30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 8

Today, I'm thankful for my education.

I've always LOVED school. My parents instilled values about education ever since I can remember. "Always do your homework as soon as you come home from school," and "no, you can't go out to play until it's done." Seemed pretty simple... and it seemed to work.

I've always loved doing homework (I know, strange) and the satisfaction of turning in a paper or project done to the best of my ability was always so gratifying. Whether it was elementary school, middle school, high school or college, I don't think I ever missed an assignment. I always expected a high score, not because I thought I was the smartest kid or did the best job, but because I knew I could always challenge myself to be the best of my ability. I didn't always GET a perfect score, don't get me wrong. But when I did get a grade that was lower than I expected, it brought me down and then I just knew I had to work harder the next time. While my parents had strict rules for when I did my homework, they never EVER pressured me with regard to my grades. I've always been self-motivated and never really needed a push from anyone. Thank you, Type A Personality.

I learned the most about the value of my education in high school. That's when it started to count. AP classes, honor society, the whole shebang.... all of the courses for "highly-selective colleges." Looking back, I loved my high school experience. I had some of the best teachers that prepared me both for college and to become a well-adjusted, productive adult. Favorite teacher? Mr. Robinson, hands down. Something about the way he taught really made me think about why I answered a question the way I did, and what the real-world application really meant.

Then came college. Hello University of Washington, it's nice to meet you and the other 60,000+ students here. I didn't go by Julie Voeller, I went by my student ID number. I had the world's 2nd worst roommate (Stefan got lucky with the world's worst) and became very frustrated trying to learn in my freshman classes with 500+ students. While I absolutely loved living in Seattle and loved the campus, UW just wasn't the best fit for me, nor did it complement how I like to learn and I don't think it really opened up the right opportunities for me from an educational perspective. I did learn a lot though, and this experience really allowed me to understand what I was looking for in my educational goals and aspirations.

Then came a transfer. Hello University of Puget Sound! I was one of 3200 students and from the second I transfered as a sophomore, I knew that was where I was meant to be. Small, private liberal arts college. I thought it would be too close to home (15 minutes from where I grew up), but it ended up being absolutely perfect. My professors knew me by name, I saw recognizeable faces on campus and becoming involved in various activities on campus really allowed me to find my place. I realized that I no longer wanted to be a dentist and found a great interest in psychology. I did some independent research with one of my professors, completed an internship that complemented my senior thesis and was President of the Psychology Honor Society my senior year. In addition to this (nerdy) little part of my resume, I was involved in leadership offices in my sorority, worked part-time as a nanny and a barista and still made time to make some of the most lasting friendships I never could've imagined.

I loved college. It taught me so much about myself, my aspirations, my strengths, my weaknesses and how I can be the best at whatever I decide to do. College was one of the best experiences of my life and I cannot be more thankful to have been given the opportunity to attend such a great school and learn so much about myself and to obtain such a well-rounded education.

And no folks, it didn't stop there. Because I loved school SOOOO much, I decided to get my Masters in Adult Education/Training after I became a corporate trainer at Progressive. Not because it would give me any advancements in my company, but because I wanted to understand the why behind adult learning and why we teach adults the way we do. (Don't worry, I don't take offense if you call me a nerd at this point.) While this was a completely different experience (the program was online), it actually taught me a lot about the future of education. My masters thesis was about the transition of corporate training from face-to-face learning to more online and virtual methods of instruction. I was able to incorporate my experiences at work with what I was learning in school to the research that has been conducted in corporate training settings. I loved how everything came back full-circle because it really made my masters program seem meaningful and relevant.

I thank my parents for proving a solid foundation with the importance of education.

I thank my elementary and middle school teachers for the encouragement and positive contribution that allowed me to realize that I can do anything.

I thank my high school teachers for opening my eyes and providing focus on the importance of my future.

I thank my college professors for challenging my beliefs and allowing me to think like an individual.

Without my education, I don't know where I'd be.