Yes, I received my A.S. and transferred to a different college to pursue my B.A. I dropped out just before my last semester. I am not degrading my Associate's degree by any means. I was the first grandchild in my family to graduate from college. And it was a struggle to get this degree. I paid my tuition by myself and received NO help from my parents. I worked 3 part time jobs and evenutally one full-time job and went to school nights to finish. I earned every single fiber in this piece of paper. But when I was so close to being completed with my Bachelor's in Teaching, something happened. The thing is, I told everyone that it was just because I ran out of Financial Aid. Which was true. I was supporting myself, and had maxed my Student Loans and Aid all out. I had paid for the previous year by working 2 jobs and paying my tuition out of my own pocket. In reality...the real reason is because I didn't want to be a teacher anymore. Initially, that was all I had ever wanted, but somewhere things changed and I knew that's not what I would have been happy doing. Now, I KNOW what I want to be doing and even though I am a stay at home mom now, there will be a time when my kids go to school and I will go back to finish that degree and this time I will be doing something I want to do. Not what someone else thinks I should do.

So on June 14, 2009, I graduated with my bachelors degree in Public Relations and Advertising from DePaul University. I had to be at the ceremony at 7AM so I didn't have time to take a self-portrait in my cap and gown but this is the next best thing. I didn't have my diploma (I STILL don't have it) but these were the parts of the graduation outfit that we were allowed to keep, minus my honor cords which aren't pictured. College was strange for me. Unlike many people, my college experience was not a place where I made life-long friends or went to lots of parties. I made a lot of my friends in unusual ways and I never even got drunk. However, I think I gained a lot of independence and I worked really hard. I held a consistent part-time job, 2 internships, and graduated in 4 years. I was never much of a party-goer and, for that reason, I left college with a twinge of regret and the feeling that I didn't get the entire college experience. However, I know that it really wasn't for me. I spent my time hanging out with my small groups of friends, being a nerd, and making costumes. It worked for me but at the same time, I can't help but think that I should have made an effort to be more involved. I still can't believe it's over! What now?