How and why I did not complete my college education 20 yrs ago
This was suggested to me by one of my readers. She thought it might be helpful to any readers who might be raising kids. So this is my story. I graduated from High School in 1984 at the age of 19. I wanted to take one year off and then go to college, so I got a job in the mall. I was working for Sears in their snack shop. It was not enough hours, so I got a full-time job at Kinney Shoes. I was working 12 hrs a day averaging 56 hrs a week.
I was not careful with my money at all. I worked there and then for J.C.Penney. When it came to Fall of 1985, I decided I wanted to go to Lubbock Christian College in Lubbock, Texas. I was not sure what I wanted to major in because I had given up on classical piano when I was a Junior in Highschool. I just signed up for general studies. I went to LCC all that year and returned in Fall 86'. I had goofed off way too much and was put on academic probation when I returned that Fall. What I did not know, was that I was supposed to have talked to the Financial Aid Committee as well before school started. Because I did not do that, I was put on Financial Aid Suspension. The bad thing was that they did not decide to do this, nor did they inform me of it, until after the last day to withdraw and get any amount of refund. I was stuck with owing the college almost 4,000 dollars directly. I appealed to them to reconsider, explaining that I did not get a letter from them telling me to meet with them before classes started. they said they wanted to make an example out of me.
I was devastated. I returned to my parents ashamed and unsure what to do. My dad wanted me to live there and attend a community college for two years. I signed up for classes and went part-time to college and worked full-time. I did okay in school, but decided I needed to just try to build a career. I quit the community college in 1987 and just worked retail full-time.
I went from one job I hated to the next until 1989. That year was when my dad temporarily lost his mind and left my mom and lived with a woman for three years. I was sharing an apartment with my twin brother and we were barely getting by. When my dad left my mom, she moved in with us and we all pooled our money together to survive. By 1992, my mom was able to live on her own and so I decided to join the Navy. I wanted to be a physical therapist and the Navy recruiter convinced me that I could easily become one if I joined the Navy and worked as a Hospital Corpsman. When I got in, I found that a majority of Corpsmen wanted to do that and the competition made my chances slim to none.
I was stationed in Long Beach, CA. I soon got married to a woman I had known for 6 yrs as a friend. I was married on April 3rd, 1993. She already had a daughter from her first marriage and when we got married, her daughter was almost four years old. Shortly after my marriage, my dad returned to my mom, went to counseling, repented and they reconciled. My mom had never divorced him because she never had the money to do it. He was a better husband to her than ever when he came back. They are still married and in fact, my dad was able to return to preaching and is still preaching at 76 yrs old.
Anyway, my wife got pregnant with my son the third week into out marriage. He was born in late January 1994. I was given a medical discharge in July 1994 due to chronic back and neck pain. We moved to central Texas and I got one job after another that I hated, just trying to support my family. I worked and supported my family while my wife went to a Technical College and got her Associate's in Computer Networking. When she got out and started working, I wanted to go to college and get my degree in Music Ed. I finally was able to go to a community college in Waco, Tx in Fall 2000. I went for two straight years and was in Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and was on the Dean's List.
I got a vocal scholarship to attend Baylor University and started in the Fall of 2002. I was informed by mail that my G.I. Bill had run out and because of that, I was forced to withdraw from Baylor in November. The Dean allowed me to withdraw without penalty. I then had to work again. I eventually got a job driving a Schwan's Food truck. I was back to working 12-13 hrs a day 5-6 days a week.
Soon after I started this job, my wife began what she calls an "emotional Affair" with a married man she worked(still works) with. This was the beginning of the end of my marriage. Eleven years-gone. I tried for six months to save my marriage and finally gave up and moved out in August 2004. I was living in an apartment. I lost my Schwan's job mainly because I was too much of an emotional basket-case to do my work. Then I went through several more jobs I hated.
I found out that I qualified for a thing called the Hazelwood Act. This was for Texas Veterans whose G.I. Bill had run out. It would pay my tuition if I went to a state university. I decided that I wanted to attend SFASU because I was familiar with their strong Music Department.
