#52 Stories--Story #46

Describe your family legacy regarding education. Do you come from a long line of scholars? Were you the first to earn a degree? Are your forging a new legacy with your own children?

My family growing up intimated that education was very important.  But neither of my parents were college graduates. I don't remember a time growing up that I was not expected to attend somewhere for further education after high school. That was just something that they expected of us.  They supported my sister and me in achieving this goal financially and as much emotionally as they could as well.

I was the first to graduate from college in my own family, but certainly not the last.  My sister was quick behind me--after having earned a certificate of completion from a therapeutic massage school about the time she graduated from high school too. She then went on to earn a graduate degree as we were adults.  I contemplated a masters degree, and go back to thinking of that goal every once in a while, but so far it has only been thinking.

As for my own children, I expected them both to attend college--there was never an "if" in the statements of their academic goals as they grew up.  However, I know that not everyone is cut out for formal university education.  Any continuing education--trade school, military, or college of any kind--would have been acceptable.  I certainly am grateful that they each chose their fields of study--which both need four years degrees or more.