Back to School (Not the Rodney Dangerfield version)

Hi Dan, I know exactly what you mean about getting "interrupted." I too went to school and just didn't enjoy it, so I slept in after partying all night and skipped classes. I did enough to get by, but that wasn't much! Then, I took a semester off to work and went back. That next semester was actually going well. I was going to classes and getting my work done and not partying near as often. Then, one day my mom found me at the college and told me one of my very best friends had committed suicide. My life was crumbled then. I missed about a week and a half of classes then. I got sort of back into the swing of things, but was severely depressed. I functioned okay and still went to classes, but I was living in some kind of fog. A month to the day after I got the dreaded information about my friend, my step-mother attempted suicide. She was in a psych ward for 2 weeks, so I took care of my dad and little brother. I had to be really strong for him and let him know it was okay to be upset and let him talk to me and cry on my shoulder. And at the same time, I had to be the pretender for my little brother. He was only 7 and didn't know what was going on. I had to pretend like nothing had happened and try to keep him pre-occupied. It was a tough job. I was SO emotionally drained after that, I completely gave up. I was depressed, I was mad, I was sad, I was hurt, I was angry at God. I quit doing everything I had ever known and just survived. Eventually, I came out of my depression and moved on with my life, but I never went back to school.

Now...as you know,  my classes start a month from Friday at East Central University, and I am SO excited I just can't stand it. I'm so happy for you, Dan. This has already been a great year for you and is going to only get better! I can't wait to hear from you in February...you're going to do amazingly! I'm praying for ya!!!!

Hugs, my dear friend.

Liz

Dan, you are going to do great!  Don't let the past define you.  I flunked out of LSU....FLUNKED out.  I ended up graduating magn *** laude just before I turned 40.  I say that only to show you that you do not have to be held to the past.  Look forward.  You can do this.  It is 95% attitude and you have the best attitude!!!

I'm so proud of you Dan.  You will do great.  You have motivation now and a lot of life experiences.  I would consider it an honor to have someone like you help me or my children in a medical facility.  Hang in there!!!