Back To School

Studying will be so much easier without weekend keg parties in the mix.

I cleaned out my long-ignored file cabinet last week and came across some long lost treasures. My college writing portfolios sat buried under years worth of kid art in the shape of rainbow-laden shamrocks and macaroni-bedazzled construction paper turkeys. It was a double wave of nostalgia - over the passage of time and through a reminder of past dreams.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect, too. This week, I will begin an eight-month certificate program in Professional Technical Writing through the University of Washington. Education has been a touchstone in my life. My career has centered around raising funds for education. But it is not just a touchstone - it has also been a lifeline. 

College was only made accessible to me through scholarships, Pell grants, Cal grants, and a heaping pile of student loans. I had no idea what I was doing or in what direction I was going. All I knew was that I was going to major in Creative Writing and win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. You couldn’t tell me any different.

It was my education that enabled me to learn to be an effective communicator. It taught me the importance of a network. It propelled me to larger aspirations in life. And for that, I am forever grateful. It is time to return to the feeling of a forward momentum sway that comes with continued education.

And while I don’t have any statues on display (and trust me when I say I’d display an Oscar dead center in my home with a full on spotlight. There would be no modesty on my part by discreetly shelving it among books), I still feel fueled by the power of the written word. Embarking on this program feels like an achievement in reclaiming my purpose and opening new doors. It’s time to dust off old skill sets and learn new tools.