I have just given you a basic overview of how I spent the past twenty years. Although I left out many details, I covered the most important highlights. Please feel free to ask me any questions that might have crossed your mind while reading this long story.
I was not careful with my money at all. I worked there and then for J.C.Penney. When it came to Fall of 1985, I decided I wanted to go to Lubbock Christian College in Lubbock, Texas. I was not sure what I wanted to major in because I had given up on classical piano when I was a Junior in Highschool. I just signed up for general studies. I went to LCC all that year and returned in Fall 86'. I had goofed off way too much and was put on academic probation when I returned that Fall. What I did not know, was that I was supposed to have talked to the Financial Aid Committee as well before school started. Because I did not do that, I was put on Financial Aid Suspension. The bad thing was that they did not decide to do this, nor did they inform me of it, until after the last day to withdraw and get any amount of refund. I was stuck with owing the college almost 4,000 dollars directly. I appealed to them to reconsider, explaining that I did not get a letter from them telling me to meet with them before classes started. they said they wanted to make an example out of me.
I was devastated. I returned to my parents ashamed and unsure what to do. My dad wanted me to live there and attend a community college for two years. I signed up for classes and went part-time to college and worked full-time. I did okay in school, but decided I needed to just try to build a career. I quit the community college in 1987 and just worked retail full-time.
I went from one job I hated to the next until 1989. That year was when my dad temporarily lost his mind and left my mom and lived with a woman for three years. I was sharing an apartment with my twin brother and we were barely getting by. When my dad left my mom, she moved in with us and we all pooled our money together to survive. By 1992, my mom was able to live on her own and so I decided to join the Navy. I wanted to be a physical therapist and the Navy recruiter convinced me that I could easily become one if I joined the Navy and worked as a Hospital Corpsman. When I got in, I found that a majority of Corpsmen wanted to do that and the competition made my chances slim to none.
I was stationed in Long Beach, CA. I soon got married to a woman I had known for 6 yrs as a friend. I was married on April 3rd, 1993. She already had a daughter from her first marriage and when we got married, her daughter was almost four years old. Shortly after my marriage, my dad returned to my mom, went to counseling, repented and they reconciled. My mom had never divorced him because she never had the money to do it. He was a better husband to her than ever when he came back. They are still married and in fact, my dad was able to return to preaching and is still preaching at 76 yrs old.
Anyway, my wife got pregnant with my son the third week into out marriage. He was born in late January 1994. I was given a medical discharge in July 1994 due to chronic back and neck pain. We moved to central Texas and I got one job after another that I hated, just trying to support my family. I worked and supported my family while my wife went to a Technical College and got her Associate's in Computer Networking. When she got out and started working, I wanted to go to college and get my degree in Music Ed. I finally was able to go to a community college in Waco, Tx in Fall 2000. I went for two straight years and was in Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and was on the Dean's List.
I got a vocal scholarship to attend Baylor University and started in the Fall of 2002. I was informed by mail that my G.I. Bill had run out and because of that, I was forced to withdraw from Baylor in November. The Dean allowed me to withdraw without penalty. I then had to work again. I eventually got a job driving a Schwan's Food truck. I was back to working 12-13 hrs a day 5-6 days a week.
Soon after I started this job, my wife began what she calls an "emotional Affair" with a married man she worked(still works) with. This was the beginning of the end of my marriage. Eleven years-gone. I tried for six months to save my marriage and finally gave up and moved out in August 2004. I was living in an apartment. I lost my Schwan's job mainly because I was too much of an emotional basket-case to do my work. Then I went through several more jobs I hated.
I found out that I qualified for a thing called the Hazelwood Act. This was for Texas Veterans whose G.I. Bill had run out. It would pay my tuition if I went to a state university. I decided that I wanted to attend SFASU because I was familiar with their strong Music Department.
I have just given you a basic overview of how I spent the past twenty years. Although I left out many details, I covered the most important highlights. Please feel free to ask me any questions that might have crossed your mind while reading this long story.
posted by Unknown at 1:30 AM
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