With Direction Confirmed, Its Time to Finish School

Let's get one thing straightened out right away; I am still relatively young (24) so I haven't been away from college for that long. However, I've been away long enough that it's been quite the interior battle to get myself back.

I completed two years of college and ended up at a relatively good job that compensated me well but eventually took up enough of my time that I had to make the decision between staying on full time or staying with school. While I chose the job at the time, I never had any notion that I wasn't going to return and wrap up the degree. And about a year and a half later, I opted to leave that job to go back to school as well as continue to work on my music; whether or not music was going to go somewhere significant. While I enjoyed the job, I wanted to write and play music. Neither of which I was able to do while working the current job. That being said, the experience I earned from working in the business world for two years was not without its value; it just wasn't worth sacrificing dreams for.

I am enrolled at Eureka College to finish my degree in English/Writing. Aside from spending ridiculous amounts of money for it, I am excited to recommence my education. More importantly, recommence when I'm ready and have decided what it is I wish to do with my life. Based on my situation, the funding for the degree is coming from a combination of financial aid/scholarships and student loans.

While my perspective most likely isn't overly helpful to those who have been out for decades, hopefully it hits home with some who have stepped away for a few years and our thinking of coming back to finish up.

I went back and forth deciding on my return. As previously mentioned, I am a musician and that is my love. That is what I want to do with my life. While high- risk odds are the things dreams are made of, I want to be the most successful individual I can be and when I look back, feel as if I have no regrets. Despite my feeling that college is not necessary for a successful life, it will not stop me from pursuing my dreams. But someday, not going could get in the way.

It's funny as I talk to people and the perception of being a musician strictly depends on the presence of college. When I tell people I'm a student and a musician, I get additional praise. But if you remove school from that equation, being the musician suddenly becomes a liability, not a bonus.

While I don't subscribe you have to do one or the other to be happy and successful, I benefited greatly from taking the time off and finding a great deal about myself as well as the direction I wanted to take my life.