Learning to Love to Learn

Im 25-years old and still have another year of school to complete.  Many of my friends are off in their careers, or have a degree to use while seeking their desired professions.  Until I was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, I was consistently attending school, but never passionately working towards the completion of my education.  I continued to study journalism and practice writing until I absolutely could not face it anymore.  

I was taking a one last class at Clark, working as editor-in-chief on the school newspaper.  I was enduring chemo and could not afford to pay for class so I just kept showing up in an attempt to stay busy and try to stay 'normal.'  My teacher was unhappy, the class was unhappy, I was exhausted, and truthfully, had no idea why I was spending my time in the newsroom.  I was not getting paid, and I was not gaining any school credit.  I left that quarter certain that I would be done with writing and leave it behind along with my chemo treatments.

I deferred my admission to Columbia College in Chicago and took the advice of a friend to finish at WSU and focus on earning a general degree and striving towards an MBA.  That is what I did.  I had a few general classes to get out of the way on my path towards suits and ties, but my major was still English since WSU lacked a journalism program, as you can clearly see in the Vancougar.  

What have I taken away from English 402?  I love writing.

Kat answered all the questions I never asked about journalism and professional writing.  I could go into details of what I retained from each chapter, but what I learned most from this semester is that there are great teachers out there, you just have to find them.  This isnt a kiss-ass approach to praise Kat and her class, but rather a sense of gratitude and appreciation for a medium that I was sure I had put behind me.  I usually stick to my commitments and follow through with my decisions.  For the first time I am happy to say I have failed at following through with what may have been the worst decision of my years in school.