Old School

I just began my junior year  of college this fall at a state university close to home. At 28, this has been way more intimidating and harder than I think it would have been when I was 20. The reason why I'm 28 and just now a junior in college is a whole other post.  Here are 8 reasons why this is harder at 28, as well as 8 follow-up silver linings.

1. When you're well beyond college age, you - yourself, are completely responsible with funding your own entire education, while paying for health insurance, a car payment, a  mortgage, that dreaded cell phone bill, and monthly visits to the chiropractor (your bones really get out of whack once you hit 26), and, if you're anything like me, mom doesn't pay for your acne prescriptions anymore.
           
2. You don't get a 28 year old college student discount at the YMCA. For some reason the student cut-off age is 21. Discrimination.

3. You realize how uncool you really are.
 I've always thought I did a pretty good job at keeping up with the times. You know, staying up to date with current music, watching 3-4 hours of MTV every week, and of course Keeping up with the Kardashians (HELP ME!). This has apparently not been enough. I've learned that things like FBO (FaceBook offical) and swerve (still unclear of this one) can go together in a sentence that makes complete sense to the "cool" kids. Example: "OMG, you guys, they like totally made their relationship FBO - SWERVE!"

4. You are too broke to hang out with your friends that are your age and have real adult jobs.
(See #1)

5. You find yourself googling things like "FBO", "swerve", and "how to be cool with college students" discretely in the back of a classroom. (See #3)

6. Your eggs aren't getting any younger, and you feel a life deadline fast approaching, and the only fix would be an extra 3 years between the ripe ages of 28 and 30.

7. Most people, in my experience, poo poo the idea of a married, childless 28 year old woman seeking a college degree. (See #6)

8. You're too old to play on the sports teams, and are liable to break a hip out on the basketball court.

SO MANY SILVER LININGS, y'all. While it is hard seeking a degree at my age, it also has had it perks, and I am (most days) glad I am doing this now.

1. I get to fund my own education. All on my own. I earn it - all the way around. (But, if anyone would like to help out, hollar at your girl.)

2. I get to go to the YMCA, and not the college gym with all the extremely in shape college students, and still feel ok about myself.

3. I AM cool, but not 20 year old cool, which I shouldn't be. BUT, I get to meet and be friends with the sweetest and kindest 20 year olds who teach me the weirdest "in" things, and keep me young!

4. I don't get to hang with friends that are my age as often as I'd like, but when I do, it's that much more special.

5. I've learned how to google so many things. My brain's basically "ask jeeves". (is that still a thing?)

6. While my child-bearing years seem like they're slipping through my fingers, my desire to be the best version of myself I can be is only getting stronger; and I'm realizing, to be the mom I want to be, I HAVE to do this - for me and my future family.

7. Can I talk about how much fun it is to be married AND going to college? I've got the most handsome study buddy. I've got someone that actually wants to hear about my classes, and meet my new friends. Best of all, I get to snuggle up every night with my biggest supporter. If I hadn't met him, I probably would have never had the courage to get this far in my education.

8. I'm actually really bummed that I'm too old to play in college sports. I can't find a positive spin on this one.

Moral of this story, stay in school kids. Seriously. I didn't, and I'm finding the silver lining in it all, but really, just stay in school.

g2g make this blog totally FBO, y'all. TTYL! LOL! OMG!