Looking back to my high school years, I now see that my lack of focus at the time cost me when pursuing a college education. While younger, I tried to begin my goal of completing a college degree with little success. I was in and out of a couple junior colleges, but lacked the drive to remain focused on actually completing my goals. I would begin by taking a few classes, complete them, and then get distracted with outside activities. This circle of confusion continued for a period of time until I finally gave up and started to work a steady job to help support my family. How did high school lead to this? I never developed the mental toughness and focus necessary to work through difficult situations in college. .
My life has changed significantly over the last 10 years. While in my early 20's, I went through a divorce and the several colleges that I mentioned above before meeting my current husband. Through this marriage, I have regained focus on what is important in life and what I want to do to reach the goals I set so long ago. Back then I didn't know what it would take to reach my goals, but now I feel that I do. My current, more stable lifestyle yields a better opportunity to pursue my education through the University of Phoenix. While I probably have quite a bit more on my plate right now than I ever have, I am definitely better equipped to handle the stresses related to college. I have better time management skills, which I now know is essential to being successful in college classes. I am better able to juggle the stresses of family, work, and now my online classes.
With my renewed vigor and the skills necessary to move forward, I am very excited about pursuing my degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Phoenix. My immediate goal is to be successful in the first class and then move forward towards the degree. While I realize that this degree will be a long process, I am looking forward to taking each step slowly and moving forward after successfully completing each step in the process.