How Can I Be Successful At UMF

In order to be successful at UMF I need to continue to attend school. I have referred to UMF as my "White Whale" for many years now. In 1999 I was a freshman here and stopped attending classes when soccer season ended. Looking back that was one of the best worst decisions I have ever made. Academically leaving college made no sense, but in the context of life skills it was exactly what I needed. I joined the Air Force where I became a supervisor and learned how to operate with integrity and discipline. When I finished my six year enlistment I returned to UMF to once again try to become a teacher. I was only able to stay for two weeks due to my financial situation, an unfortunate side effect of being in the real world for the last six years. So I got a job at a three man company that we grew into a six franchise, twenty employee business. When the bottom dropped out of the economy I once again turned to my "White Whale". I have been driving to Farmington since my sister started at UMF in 1992, by the time I get my degree, twenty years will have passed and the road into town looks exactly the same. My struggle with success at UMF has nothing to do with academics, I need to resist the urge to stop living on one income. Making ends meet for my family will be a struggle while I am in school but the true success will be felt when I get my degree and the rest of our lives can be spent as two teachers from UMF.