So, you blew your chance to go to college because of JWs? Don't give up! (page 2)

WTWizard

I believe they were a few years too late on that one for me to drop out of college.

Thank you, cabasilas, for telling us your inspirational story! I recently posted a similar never-too-late for college story in another part of this forum. If no one minds, I'd like to add my experience to the OP's:

I was born and raised "in the truth." I saw 1975 come and go as a 12 year old, and was continually warned about the dangers of higher education. As a senior in high school I went ahead and submitted college applications due to encouragement from my counselors (even though I felt guilty about it). I really loved foreign languages and wanted to work in that field. I ended up being accepted at Georgetown University. However, I buckled under the "spiritual advice" from family and elders and, instead of heading to Washington DC, I headed to a part-time job and regular pioneering. Of course, the elders reminded me that "this system was going to end very soon" and, if I wanted to learn languages, I "could always become a missionary." That decision to forego college still makes my stomach turn.

I ended up pioneering only one year, because in the meantime I got married and had to scramble to find full-time work to support a wife and baby on the way. I kept trying to do the witness life, but after many years it took its toll.

Anyway, at age 39 I finally faded away and got my life together. I went to college part-time while toiling full-time at the lumber mill I had worked at for 14 years. It was difficult, but I had a goal. Plus, I now had the time to pursue that goal, since I no longer had the pressure of meetings, service, and WTS guilt weighing down on me.

I'm now 45, my kids are grown (thankfully not JWs), and I finally have a degree. Because of that degree, I now have a job that I've wanted since I was in high school. I'm living in Taiwan, teaching English and learning Chinese, and realizing a dream after 25+ years.

I second what cabasilas said: It's never to late to get your degree. There are programs and financial aid out there to help you do it. My best wishes to everyone who is considering going back to school!

choosing life

Thanks for the encouragement. I went to college in my 30's as a dub and got an Associate degree. I can make a good living with the current schooling I have, but I have always wanted to go back to college. Maybe I will take that next step. It is really hard to get started again though!

I gave up a 4 yr. scholership that completely paid for my education and some of my living expenses after high school because of the discouragement from the jws.

wunce_wuz

Recently I was talking to a friend of mine. We were at Bethel together. Not sure of his status, its a subject we seem to avoid cryptically. Anyway, whatever his status is he went back to college and completed his bachelors in his early 50's and is several months into a masters program in finance. He stated that no matter what your age or money circumstance is, it is well worth the effort to do. At the very least for personal satisfaction.

Quandry

cabasilas-CONGRATULATIONS

I'm now 45, my kids are grown (thankfully not JWs), and I finally have a degree. Because of that degree, I now have a job that I've wanted since I was in high school. I'm living in Taiwan, teaching English and learning Chinese, and realizing a dream after 25+ years.

To this I can only say, wow, way to go!!!

I am in college, but work full time and can only do one class at a time. But I love learning, and even though I suppose I will never be able to use the degree (I am 56 and won't graduate for years) I will feel the accomplishment. I love history, geography, geology, English Literature, and languages.

To anyone out there contemplating college-YOU CAN DO IT!!!

DanTheMan

Congratulations cabasilas!

I was sort-of a college student when I came under the spell of the Washtowel back in 1991. I quit going because college was generally frowned upon at the time. Then in 1998 I started back after the Fartful Knave seemed to relax their views on higher education a bit, but I only took classes here and there. I left da twoof back in 2002, but I still was pretty lazy about school until 2005. I picked up the pace then and finally got an associate of arts degree in 2007. This Fall I'm starting classes at a private university that's close to where I live. My employer pays $5k a year of my college tuition, which pretty much covers all of it. It'll take me about 3 years to earn a bachelor's degree. I think it will be mighty sweet having a bachelor's degree on my wall, considering all the f'n wrong turns and boneheaded decisions I've made in life.

Mrs. Fiorini

I too have gone back to college after quitting many years ago to "pioneer." I am on track to get my Bachelor's degree in December. It's 25 years late but worth even more to me now. For a long time I felt that my dream would never be realized and that it was too late for me. But now I feel that the advantages of going back and not giving up on this dream are many. For one thing, I know a lot more about who I am now than I did then. I know now what I want and what I am interested in. I also think it is important to get back some of what the Watchtower has taken from me in life. I can't control the fact that my siblings and their families won't speak to me anymore, but I can decide what educational opportunities I will pursue and what career I want for myself. There is a lot of satisfaction in getting back what I should have had all those years ago and trying to minimize the damage from the WTS.

Awakened at Gilead

I made a thread about this when I joined JWD...

I studied with CUNY online, and the tuition is cheap, and it doesnt matter where you live (in the world).

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/156254/1.ashx

laverite

Cabasilas,

This is a wonderful thread, so I thought I'd bump it up in case anyone missed this the first time around. What an inspirational story that many can benefit from. It's never too late. It really isn't. This is especially true with a college education in the US. Community colleges are wonderful resources that can be found in almost every community across America, and even those who live in rural areas usually have access as well. With the increase in online courses especially at CCs, access for many has expanded even more. Perhaps these expanded opportunities will make a difference for JWs. I'd love to see more wake up. Developing critical thinking skills can help with that.

Speaking of access, a friend of mine who teaches at a CC had a student in one of her online courses a couple of semesters back. That student lived in a remote area about an hour from the campus. She was legally blind (couldn't drive but still had vision and could read with special equipment) and she was also deaf. This young woman's parents worked full-time and she was literally stuck at home all day every day with no access to the outside world except for the computer and her online course. She took only one course at a time and would spend hours and hours every day on that one course alone. The instructor friend of mine knew none of this until the end of the semester when that student wrote a note and said that was the first time she felt completely equal to every other student in the class -- no one knew she had vision problems and no one knew she was deaf.

So, you blew your chance to go to college because of JWs? Don't give up!

Annie Over