College

As always, I’ve planned to go to college but it just hasn’t worked that way. The way I see it, life just got in the way. I know you’re thinking “But, Cole, how can that be? Life doesn’t get in the way!” But I disagree. Life does get in the way. Life, as they say, is what happens when you’re busy planning and this certainly is true for me.

Right out of high school, I was planning to going to school for graphic design with an emphasis on web design, something which I obviously have an interest in. However, I wasn’t able to attend either of the schools which most interested me: IADT Chicago and Collins College. I worked for a while and my interest began to wane for a bit so perhaps not being able to attend was a good thing. I also became a little intimated by just how many people are going into this field and how this could be detrimental to me when it came time to joining the career field, especially with a lowered interest than some and less of a drive to be the best (if I even could be the best).

Between now and then I would marry Rian, move to Milwaukee and finally move to Japan, none of which were conducive to going to school though all offered me a different vantage point in life and possibly a little happiness to boot. Over time I would come to realize that most of my interests would pique and wane, none of them lasting more than a few years and perhaps I would be happy doing anything in which I had a mild interest or perhaps I have just not discovered what it is I would actually do, yet.

To date, I’ve shown at least a mild interest in architecture, law, graphic/web design, medical examinations, sex education, teaching, make up artistry, interior design, journalism/writing, singing and, most recently, mortuary science. All of these are as different from eachother as can be; although, they all offer some degree of structured freedom – under which I usually thrive.

As I mentioned, the most recent is mortuary affairs which, if you’re the linguist or even a logical person, you would notice the key word: mortuary. Yes, the interest in being a mortician or funeral direct, the more politically correct term. This job ranges from embalming bodies to post-mortem make up to the organization of funeral services and counseling of loved ones of the diseased.

There just seems to be something to serene about thinking about dead bodies (hang in with me, there, or skip down a paragraph to avoid the subject) and I really love people, but hate to be around them so what better solution than to surround myself with those who have already passed from the living? Furthermore, I love playing with make up and, though you might not recognize it, I love to organize and plan things (though getting them off the ground is sometimes a different things -lol-). Plus, black is a career wardrobe staple in this profession. Really, how much Gothier can you get? -lol-

I’ve been looking this way for a while because I wouldn’t need a 4 year degree so I would be able to enter the work force a bit sooner and start to work on something I’d at least enjoy, if not love, while I still try to discover that “it” thing, my true calling I guess. Many of the fields I’ve considered are actually not your typical liberal arts (4 year degree) fields, thus I’ve looked at many more private and technical colleges than public ones.

I’ve been focusing on 2 schools recently, with the intent of enrolling as soon as we’re back in the states or Rian is out of the Air Force, whichever works better though, preferably, the sooner the better. One is San Antonio College, obviously in San Antonio and the other is MATC or Milwaukee Area Technical College. One, basically, for where I come from and one from where Rian comes from and hopes to be stationed after this. My attention has been on the former’s Mortuary Science program and the latter’s Funeral Service program.

Additionally, I had been considering taking some courses here, which could be transferable to either school, at one of the schools on base (which are actually all offered online): Central Texas College, Troy University, University of Maryland University College and University of Phoenix. However, trying to find courses which fit the bill has been a little more difficult than imagined. On the other hand, both SAC and MATC do offer online courses in their respective programs so I might be able to take a few courses while we are here, still.

I recently sent inquiries to both schools about admissions requirements, transferring credits (and recommended courses to take in order to do this) as well as online courses. So far, I’ve heard back from MATC which had online classes and I haven’t realized but I haven’t heard from SAC, yet. I know that they do have online classes but I’m not sure if I can take them or if I would need to be a resident of Texas, but changing legal residency is not completely out of the question. And, if I could take the courses through the school I wish to attend and not need to worry about transferring credits at a later date, I’m all for it. Additionally, since I am overseas, I may be able to look to the military for tuition and expense help – although, I am not positive.

So, I will be looking into the online classes and enrolling if I can and, if not, I’ll see what courses might be available to me here because transferring courses is better than nothing.

I really am excited about the idea of attending college, finally!