Perhaps I should know better than to tell my dad that I'm bored. But that is where this dream begins. I think there can be nothing worse for any father to see their daughter partially unemployed, wasting talent, living pay cheque to pay cheque and then to hear that she's bored. But some time in March, 2011 over one of our precious, yet rare dinners together, he asked me how I was doing. I looked him in the eyes and replied: 'Bored'.
And then he offered me an incredible gift. The chance to go back to school and do it all again to become a Pharmacist. A career that my dad always thought would fit me to a tee: the right balance of people skills, independent work, and academic ability, plus a chance to own my own business and make a good wage. I don't know why I shunned this idea when I originally made these decisions back in my teens. Yes I do. Because when you're 18, you don't listen to your parents.
June 28, 2012. As I wrote the date on the top of my paper, I realized that while I live out my dream, perhaps for many this would be their nightmare. 35 years old and writing my Organic Chemistry Final. For me, a dream come true. A chance to start over. And, I even found Organic Chemistry to be fun, I think in the same way some people enjoy CrossWords. I never got that.
I can't say getting started has been easy. This is a long road I'm heading down. I need 6 Undergraduate Chemistry courses before I can even apply to Pharmacy. I began with doing an online course. Athabasca University promptly sent me a text book and the email address of my tutor. Without much direction, or assistance from Athabasca, it took me 6 months to get through the course. And while, I've gotten over the feeling of being too old to be in school, I also have a goal to be a licensed Pharmacist by 40. So, with time in mind, I have started classes at U of T. I will finish all the pre-requisites by December 2012 and apply for entry into Pharmacy School for September 2013.
What I can say, is that these days, I am certainly not bored. Life feels better. I am full of hope and optimism and of belief that anything is possible.
Athabasca 'home lab'. I'm sure all the chemicals were
perfectly safe to be on our dining room table.
