So…it’s been a while. Many things have changed, including my location, my goals, my opinions, and most importantly, my school.
I am now a full-time student at the University of West Georgia. There are many reasons for this, chiefly among them are how much it costs to continue attending Shorter College. It has never been cheap, but now it is a little ridiculous. For me at least. I still love the school, and still consider it my first academic love. And you know what they say about your first love…
The decision to move further south in this great Southern state was not entirely influenced by money. Things rarely are. This fine institute offers a creative writing minor, something that I will hopefully put into practice. Yes, all of you who read this will one day be thanked in my acknowledgments. That is, of course, if all goes according to plan. Also, Shorter is doing some major English Department overhauling. That is all I have to say about that, though.
So here I am, in Carrollton, Ga, typing away while there is a storm outside. The rain is beating erratic patterns on my window pane that refuse to let me sleep. West Georgia is a different animal to me. One main difference is that I live on campus now, and it is turning out to be a refreshing change. I have a meal plan, I walk to class, I hang out with the boys next door, I watch TV with the girls downstairs. It’s nice.
I guess you have to leave a place before it becomes defined in your mind. While I lived in Rome, a good 21.5 years mind you, it represented only what I was going through at the time. There was a past, but it seemed to be a working past…something that I added to everyday that created this huge identity comprised solely of past events. The future was only the soon-to-be past. Now that I am gone, these bad feelings and associations fade into the background and take a less significant role. I can see Rome as a place that will always be a home for me. It contains some of my favorite people of all time, and my family of course. Those bad experiences are just background noise. It is as welcoming for me to return to Rome as it was to leave it.
I think I have figured out what I want to do with my life. I have always known a little what I want to do, but now I am equipped with a plan. For anyone who has made it this far into this scatterbrained post, thanks! Bear with me a little bit more. My Life Plan, by Whitney goes a little something like this. 1) graduate from college. 2) join the Teach for America program for two years (more on this to come.) 3) attend graduate school. 4) become an editor/free lance writer/columnist/journalist/novelist (any of these will work) 5) finally get that cute apartment in New York for a few years until I decide to settle down in a less intimidating city to raise kids and live peacefully ever after.
The Teach for America program is an awesome program that, after doing hours of research, I completely believe in. It is a section of AmeriCorps that puts qualified college graduates into schools that are in need of teachers. After teaching two years in your area of the country, you are sometimes offered a normal teaching job, if there is enough resources. You don’t have to take a full teaching job, however, and many people go on to graduate school after this, as I plan to do. I don’t think that teaching for the rest of my life is something that I would be good at. I think I would begin to resent the job and that would be a terrible disservice to the children. I would hate to turn someone off from reading or literature because I was unhappy in my job.
I have picked out three graduate schools that I would LOVE to go to. I’m not sure if they would love to have me. Time will tell. 
After graduate school, maybe I will be qualified to get an awesome job. Or any job really. Maybe in New York. Maybe in South Dakota for all I know. One thing that I am learning about myself is that now, as opposed to the years leading up to now, I can be happy almost anywhere. I have found the internal happiness that I was looking for. I have surprised myself recently, and this new found optimism and general enjoyment of life will be a nice change. I, in the immortal words of U2, still haven’t found what I’m looking for, but I have picked up the scent. The trail isn’t cold and washed away like I thought it was.
My friends are graduating this year! I will not be joining them, as the transfer to UWG left some of my valuable credits behind. But here we are, grown ups. Ms Cindy has already graduated, which blows my mind…so awesome. Graduating and getting real jobs, making real money to pay real bills with. These are the rewards for working hard. Also, the pride of accomplishment.
So I end with an apology. I’m sorry its been so long with updating, not that any one of you were sitting dangerously on th edge of your seat. Sorry that this is a little all over the place…I may have learned happiness, but unity and organization are still works in progress. Sorry if my general unhappiness has put a damper you, my (two, three?) readers. We should meet again, see if you like this Whitney a little more. Oh, and come visit me! I’ll show you around this little strange town I live in now. Pictures to come.
-W
Oh, Daniel got his license, and his first speeding ticket a grand total of five weeks later. If you see an older model Dakota zooming around town, watch out for him.
