Saturday, July 4, 2015
Here we
are again, after another brief hiatus, this time again with a purpose. As a recap, I am still working towards my A+
certification (for those of you not already aware, this is a general certification
for computer hardware/software maintenance and support), which is more
intricate and complex than I expected.
Not to
beat a dead horse, but computers have always been a passion of sorts. Until about three months ago, I thought I knew
a lot about computers. Apparently I was
quite ignorant to many of the core aspects of the very technology running the
system, such as the motherboard, specifically how the motherboard works. I can
now distinguish between at least three different motherboard form factors,
identify different chipsets on a given board, and put simply, I can build a
computer with confidence given a list of specifications the computer must meet
upon completion. Ignorance is a funny
thing; it’s like a virus: you don’t realize how sick you really were until you
finally get healthy.
With
the recent developments, I now question my resolve to complete my college
education as opposed to taking an alternate route. The funny thing is that I still have the same
dedication to follow this road to completion, no matter what route works. In all honesty, I can already name a few
instances where people have made amazing career advancements in the IT field
with no degree, but instead the right certifications.
I am
honestly torn at this point, as finishing school would be amazing, just to have
that sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, I’m sick of feeling like I’m
waiting on part of my life to catch up to me. I’m married, and will hopefully
soon (God willing) have children. It
would be really great if I could get to a level of some sense of financial
stability, to be able to prepare for a brighter future. Let’s face it: an hourly call center job isn’t
the way to get there. Not at my hourly rate anyway.
These
thoughts come after trying to apply at the local university, University of
North Carolina at Charlotte. Everything
was going so perfectly. I just paid my debts to the community college and
obtained my transcripts. I was on my way to college, a real college, a university.
I already knew when registration began and ended, so I had everything together.
I even prepared for the application fee, and researched to make sure I could
transfer at least most of my credits; I believe almost all of them should
indeed transfer. So I go online, and
steer to the page to register; at this point there are approx. 3 days left in
the time period, maybe more, so I felt there was enough time. Upon clicking the
link to the registration page, I find the registration for fall semester was
closed. I missed my chance. As much as I
love my laptop, it was almost thrown across the room. Almost.
So here
I am, back at square one again. Well, kind of, but not really. At this point, I am about a week or two away
from taking the first exam for this certification. Missing my latest chance did nothing if not
light a serious fire under me to get something constructive done. I’ve learned many things on this journey, and
one of them is that sometimes the worst curses are really blessings in
disguise. In light of recent events, I have realized that I can get just as far
in the IT/programming field, if not farther, with certifications as I can with
an actual degree.
So here
is today’s lesson boys and girls. Stuff happens, plain and simple. Good stuff,
bad stuff, mediocre stuff. Some you can
control, some you can’t. What you can
always control, however, is how you are going to handle it. For example, school is out of my hands for
now. So does that mean I am doomed to a life of abject poverty? Hell no. It does mean I need to find a way to adapt to
recent circumstances. In this case, working on a certification. This way, there is no time wasted. I may be able to knock off some classes from
my degree if I go back, and I will definitely get into the field much
sooner.
Don’t
ever be foolish enough to believe someone else can live your life for you. What have I said before? Sometimes (many
times) in life, what you want isn’t given to you. It is, in fact, held back
from you. Sometimes you have to bite and
claw to take what you want. Well fight
for it, my friends. The good fight is not an easy one, but what fight is better
than the fight for your dreams? And know this as well: you will not fight
alone. You will be shocked to see the support you get from unexpected places
when people see you pick up the reigns of your life and decide where you want
your path to lead you. It’s a beautiful
thing, and one that does not go unnoticed.
