Life and Education - some of my experiences

You know what I think?
Life isn't all that hard. You're born, you make decisions, you play, you make friends, you lose friends, you go to school, you graduate, you get jobs/go back to school, you date, you breakup, you get married maybe,  you potentially have kids, you travel, you die.
Yes, sometimes other challenges are thrown in along the way...but in general we all have the same basic decisions/challenges.
But for some of us, life seems a little more difficult than for others. Either we're indecisive, things happen in a little bit of a different order than we were expecting/planning, or major things happen that change things entirely. Life may not necessarily be harder...but it sure seems that way sometimes.
In my case, and probably many others' out there, school/job decisions have always been one of the most difficult.

As we're growing up, we're expected to figure out what we want to do for the rest of our lives with the minimal amount of experience and knowledge that we have. You want to be a doctor, you want to be an astronaut, you want to be a firefighter, heck some just know they want to be a mom/dad.

I have always loved animals growing up. When I was younger, I always thought I wanted to be a vet... helping and being around animals seemed like a dream job in my eyes. But in grade 9, I had the opportunity to 'job shadow' for a day and see what the duties would be like in such a position. I quickly realized after seeing a surgery, that it wasn't what I wanted to do at all. Yes, I realize that Veterinarians are helping animals and I'm sure they love them possibly as much as I do (though I doubt it...) but it just wasn't something I could do. What I really wanted to do, was just play with animals all day long and that's just not how it works (unfortunately). ;)

As I grew older, I never really had anything I KNEW I wanted to do (besides being a beach bum...but that's really not all that practical). I had ideas of what I could possibly be, but nothing I was especially passionate about.  

So what's a Trudy to do?
Well, what I probably SHOULD have done is take a year off, work and just figure out what I wanted to do and go back when I have a decent amount saved.

What did I ACTUALLY do?
Went into nursing with my friend/cousin, Whitney. I quickly realized that I had made a mistake about half way into the semester. I wasn't enjoying most of what I was learning, I knew I wouldn't enjoy the job itself, and I didn't want to waste my money any longer. So I got out.

But I always felt I needed to go back (to school that is). So I did some researching, got into some testing and came up with another couple options. So I applied for both of these things at different schools and before I knew it, the next fall I was up in Edmonton attending the U of A. Technically I was in generals, but I was going for a major in Nutrition to become a Nutritionist or Dietician or something. I didn't have near enough money, so I had to apply for a big old student loan.
I made some good friends, I enjoyed the nutrition classes themselves and I didn't even mind Edmonton itself  but I didn't really want to be there. To be honest, I found myself pretty depressed and very homesick. I didn't understand what was going on in my chemistry classes, I should've asked for help but...well, I didn't. Not to mention I wasn't living in Edmonton itself, I was actually living about 30 minutes out of town (in Sherwood Park) and I didn't even have a vehicle...I had to take the bus everyday.

Are these all excuses?
Well somewhat. I should've stayed, but I should've lived in Edmonton itself and I should've gotten help when I was struggling.
Could've, should've, would've.
It's too late now. As they say, hind sight 20:20. It's easy to look back and say what we should or could have done.

So what have I been doing lately?
Well, I had raked in a decent amount of debt and I still didn't know what I SHOULD be doing. All along I kind of had an idea in my mind that I would find something PERFECT but it just wasn't coming.
I had found out that school was just too expensive to be dabbling around in when I wasn't sure.
So I worked. My brother needed help in Calgary and I was wanting a change, so to Calgary I went!
Along the way I had lots of great experiences, made some awesome friends and heck I even started dating someone, got married and POW! Here I am.
I'm a 22 year old girl, married, have been working for my brother (which is fine) for about 2 and a half years, have dabbled in school but never found out what I wanted to do.

And I'm going to be honest, I find the situation I'm in to be very difficult. I haven't been to school for 3 years, I'm married, I'm working and making decent money and Scott and I are now paying a mortgage. I can't just make rash decisions as I please because they don't just effect me anymore. 
And although I know what my interests are, there's still no perfect job for me (that I know of anyways).

I know not everyone needs to get a post-secondary education, but sometimes...you just want it. You want to work for something and for it to be yours.

I want it.

What're your thoughts on education?
Anyone in the same boat?
Did you find your perfect job?

Let me know.

Love you too.


xo T