Where To Begin...

 I often wonder, when writing for a new audience, "Where to begin?" I guess I'll start with the name "Chasing Dreams", my title for this particular blog.  When I was in high school and close to graduating, my dream was to major in archaeology and attend an Ivy League school. I didn't know much about archaeology beyond a love of ancient Egyptian culture, but I instinctually felt a passion towards the subject. I wish I had went with my instincts; as I get older, I find that my first instincts are correct more often than not versus those times when I second guess myself. My instincts all those years ago were correct, because now, 20 years later, I'm in love with school all over again. It has everything to do with picking anthropology (archaeology is a part of this discipline) as my major when I was reaccepted into school.

"Reaccepted".  I made so many mistakes when I left school in 2005, though really the worst was enrolling in classes and never dropping them when I left. Those two Fs on my records hurt, but if I can overcome those Fs and somehow get into graduate school a couple of years down the line then I can accomplish anything really. I never honestly thought I could get reaccepted into undergraduate school with the way I left, but I did. A long-lost middle school classmate who had friended me on Facebook convinced me to reapply when I was already feeling a need to try; his encouragement pushed me into it, in a positive way, and getting that acceptance letter brought tears of joy. Leaving school was one of my greatest regrets in life, even if many things I had done between 2005 until 2019 were positive overall, and now I can totally overcome the mistakes I made then if I can finish this degree now.

Florida State University took a bit of a gamble on an older woman with four children, and I intend on giving them the best of me until I graduate after the spring semester of 2023.  I am over midway through my second semester as a half time student, and I have been accomplishing my only goal:  all As until I graduate with my anthropology degree.  My next goal, after graduation, is working my ass off to apply to a relatively lengthy list of schools for graduate school and hope I can get into one (or more) of them. With  my GPA, it might be difficult, but I am hopeful to possibly even get into a few of my "top" schools with help from my top marks in my anthropology classes and recommendations from my anthropology professors.

In a field of increasing specialization, I am glad that I at least have a fair idea of what I want to do as an anthropologist. My current area of interest is either bioarchaeology or forensic anthropology, and my continuing education after obtaining my undergraduate degree may greatly hinge on which graduate school(s) I get into.  If I get into the University of Florida (unlikely, since their graduate program is in high demand), I will most likely focus on forensic anthropology.  If I get into Arizona State University, I would undoubtedly focus on bioarchaeology since they are one of the top (if not the top) school for bioarchaeology in the nation. If no schools from the outside take me, I'll see if I can stay here at Florida State for my graduate degree and probably continue on with archaeology (bio focused again). If I don't get into graduate school immediately, then I will continue working in retail (as I have for fifteen years since I dropped out in 2005) and keep applying.

If you had told me two years ago that I would get reaccepted to FSU, get paid to be a half time student, and feel so overwhelmingly positive about my educational experience after two semesters of college, I'd probably thought you were joking.  I never thought I'd be here at this point in my life, finally happy with school and so laser focused on a goal that nothing is going to stand in my way of making my dreams come true.  There is no hoping, wishing, or waiting; I will make everything happen by doing what I do best: work hard and dedicate myself obsessively to my goal.  I'm a totally different person than I was fifteen years ago, and I will never make the mistakes that little girl did back then.  My family, friends, and anyone else who may care to keep up with my life will see nothing but success from this woman from here on out.