5 Is the Magic Number

In sports, near the end of the season, there is always a magic number that signifies what the team needs to do in order to clinch a playoff berth or win their division. In English 102, that number is 5. 5 more blogs to post and the season per say is over. It's been fun taking back to back English courses this academic year but it definitely isn't for the faint of heart. But hopefully, Professor Chism can see some improvement in my writing since August 2009. Another magic number of mine is 3. Just 3 more writing intensive classes before I am done and I will complete the requirements for my major. After this semester I only have 3 left and I will probably stay at MSSU. I have checked around some of the in-state universities here in Oklahoma and if I transfer now, I am looking at two full years. 60 hours, and if I stay only 52. That is manageable considering I am going to take 6 hours this summer, have 15 already scheduled for Fall 2010. That only leaves 31 more hours and I am out the door. Finished. Gone where no Brenner has gone before. I will prevail.

I think the thought of being the only Brenner in my family to have a college degree is what motivates me the most. I am already the only one to make it past high school. I am one of 7 children ranking right in the middle at 4th. 3 brothers below me and 2 sisters and a brother above me. My parents got divorced when I was 7 and we bounced from house to house, school to school, growing up poor. All I ever had was the desire to rise above and be somebody. I didn't like being poor and receiving handouts all the time, so as soon as I turned 16, I got a job at a local restaurant as a dishwasher and then filed for emancipation. I lived with some older married friends I knew and tried to work full time plus stay in school. It was hard and I managed for a year or so, but I was burned out (surprising huh?) and I did the next best thing according to my high school counselor. I dropped out of high school my senior year in November, filed to take the GED test in December and after I passed, I enrolled in college just starting out with one class that following January. But then it happened. I landed a job making over $30,000 a year at 18 years old. College seemed unnecessary and my priority became helping my mom with my brothers. Helping them out, making sure they had food on the table and clothes to wear became more important. I focused on work, achieving a few promotions along the way before I eventually switched professions ending up being in hotel management for over 7 years. But then things changed, as I started a family and moved to Oklahoma working for OU. Now my family is my priority, and a college degree ensures to them that I will be able to be there for them. Life for me has been rough growing up and to me, adding that degree will be like finding the holy grail. I can't give up now. College life for a 32 year old is rough when you take 12-15 hours a semester, work full time and try not to cut family time out. There are times where I am up until way past midnight studying, only to realize that 5:30 am is right around the corner. I will remain strong.

Sorry for the long story, but I hope that it inspires at least one person to continue on that is thinking about taking time off. I took over 10 years off and at this point in my life, I wished that I wouldn't have. There is a light at the end of tunnel and it's not a train, unless MSSU doubles your tuition. Blame the Fat Cat Bankers that screwed us all because of their greed..not MSSU because they really didn't have a choice. I did some research and it seems that since MSSU promised the state not to raise in-state tuition in return for no cuts to them, it had to be so. There were no other options, but I hope the decrease in enrollment doesn't affect Professor Chism. She actually listens to the students and gives a damn.