What would YOU do over, given the chance?

Front cover of my current art journal.

If you were given the chance to go back in time and do something over again, what would it be? Would you go? I've thought a lot about this idea in the past, and overall I think I wouldn't change anything. The life I've lived has shaped me into the person I am today, and I like the person I am. I love my husband and my son dearly, I have amazing family and friends. I'd be afraid that any changes I made would end up with different people in my life, and I wouldn't want to change that.

However, there is one thing that I regret deeply. Given the option, I would love to go back in time and finish my degree.I try not to mention this very often, but the truth is that even though I was in college for 8 years, I still don't have a degree.

I was a year from graduation when we had to move the first time. My husband had graduated and was moving on to graduate school. I had no idea that transferring would set me back so far! When we settled in at our new university I lost 2 years of credits which was not cool!

At that point, I switched my major from mass communication to art. I was beginning to believe I might have some sort of artistic talent, and I wanted to explore it. Besides, I was only really losing a year of basic courses that still applied to my new major. It was a perfect plan, or so I thought.

Back cover of my art journal.

Then I got sick a couple of years in and lost a year due to it. After that year, I had a hysterectomy and my husband graduated, and we moved less than 2 weeks after my surgery. Oh yea, that's helpful! We ended up moving back home and spending 6 months job hunting.

After that, we needed money, so I went to work. I figured I could go back at any point and finish my degree, but as many of you know it's just not that easy. And now, here I am 12 years later, disabled with no degree.

Fact is, I regret it deeply. I don't know how I could have done things much differently, but I feel like I gave up. I know there were options preventing us from staying to finish my degree at the original college, but man I still regret it.

But, that's the past. I've also learned you don't have to go to college to educate yourself, and I'm still learning things even now.  Besides, it's kind of silly focusing on things you wish you'd done differently. That just makes you lose sight of today and what you could be doing now!

Ah well. Here... enjoy the photos of projects I've been working on in my art journal. :D

 

I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All the opinions expressed here are my own..
See my disclosure statement for more information.