Heading Back to School

Obviously life with kids, a crazy dog and an unfinished manuscript is not challenging enough for me, I'm going back to school. I'd been talking about doing it for years but life always managed to push the desire to the background.

Last year, I went as far as to request my past transcripts and filled out an online application but then I got cold feet. I started thinking about the insanity of driving almost an hour with a two year old (there's childcare available), dealing with classes and studying while raising a family, managing a household, and writing a book. Why would I do this to myself?

Then that nagging feeling hit me again. Maybe it's because my daughter will be starting high school next year and the idea of college is hovering in the air. Maybe it's because the kids are a year older and, despite their clever disguises, are heading closer to becoming responsible beings. Or maybe it's because now felt like the right time, I checked to see if my application was still valid and it was. I took a deep breath, hit the submit button, paid my application fee and mailed off the transcripts.

What did I have to lose? I figured my chances of getting in were pretty slim, given my long absence and the fact that record number of applications are being received at public institutions.
I didn't tell anyone what I was up to preferring not to have my humiliation made public. So I put it out of my mind until the big fat envelope arrived with the "Congratulations" letter. First, I did a happy dance, then as children swarmed around me I started to question my sanity.

Was I really going to take on a full-time course load with all that I already have on my plate? The smart thing would be to write them back explaining that I'd been suffering some type of delusional episode when I sent out that application and wouldn't be bothering them again. Then I opened my folder again and read my acceptance letter and I knew there was no turning back, I'm heading back to school.

Of course when I told my daughter she asked, "Do you think you'll be the oldest person at your school?" There might be one or two people with a year or two on me I told her. At least I'll be able to regale my fellow classmates with tales of what it was like to go to school before the internet, Google, iPods, cellphones (unless you happen to be a drug lord on Miami Vice), and laptops.