Wednesday, August 26, 2009

College Life Envy? Not Really.

My second son started college last week, and it got me thinking about my own college experience.

I was an extremely odd student - married as a 22-year-old freshman at a college that had 2 married undergraduates total the year I graduated (the other one of whom was a 68-year-old grandfather who was finishing the degree he had failed to get due to war service). I also was the only undergrad who worked full-time and had children during college. I truly wouldn’t change my education in any way, but I would have liked to have made a connection with a club or extra-curricular group during those years. That’s about the only thing I “envy” about the other students’ experiences.

On the other hand, I am the only one in my graduating class who has been married to the same woman for over 20 years and has 6 biological children, multiple "foster" children and four "foster" grandchildren.

Given the choice between those two possibilities, I guess there is no envy after all.

3 comments:

Patty said...

I think that those who put off marriage and/or children until they're "well enough off" or for other self-centered reasons are really missing out on such wonderful, character building experiences. There's nothing quite like struggling to pay the bills and take care of kid(s) while also figuring out how to make a marriage work to really help create a permanent bond with your spouse and family!!
You've been so blessed! And it's never to late to find a club to join!

Mama D said...

I wouldn't have it any other way for us! It was worth it. Or rather, I should say YOU are worth it.

However, I'm glad that our sons are experiencing a more traditional college life. :)

Anonymous said...

I am really glad things turned out good for you.
No.
they turned out wonderful.
But I am not sure I would advise anyone to do the same thing.
I guess it really depend on the level of maturity. I see so many young members who look at the path you took and think it is the only one praise worthy and then...
The problem is not the path or whether it is better to have children before or after being done with school. The question is "why"?
Unlike Patty I don't think that having children before you are set is the best choice. I am not saying it is the worse either. I am just saying that I hear some young members "putting family first" in their life the same way other put pot and parties first in their life.
But in the end I am glad you made the choice you made because you are a great person that I wish I'll get a chance to meet someday when I make thousands of euros a month and I can travel for my photgraphy business (yeah I know I can dream on).