Why Am I Attending College

During high school, my goal was to do just well enough to pass. Attending college was never a thought that had crossed my mind. As the first grandchild and being raised by my grandparents, my main goal was to graduate and move out as soon as possible. So, shortly after graduation, I moved roughly an hour away with my significant other at the time and began working to pay bills.

Throughout the last 18 years, I’ve worked at several different organizations in several different roles. Recently, I’ve decided that I have held out long enough and it is time to invest more into myself by working towards a degree. After a few months of researching and doing some deep thinking, I’ve decided that I would like to be involved in a career that helps others. As much as I would love to become a nurse, I’m not certain I could handle sticking a needle into someone’s arm to draw blood or put in an IV in.
With further investigation, I came across the Health Information Management degree.
Based on my current administrative background and desire to work within an organization that helps people, I felt that this degree would be well suited for me. I was happy to see that Lord Fairfax Community College offered the degree and was pleasantly surprised by the low cost it would actually be to go through college. I had always felt that even if I wanted to attend college, I would never be able to afford
it.

With only a couple more months before I begin taking my first college course, I am both nervous and excited. It will definitely be a challenge taking courses while still working a fulltime job, but I will remain confident that in the end, it will be worth the struggle. I look forward to learning the skills I need to start a new career. I am hoping that this will be the start to a bright future with lots of opportunities.