my life's ambitions. part 2

I was feeling as though the entire first year of my university education was a total waste of time. I had to let it go, no dwelling. Dwelling.....now that is a waste of time.

I started combing through the university's catalogue of courses, looking for something that sparked my interest. Nothing. So I moved onto Mount Royal's catalogue. Page after page after page until I found it.

Criminology. Now that sounded cool. How many criminologists do you know? Exactly.....

I read through it, decided it was for me and applied. But....one had to be 19 to get in. All of a sudden that first year didn't seem like such a waste anymore, except, I wouldn't be 19 for 6 more months. I had to woo the powers that be, convincing them I was old enough and that being 19 a month after school started was totally acceptable.

They said I could plead my case before a panel. And so I did.

I went before a panel of 4 professors and answered their questions about why I thought I was a good fit for the program. My answers were impeccable. I name dropped.

I took the mandatory psychological testing. I was accepted. Obviously.

Within that faculty there were four majors and I had to choose one. I chose Child and Youth Care. If there was anything I thought I had figured out it was kids with problems, having had 60-ish foster brothers and sisters myself.

I focused on Young Offenders and the next two years was a whirlwind of schooling, practicum-ing, and working and exhaustion.


I graduated, making the Dean's List. I refused to convocate even though my mum offered me cash to appease her.

Why am I so stubborn?

Once that two year program was up I was offered the chance to finish that degree but that would mean moving away to British Columbia and that would mean apartments, roommates and student loans. All kinds of scary. I wasn't interested. I don't really know why. Or, at least, I didn't at the time.

I decided to transfer back to the university, continue living at home, and finish a degree in psychology. Summer came and went and it was time to go back to school.

September, October, November 6th.

November 6th, 1994.......