FOR 17-YEAR-OLD ME
Forty-five years ago, I wanted to major in theater at the University of Georgia. Now I'm back on campus, and my 17-year-old self would be absolutely thrilled.
I'm 62 years old, and I'm back at the University of Georgia as an undergraduate student.
The obvious questions are: Why now? Am I finishing a degree? And perhaps most importantly, have I lost my mind? Here's the story.
The Dream I Had at 17
I was a freshman at UGA in 1981 and I wanted to major in theater. I recently found the slip of paper from back then where I'd written down my areas of study. And there it was, in my own handwriting: theater.
Even at 17, I knew what I wanted to do.
But I also had some very well-meaning family members who loved me and wanted the best for me. They were concerned about my choice. What would I do with a theater degree? I didn't want to be a teacher. I have tremendous respect for teachers, but that wasn't the career I envisioned for myself. My family worried about how difficult it would be to break into acting and make a living in the performing arts.
Their concerns were understandable. And when you're 17, the opinions of people you love carry a lot of weight.
So, I started thinking about other possibilities.
I remember meeting with my academic advisor during Orientation like it was yesterday.
In fact, I recently came across my original Orientation packet from 1981. It was hilarious to look through it again, complete with old bus schedules, meal plans, and all the information you needed to navigate college.
But I also remembered that conversation with my advisor.
He asked me, "Okay, if you're not going to major in theater, what else are you interested in?"
I told him that I loved to argue. Family dinners at our house could get pretty lively. We'd choose different topics, and everyone had to defend their point of view. I'd grown up doing that, so I thought maybe law would be a good fit.
"Maybe I'll be a lawyer," I told him. And just like that, he said, "Okay. Political science, pre-law. Next!" And off I went.
I knew absolutely nothing about political science. I didn't even really know what it was. But I spent the next four years studying it, even though I wasn't enjoying it and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the degree.
By the middle of my junior year, I'd pretty much decided that I didn't want to be a lawyer. So there I was, trying to figure out whether I should go into government or find some other career path.
Then, in the very last quarter of my senior year, something happened that changed everything.
The Unexpected Detour That Became My Career
A friend of mine was working on a journalism project and asked me to help her. She needed to interview me for practice as a news reporter.
I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
I remember thinking, Oh my gosh! This is it. This is fantastic! This is what I want to do.
I was only about six weeks away from graduating, so I finished my political science degree and applied to the journalism school at Georgia for a second degree. I was accepted and was able to earn my journalism degree in a year because so many of my credits carried over.
I worked in broadcast journalism for about 15 years, until our daughter was born and I decided to retire from that career. After that, my husband and I worked together in a variety of businesses, including video production and photography companies. I've also worked in voiceover, modeling, marketing, and communications for churches and schools.
I've spent much of my life doing things connected to journalism, entertainment, and the performing arts. And I've loved so much of it. But through all those years, there was still a little part of me that wished I'd majored in theater.
I never forgot that original dream.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer on my 60th birthday, it gave me a new perspective. I started thinking about whether I was really living the way I wanted to. I'd always encouraged our daughter to chase her dreams, and I realized it was time I took a little of my own advice.
If you're 62 or older and a Georgia resident, you can attend a public college or university in the University System of Georgia without paying tuition, subject to the program's eligibility requirements. For the past couple of years, I'd kept that in the back of my mind.
Then I turned 62 in January.
Our daughter was already living in Athens, and our lease was coming up in February. The pieces started falling into place, and I realized I had an opportunity to do something I'd wanted to do for 45 years.
So I made a decision.
I applied. I was accepted. We moved to Athens. And now, I'm a theater major at the University of Georgia.
"Are You a Guest Speaker?"
Being back on campus has already given me some pretty funny moments.
At Orientation, they almost didn't let me into my breakout session because they thought I was a parent or a supporter rather than a student. "I'm a student," I explained.
And they let me in.
Then, in one of my larger classes, a very sweet guy turned around and asked me, "Are you a guest speaker?" I smiled and told him, "No, I'm a student!" He was so sweet about it. Honestly, I get it. I probably wouldn't have expected to see someone my age sitting in an undergraduate theater class when I was 18, either.
Our professor went around the room and asked everyone to introduce themselves, tell their major, and share the last theater production they'd been in or a production they particularly loved. When it was my turn, I explained that I was a theater major and that I was there to pursue a dream I'd had for 45 years. The students applauded. I can't even explain how sweet that was. Then we broke into small groups for a class project, and several students came over to ask if I wanted to join their group. They were so intentionally kind, inclusive, and welcoming. They made me feel like I belonged there. It was an experience I'll never forget.
A Backpack, a Dining Hall, and a Whole New Appreciation
My family has been incredibly supportive throughout this adventure. Our daughter took me on a refresher tour of campus and ate with me in the dining hall. We even went shopping for my backpack together. You know, the little things you do when you're starting college. Except this time, I'm doing them at 62.
I've been a University of Georgia fan my entire life, so being back on campus is special in a way that's hard to describe. I loved UGA when I was 17, 18, and 19. Those years meant a lot to me.
But being here now, with a completely different perspective on life, has given me a renewed appreciation for the experience.
When you're young, you can spend so much time worrying about what comes next, what other people think, and whether you're making the right decisions. You don't always realize how much you have to learn about yourself.
Now I get to experience college again with 45 more years of life behind me.
And that makes it all the more meaningful.
The Degree Isn't Really the Prize
Of course, I'm excited to study theater. I'm excited to learn, to challenge myself, and to explore something I've wanted to pursue for most of my life.
But here's what I've realized already: The degree isn't really the prize. The experience is.
It's getting to walk across campus and feel that excitement again. It's sitting in a classroom and learning something new. It's meeting people I might never otherwise have met. It's doing something that once seemed out of reach simply because I was told it might not be practical.
It's finally giving that 17-year-old girl a chance to see what might have happened if she'd followed her original dream.
And it's discovering that it's not too late to find out.
I don't know exactly where this adventure will lead. Maybe it will open doors I haven't even considered yet. Maybe it will simply be a wonderful chapter in my life.
Either way, I'm glad I said yes.
What Have You Been Putting Off?
I wanted to share my story because I know I'm not the only person who has put a dream aside.
Maybe someone once told you that your idea wasn't practical. Maybe you chose the sensible path, the safe path, or the path that made the most sense at the time. Maybe life got busy. Maybe you had children, a career, bills to pay, or other people who needed you.
And maybe, somewhere along the way, you stopped thinking about that thing you once really wanted to do.
Or maybe you never stopped thinking about it at all.
Sometimes talk ourselves out of possibilities before we even give them a chance. We tell ourselves we're too old. We're too late. We're not qualified. We're not ready. People might think we're ridiculous. And sometimes we spend so much time thinking about whether we should do something that we never actually do it. I know a little something about that.
So if you've been sitting on the fence about pursuing a degree, applying for a job, starting a business, taking a class, learning a new skill, or doing something you've always wanted to try, I hope you'll give yourself permission to explore the possibility. You don't have to know exactly where it will lead. And you don't have to wait until you feel completely ready.
Sometimes, you just have to take the first step.
Forty-five years ago, I wanted to major in theater. It took me a while to get here, but here I am.
So tell me: What is something you've always wanted to do but haven't done yet?
Maybe it's time to stop overthinking it.
Less overthinking. More living.
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