher, Dr. Carter.  He is one of those professors that really wants you to succeed.  He changed my opinion of myself and how I am at math.  I thought I was terrible at math and it turns out that I really am not.  I ended up getting A's in my math 1010 and 1050 that I took from him.  I gave him a huge hug after graduation and told him thank you for helping me to not be afraid of math any more.  He is my only teacher that I met with on campus.  All my other teachers were either online or via broadcast from another campus.

Overall my feelings of school were good ones.  My house fell apart a bit more than usual and some things didn't get as much attention as they normally do.  I had a few meltdowns and begged Bump to help out around the house more (which he always did without complaint).  I continued to teach Gospel Doctrine the entire time that I was in school and none of my lessons suffered because of my classes.  I made it a rule right at the start that I would not do any homework on Sundays and that was my church lesson time.  It worked out well and I am sure that I was blessed for that decision.

Well on Saturday I finally graduated.  Eighteen years after starting college I finally got my first degree.  Am I finished?  Not on your life.  But I am taking a break to concentrate on my family.  I look forward for the day when I will go back, but I feel really good about what I have accomplished and when I do go back the time will be right.  I am grateful that I attended my nephew's graduation when I did.  It really kick started me and helped me to realize that now was the time for me to finish what I had started down at Snow.  It was a great day!  I am so glad that my kids were all there and a part of that accomplishment.  Hopefully they realize how important education is and can each have the goal of getting their college degrees as well.