As One Chapter Closes...

Jan 21, 2024

5 min read

The end of a chapter that began 28 years ago.

December 2023 University of Mississippi Commencement Ceremony

Closing a chapter of your life comes with all the emotions: joy, anxiety, excitement, sadness, gratitude, apprehension, empowerment, appreciation, exhaustion... You get the idea; we have all found ourselves at the end of one chapter, ready to begin the next for innumerable reasons.

My diploma cover, cap and tassel, Cum Laude honor cord, and the Commencement program.

In April 2020, an ad popped up in my newsfeed; I do not remember the exact ad, but it was for financial aid to earn a college degree. As all of us have done, I went down the rabbit hole; I am not even sure I realized what I was doing at the time. I remember spending considerable time researching various schools and their online degree options. Being the mother of three and working full time, I knew traditional classes were not an option. Eventually, I found myself on the University of Memphis website looking at their English Department. Over the next several days, I kept going back to their website. During that time, I had multiple conversations with my husband, Cory, and upon his strong encouragement, I sent my application.

After sending all the necessary documents I could (hello, global pandemic), I waited. Finally, on May 20, 2020, I received an email, Congratulations and welcome to the University of Memphis Global. What? Anxiety-ridden and excited with a good dose of trepidation, I read the email to Cory. It was official; I was returning to college for the first time in 24 years. I was ready to back out; Cory was adamant we would make it work.

Who knew Legos would be a requirement for a college course and just your everyday light reading material? Also, never read the "real" Peter Pan unless you are ready for your childhood to be changed.

At first, we told no one except the kids, Kylie, Chloe, and Cam (they were affected the most). Sworn to secrecy, I do not know when I told my parents, Cory's family, or any of our friends, but I can say a considerable amount of time had passed before we told anyone. I was already neck-deep in schoolwork as we slowly told those around us. Sometimes, I am an open book, but occasionally, I keep my cards close. I was not ready to share this part of my life with anyone.

Six days before my 43rd birthday, I started classes as a full-time online student. One thing I knew for sure was I had no clue how I would do this. I spent my days working, while on my nights and weekends, I was in front of my computer reading, discussing, writing, attending Zoom sessions, and learning Spanish. Yes, I had to take four semesters of Spanish. I was in over my head.

Over the next three and a half years, I did schoolwork at home during all hours of the day and night, traveling to and from volleyball or basketball games, attending Zoom classes in gymnasiums, etc. Eventually, I settled into a routine. Do not get me wrong, it was a struggle, juggling marriage, kids, work, school, family, and friends. At one time or another, I dropped the ball, sometimes multiple, but Cory kept encouraging me, and I persevered. I learned to live day-to-day, deadline-to-deadline.

Schoolwork at volleyball matches and basketball games. The stressful night of having power but no internet at home and an assignment deadline looming in under an hour. So, I drove around town searching for free wi-fi and submitted the assignment just before the deadline.

Cory helped tremendously, keeping the kids from disturbing me, cooking supper, doing laundry, and all the things I no longer had time to complete. On the nights I cooked, our kids survived eating macaroni and cheese, pizza rolls, Totino's pizza, pasta noodles, cereal, or concession stand food on the busier days when there was no time to cook a meal.

One semester at a time, I completed class after class. In true Glidewell fashion, we like to go big or go home. During this time, Cam broke his leg, Cory had open heart aortic valve replacement, my dad had heart issues, Kylie graduated high school, Chloe started high school, Cam began middle school, I changed jobs, Cory changed jobs, family members passed away, new family members arrived, basketball became a year-round sport, life moved forward.

These are just some moments of the peaks and valleys during this incredibly trying season. Life changed in every way, but we continued to look for joy even amidst our sorrow.

After three and a half years of telling Cory more than one thousand times, I cannot do this. I am quitting. Cory always believed in me when I did not. On Wednesday night, December 6, at 9:56 p.m. I submitted my final assignment. Cory, Kylie, and Chloe were in the room when I did it; all my tears, fears, hard work, and perseverance paid off with the click of a button.

Three and a half years, and I received my diploma. We loaded up in the car with the kids after the ceremony. "Well, that was....." I said, but before I could finish my sentence. Kylie said, "... anti-climatic."

Without a doubt, I know this has been the most challenging chapter of my life and the most rewarding. The other thing is I did not do it alone. God carried me every single step of the way. Cory, the kids, my parents, and a host of friends are to thank also. It never failed; when I thought I could not do this, one of them would say something or send me a message encouraging me to believe in myself.

My unwavering supporters and cheering squad on graduation day. Not pictured above are the friends who never failed to encourage me on the dark days when I needed it.

So, it is official. I graduated Cum Laude from the University of Memphis with a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Professional Writing and a minor in Public Relations. What have I done with my time so far? Go to basketball games and sleep. Everyone has asked how it feels to be finished. For days, it did not feel different, but I slowly noticed the stress of not having to worry about assignments melted away, and I am finding joy in everyday moments.