Can I have an epiphany at 7AM? Can I even spell it?

So last week, I was asked to go to happy hour with my co-workers to celebrate a birthday. I said sure, but I couldn’t stay very long because I had an exam the next day. It was fun, I had a couple of drinks and some spinach dip (Boy, do I love spinach dip), and I was home pretty early.

That next day, which was a SATURDAY, I woke up around 6:45 to be at school by 7:15. In the morning. You know I just rolled out of bed and put on the closest thing (pajama pants) and a pair of flip flops. What? Anyways, as I’m standing in the most ridiculous line EVER that didn’t involve music or liquor or BOTH, I think it hit me.

I am A STUDENT. Not just any ol’ undeclared student, I’m a student who is going to graduate next year. To be honest with you, I think maybe I freaked out a little bit. That was quite the revelation for not even 8AM. Which is probably a little weird since it’s not like once I graduate, I’m going to have to go out and look for a good paying job. Luckily, I’ve already got one of those. Although, I wouldn’t knock a BETTER paying job, which actually I’ll get too. My employer gives you an automatic pay raise when you get a degree. Oh, the joys of academia! Maybe it was just the realization that I FINALLY made up my mind, and I’m going to finish something that I started a long time ago. I’m going to have a DEGREE in something. I know everything there is to know about my major. (Did I just go too far? Hmm).

I guess I just got comfortable saying I’m going to go back to school. I let work and kids and all the other things going on in my life provide me with excuses. I’m too busy, who’s going to baby-sit, too expensive…Not that these aren’t all valid reasons. But when I can pull a few hundred dollars out of my ass anytime somebody says let’s go to Vegas, I’m probably not as broke as you’d think. And of course, maybe I was a little scared to return after all these years. What if I can’t hang? What if it really IS too hard? What if it’s too much?

Then all the stars aligned and The Man is going to retire next month, so SOMEBODY will be home while I’m spending late nights at school. The Big Fancy Hospital where I work paid my tuition and I just got tired of WANTING to go back to school, and just WENT. Even better? Just got an A on my accounting exam. So it turns out, I haven’t forgotten everything I’ve learned.

It’s hard to have so much to do. Work, school, kids, husband (or should I include him in kids?). Homework, studying for exams, soccer practices, random teen-ager stuff…But I’ll make it work, because even though it keeps me very busy, I’m pretty determined to see this through to the very end.

Wow. I feel a little bit like a grown up. Maybe I’ll go balance my checkbook or something. Ugh. Or maybe not.