Friday, August 10, 2012

Focused Friday: Graduation

Today is a huge day for me.  It's my graduation day!!!   I am graduating from college today with my masters degree. 



And it isn't just any masters degree.  It's the one I have always wanted to get, but I thought I wasn't capable.  I am now officially a counselor.  Or at least I will be in a few hours.  Technically I won't have my license for a few weeks even, but you know what I mean :-)


And I am the first one in my family to get a master's degree.  (If you don't count my incredibly smart sister-in-law who has her MD and PHD.)  But I'm just counting my family of origin.



This is the most focused I have ever been.  I stayed focused for 2 1/2 years in order to get to this goal.  How does someone with ADHD do that?  I think for me it goes back to when I was a little kid.  My mom made us kids eat our vegetables every night for dinner.  And there was no getting out of it.  I don't remember how she made us do this (I certainly have not been able to pass this onto my own kids), but the vegetables were to be eaten.  I did not care for vegetables.  So I came up with a strategy.  It was really complicated, here goes....I ate them first.



How is that a strategy and why does it pertain to graduation?  I'm glad you asked.  It's a strategy because I figured if I had to eat them anyhow I would rather get it over with and end my meal with something I liked such as mashed potatoes, rather than dreading the veggies the whole meal and having to end my meal with them.


How this pertains to graduation is how I got through school.  I knew I had to do the homework and the studying, I wasn't getting out of it if I wanted a good grade in the class.  So I always jumped in and worked as hard as I could during the week so I could have fun and play on the weekend.  As soon as something was assigned I tackled it.  I figured I was going to have to do it anyway, so I could put it off and stress it for a few weeks, or I could get it done.


The other factor that helped me get through school is I was getting a degree in something I really liked.  I enjoyed most (not all, a few were terribly boring) of my classes.  And I knew if I could get school out of the way as quickly as possible I would be able to do what I enjoyed which is being a counselor.


So now my vegetables are eaten and it's time for me to get to the mashed potatoes.  But first I must wear the incredibly flattering cap and gown and wait for my name to be called to be handed a piece of paper that isn't really my diploma. 



And being a master's graduate I also get to wear this cool cape. 



Perhaps I get super powers with that fake diploma piece of paper thingy.  Hmmm...what super power would I like to have?  I wonder if I get to choose.


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