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Places to Go:
Sunday is Show and Tell
I went to a university in New York. For one year. There. I said it. Depending on the day I am either ok with dropping out of the university after my freshman year or I have pains of feeling like an idiot. I feel like if only I had stayed another year or two that going back to getting a degree wouldn’t feel so overwhelming now. But I left after one year. I had NO qualms about it at the time. In fact I was pretty smug about it then. I knew that I would be starring on Broadway or a feature film in a matter of months and to twiddle my thumbs at University would be a waste of time.
Plus tuition was too much money.
I had made plans to enroll full time in a fancy pantsy acting school that was affiliated with the University and felt like as an actor that was just perfect. Doctors went to medical school, lawyers went to law school, and actors went to school at 3rd floor walk-ups across the street from a liquor store and a little theatre with a bunch of blue men.
And while the decision was entirely mine I will admit now that I had a tad bit of influence from a certain thinly stripped man named John. John came to give a little informal talk at the University and I went with some guy whose name I can no longer remember and a notebook that I reserved for such talks. You see I was the girl with stock in blank books. I had one for everything: addresses, notes for classes, recipes, things that I heard on the street or subway that were funny and even a book reserved exclusively for jotting town words of wisdom from guest lecturers.
We were early to John’s talk. I made sure of that. But I was not prepared for the amazingness that was about to happen. John began his ‘program’ by informing the mild mannered crowd that he was kicked out of our University his freshman year. He then said it was the best thing that ever happened to him. And something in my brain went, “oh. So you aren’t automatically a loser if you don’t finish University properly…hmmmm.”
And for the next several years it was, indeed, proved to be a good decision to drop out. I ended up graduating from my acting conservatory with an off-Broadway play under my belt and loads of experience. Plus I was able to have more free time to wait tables! I felt almost liberated for not having a university degree. There certainly couldn’t have been high expectations for me. It was that lack of expectation that allowed me to decide to move to L.A. and eventually get a job that people with multiple degrees would have killed for.
But still there are times that feel like people would be shocked to know that I am a college drop out. I do have a bad tendency to feel as if I am not smart enough because of it. And yet the very idea of going back to school exhausts me. I will probably end up being one of those weekend news stories about the 90 year old woman that FINALLY went and got herself a college degree.
Until that time I take a small amount of comfort in knowing that John turned out ok. So maybe I will too. So today I am showing (after the telling) a photo from that fateful evening.
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22 Responses to “Sunday is Show and Tell”
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that’s pretty damned cool, woman… you know he is a baltimore boy…
heading to the show-n-tell post @ mel’s…
xo…
gypsy
I don’t have a degree either, and I’ve done just fine. I wonder about it sometimes too, but I’m happy without it so it musta been a good choice.
What a great story! I’m glad you figured out what you wanted to do with your life and you went for it!
Lucky, lucky lucky! What an excellent Show and Tell.
Oh, cool!! And I love how you saved the reveal for the end.
Dh’s favourite episode of the “The Simpsons” is the one where guests (where Homer takes Bart to a gay steel mill, lol).
Wow! What a neat story, and a pic to prove it! =)
I never even made it to college, so you’ve got me beat! I keep saying that I’ll go one day, but I’m not so sure I ever will.
You know - I usually get so aggravated when dh calls me a “college drop-out”. No, I didn’t finish. I was one semester away from entering the nursing program. Instead, I got married and worked 1 full time job and 2 part time jobs while HE went to school. That was my college degree too buddy! He says it just to rile me, not to be mean. Though, sometimes I was mean to myself because of it. Thank you for reminding me that it is all okay anyway.
Good wishes!
PS - I am going back though . . . :0) someday.
Awwwwwwesome.
I had not interest in going to college at all. I just dont think it is for everyone. Great story and always cool to have a pic like that!
What a really cool story/picture
I sometimes think that college is overated, I mean I don;t have a university degree and I am doing ok for myself. I think that experience in work and life are of far more value that some piece of paper that says you studied.
You rock Cali - and you are more than fine!
It is overrated - trust me. I went, and I didn’t learn much more than How To Stay Awake All Night For No Real Reason and How To Skip Classes After Registration - stuff like that. What you did sounds way more interesting!
I recognize that fella but can’t figure out why.
And — an off Broadway show?! How you impress me!
Of all of the people that I know, the most successful are those that didn’t go to college. Too bad I’m not one of them. All I got is a piece of paper and a huge student loan.
I dropped out 10 years ago with only 2 quarters to go. Now I am almost finished with the 1st (of many) quarters back in school. I feel like I am in the ghost of classes past or something. It is so much easier in some ways and so much harder in others. I am exhausted all the time, but I don’t have the same insecurities that I was dealing with at 19 or 20. Of course, I am once again surrounded by 19 and 20 year olds and it makes me feel old!!!
Popping by from Mel’s Show and Tell.
What a great life you’ve lived. Off-Broadway … WOW!
Never, EVER question if you are bright enough. Good heavens, woman - if I had a tenth of your talents I’d be one content lady today. You are a terrific writer. I don’t read anything continually if it doesn’t hold my interest. You take amazing photos and I wish we lived closer so I could beg, convince you to teach me some of the the techniques you use. And you are an actress. I only enjoyed high school drama. But above all else, you are an all around interesting and big hearted woman.
As for dropping out of University - so what. At the time you did it for what were right reasons for then. Most of us question the path we took when we look back. I think it’s best to just not look behind us.
God do I know that feeling. I went to college for 3 1/2 years. My dad finally put the kibosh on paying because I had to cut back to part time so that I could work (and I still had no idea what I really wanted to do.). I go through the same back and forth on how I feel about being a drop out and yes returning is daunting. I saw a news report on a multitude of commencements for 2008 and it bummed me out.
On a completely different note but still vaguely related to your post: The Tonys! Sunday! Excited? I’m so excited I could pee.
For some dreams, a degree isn’t necessary.
And how cool is that photo?
(And seriously, if you ever decide you want a B.A., you can get one. Many regular universities offer lots of distance learning classes. Very convenient. You may never want to, but it ya ever do…)
xoxo
Ahhhh…. yes, the great collge debate. Remember back when I turned 30 and started college for the first time and dropped out 2 weeks later? Yeah, that was pretty cool. I want to go to school mostly so people will listen to me - Sometimes I think that’s stupid and sometimes I think I’m right on target. But I have yet to figure out “what I want to do when I grow up” and so that makes it difficult. I don’t ever feel dumb because I haven’t gone to college, but I frequently feel dismissed; as if, because I am well read and yet officially un-educated, I couldn’t possibly have any merit to my opinions. Frustrating? Yes. But I still have passion and amibition and someday I will be acheiving whatever it is my folly seems to be at that time. Love you and HE is soooooo one of my heroes!!!
College isn’t necessary and many people do just great without it. I didn’t go to college until I was 29. My family viewed college as not necessary and a distraction from God. My mom told me numerous times that going to college (nursing school specifically) that it would be a waste of my time because Armageddon would be here before I even finished. Hmm, funny how that works out since I’ve been a nurse for 3 years since and it’s been at least 14 since she started telling me that. That said I keep telling myself to go back for my bachelors degree and then on to masters but the thought is horrifying.
great pic and story!