Seasoned Youth

Taking a deep breath and hoisting my backpack on my shoulders, I strolled across campus. This was unlike when I took my daughter to embark on her college career three years before or even when I left my son at his dorm last August. This time I was the student; a mature face against a myriad of youth. Fearful my aged brain would have difficulty retaining the plethora of instruction, I cautiously stepped into my first class. I realized little changed in my twenty year absence, except for the wretched TI 84 calculator (I still say it’s cheating!). There are reading assignments, projects, papers, and tests. It was actually comforting to be back in a surrounding where I knew exactly what was expected over the sixteen week course and I could utilize my trusty planner to navigate the semester. Though some classes proved more challenging than others, I found my place like a trusted sage amongst the restless youth and seized the opportunity to impart the wisdom of life’s learnings. Soon, I traded TI 84 tutoring for simple life lessons. With the passing of time as my teacher I realized much like Daniel Wallace; I needed a college degree to attain the credentials needed to accomplish my real goals. Surrounded by these budding adults, I became more resolved about my future ambitions. In this place of instruction my passion became evident; to enable the future of America by fostering the sparks of education seasoned with a dash of real life experience.