Returning to College 26 Years Later
January Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Self”
Returning to a place of regret.
My husband took this photo of me in June 2019 on the campus of St. Catherine University (St. Kate’s) in St. Paul, Minnesota.
It was an emotional visit for me because the last time I stood on these grounds I was 21-years old. I left college after two years because of mental health issues. It was my biggest regret in my life.
This school was my dream college, also where my mother attended in the 1960s. It was where I first took creative writing classes and I had never felt freer in my life. Yet I was dealing with anxiety that was left untreated for too long.
I never thought I would get to return to college. With two little kids and a full-time business from my home, I couldn’t physically return to school in a traditional college setting.
After watching my husband go to online school and graduate with his bachelor's degree, I contemplated going back to school. I didn’t want to start over, but I figured after 20 years, my credits from St. Kate’s would not transfer.
On a whim, I applied to Arizona State University in their online program and just see what they would say. Lo and behold, most of my college credits did transfer and I could finish my bachelor's degree in two years. I would not have to start over.
In May 2019, I officially graduated with my bachelor of science in technical writing. It was bittersweet not graduating from St. Kate's and not being able to attend my college graduation, but I was so grateful to remove the only regret I had in my life.
So in June, my husband and I took my sons to my old campus in St. Paul, to make my college journey complete. And to show my husband and kids where the journey began.
In the photo, I’m standing by the Dew Drop Pond on campus, a favorite spot for students to study and feed the ducks. I would have never imagined when I last stood in that spot, I would return 26 years later with my family and a copy of my college diploma was being mailed from Arizona.
Inspiration
As always, thank you Mary Chang Story Writer for your inspiration.
Tagging other six-word photo writers
Penny Grubb, Dennett, Sherry Kappel, Pene Hodge, Diana Lotti, pockett dessert, K. Barrett, Kim Zuch, Divina Grey, TC Hails, Will Hull, Ching Ching, Susan Alison, Sandi Parsons, Diana Lotti, B.R. Shenoy, Pulpo Viejo, Divina Grey, kasey sparks, Arwyn Clark, Dunelair, Krystal Mossbarger, David Acaster, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Kris Bedenian, keith kennedy
✍ Written by Ellie Jacobson, @2022 all rights reserved.
