Jasmine Muller
Imagine a crisp, white, blank, piece of paper.
So crisp and clean ready to be written on. You grab a pencil with a good eraser. You know you will make mistakes as you write so you prefer a pencil rather then a pen which is much more permanent. You start to write on that sheet of paper. You include some ideas, notes, goals, maybe a drawing or two but as predicted you make a mistake. You erase, rewrite, and inscribe marks over words you want to void.
You pass on the sheet of paper to some one else and they input their own ideas and/or opinions. They like you also erase and make marks. By the time you're done, the piece of paper does not look as new and clean as it first started. It has marks, smudges, rips and even some fold marks. Well, I have come to realize that my life is like a piece of paper.
I started off an innocent baby. As I grew I made mistakes. I go back correct the ones I can and then I learn from them. People whom I've met have made an impact in my life good as well as bad and throughout my life experience I've learn what I like and don't like. But like that piece of paper I will never be the same. There is always going to be smudges and residue from the past. That can never be erased but only leaving a huge mark! You can either dwell on the mark or you can learn from it and become stronger.
I have been through my share of struggles. Molested at 10, Parents divorced at 13, I along with my older sister became the women of the house taking care of my younger sisters due to the fact that my dad took full custody of 5 children and he worked 2 jobs. I fell in love at a young age and eloped at the age of 18. Had my first baby at the age of 19 and lived the life of a Marine wife for a couple years.
Like every marriage, I went through my trials and tribulations. Gave up a lot of things to keep my family in tacked. One thing I gave up that I've always wanted to go back to was school. My obligation and responsibilities as a mother, wife and coworker became top priority delaying my goal of becoming a graphic designer for so long.
I've wanted to attend college ever since I can remember. I am now 23-years-old. I am a mother of two beautiful little boys. I work full-time as a secretary in a generator company by the name of Broadcrown, Inc. And I am currently going through a divorce of a 4½ year marriage. I am the third born of five children and the first and only so far to graduate high school, I will also be the first to attend and complete college in my family. As I said before I have been through my share of experiences and I am proud to say that I've lived and learned.
I've grown stronger and wiser. And feel that now more then ever I am ready to go back to school. One of my fears of going to college was the care of my children. Not knowing how I was going to mange a job, school and motherhood. But now getting a degree has gotten as easy as using your home computer.
What I love about getting my degree online is that everything is at my fingertips. I can attend a course at anytime, from anywhere. This means that I can continue to work full-time. After work I can focus on my children's needs and once they are asleep, I then can sit down to class in the comfort of my own home. I don't have to worry about a sitter, gas, traffic and pretty much all the stress of having to go to and from school. I love that the course material is accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I have the ability to read and reread lectures, discussions, explanations and comments because sometimes I can get distracted and often miss spoken material. In addition, participating online is much less intimidating than "in the classroom." Anonymity provides me as a student a level playing field undisturbed by bias caused by seating arrangement, gender, race and age. I can also think longer about what I want to say and add my comments when ready. In a traditional classroom, the conversation could have gone way past the point where I want to comment. So you see online classes are easy, convenient, and the way to my victorious future.
I've always had an interest in arts and computers. But, what led to wanting a career in the field of Graphic design was when I became editor of my high school yearbook my senior year. I created most of the layouts and assist my peers with their designs. I would spend hours trying to complete my layouts to perfection and would work after school and even weekends to meet deadlines. This was something that I was committed to.
After noticing my dedication I knew that I wanted to be a graphic designer. I would like to establish this by earning my associate's degree in Graphic/Web Design. This will help me find an occupation that enhances my creative abilities. Once I obtain this degree I would like to go as far as getting a Masters or Doctorate degree. I will take advantage of these degrees and construct a better future for not only me but my family as well. My degree in Graphic/Web Design will help find a profession where I can express my talent freely. This degree is proof to employers everywhere that I am well educated in this particular field and that I can and will be beneficial to their company.
I would like to build websites for diverse organizations as well as companies. I would also like to design posters for movies, cd covers for famous artists, shirts for promoting and much more. I anticipate that after many years of working in the field of graphic/web design I can one day become a professor and share my expertise.
I've learned not to settle for less but to attain to complete all and everything I set my mind to. My determination to get these degrees increases more and more each day. I'm not a quitter but a fighter. Education is a great factor in success. Without a proper education it would be extremely hard to obtain a rewarding career and my goal is that. To acquire a rewarding career and to look forward to what I want to do everyday oppose to what I have to do everyday.