Grief. Work. Degree.
August carries weight. So does finishing what I started. Both are here because both changed the math.
August
Some dates do not need permission to matter.
International Overdose Awareness Day is recognized globally as a day to remember and grieve the people lost to overdose, support recovery, and keep prevention in the conversation.
Losing my brother in August was a hard hit. My birthday is also in August. Since then, I observe Overdose Awareness Day on August 31 and National Recovery Month in September.
Overdoses are preventable, and recovery is possible. Too many lives have been taken and too many families have had to learn that sentence the hard way.
Education
Fueled by grief, stubbornness, and a schedule that did not care about comfort.
I started my studies at WGU in May 2022. I completed the BSCSIA in October 2023 and the MSCSIA in August 2024. I took and passed 42 courses along the way.
I ate very little, skipped too many family events, watched almost no TV, and stayed up too late writing papers. I was on a mission. The world could wait.
Some people said it could not have been that hard if I moved that fast. Talk is cheap. Do it and see how easy it is.
The easy classes were easy because I had been using the technology for over 20 years. The hard classes were still hard.
WGU can work well for people with experience who need the degree to catch up with what they already know. If you need step-by-step hand holding, think carefully. Competency-based learning rewards independence and punishes waiting around.
DJames617