It’s ok to get your degree later in life.

The day is finally here, the day I graduate with my bachelor’s degree! I know it seems sort of silly to some that I am just now accomplishing this but to others it will make perfect sense. This is a moment to be proud and celebrate no matter the path to get here.

High School Me:

In high school I thought I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life (a.k.a. get far away from family). I looked at colleges as far away as Canada and got accepted to a few but my anxiety and ability to pay for school kept me close to home. I know now it wasn’t in the cards for me and what I thought I wanted at 17 wasn’t what I would stick with.

If you are set to graduate high school or contemplating going back to school here are some tips on picking the best school for you.

• get an idea of your finances(will you need scholarships, loans, grants to attend?)
• Is the program offended online or only in person?
• Do they offer the program of study you are looking for?
• Do you have family support if needed?
• Are you ready to graduate?

Do you really want to graduate?

I know that last one seems silly but it’s probably the most important. We are conditioned to believe attending college is a must for a successful career and life but if you are not ready to graduate and make that commitment you won’t. I changed my major at least 3 times and my interest.  I eventually settled on the possibility of teaching and after much contemplation realized a semester long internship was not in the cards for a full-time working student and mom, so I had to adjust.

There are a few things I wish I knew even before my first semester started you can check out here. 5 Easy Tips for a successful school year.

You’ve got this!

But now that the moment has arrived, I couldn’t be more excited! I feel this was the path I needed to take to get me where I eventually wanted to be. So please don’t compare yourself to anyone else because the path you carve was made for you. If you’ve ever wondering if you can do something just know you can.