"Why I Chose to Get My Associates Degree Instead of my Bachelors this Year?"

Graduation Day Saturday, May 6, 2017

        Hello loves! I'm so excited to announce that I graduated from Schoolcraft College with my Associates Degree in Communications with a 3.81 average!!!!! :) God is so faithful!!! It was nothing but God that pulled me through! I am so ever grateful for the love and support from family and friends that came through for me by their encouragement, prayers, and financially, as a gift for graduation...it means a ton to me (kisses and hugs to all of you). 

       Before and after I graduated, I got asked a lot by people, family and friends, "what's next"? But before I get into that, I want to answer the question that's in the title of this blog-post! I know some may have wondered, that are my Facebook friends like, "Didn't she used to go to Wayne State? What happened?" Well, yes I did go to Wayne State University in Detroit, Mi and a lot happened. After having two nervous break downs within 8 months apart and having to be hospitalized in July 2014, my mom, pastor and therapist all agreed that I will take a break for a year from school. I was devastated. I felt like a failure, I was trying to convince everyone as soon as I got out of the hospital that I was ready to go back to Wayne State and finish my Bachelors so I can graduate in 2017. I had a plan and I was sticking with it! But my mom, therapist and pastor gently shut me down by explaining why I am no where near mentally ready to go back to school that Fall 2014. I'm so glad I listened, because looking back on it, I was no where near in good health and strength to deal with a stressful semester of schoolwork and manage my health. That year off, gave me the time to heal, to cope and learn how to manage my illness. After a few months in the healing process, I began to think should I go back to Wayne State or not....I really wasn't feeling up to going back but I was pumping myself in my head to go back there and get my Bachelors. My pastor suggested I try community college but every time I went to Henry Ford or Wayne County Community College,to visit I had no peace. One evening, my sister in Christ, Terri, was taking me home from church and I was telling her the idea of me going to community college but I had no idea where I would go. I told her about not having peace about other schools and then she suggested Schoolcraft College. All of the sudden, a peace came over me. I knew it was from God. That night I went home and checked out their website and still had the same peace that I felt from our conversation. I filled out my FAFSA, applied, got accepted, had a meeting with a counselor to make my schedule for the Fall and I was set in 2015. 

           But then I began to lose my peace when I told people my plans. Some told me I was going backwards, that an Associates degree was nothing, and some just genuinely wanted to know what I could do with an Associates degree because at that time that's all I was going to pursue. In all of this, I wanted to feel confident in my decision and not waver but anxiety grew in my heart. I started thinking too far in the future and I was losing my peace living in the moment. But I pressed past my emotions and went to Schoolcraft all year round and was able to obtain my degree within two years. Woot Woot! My experience at Schoolcraft was AMAZING!!! The professors were wonderful and so understanding of my mental illness. I needed their support because I was so wounded about how many breakdowns I had at Wayne Sate. I felt like I was going to have a relapse a few times while being at Schoolcraft but the difference was is that I knew coping mechanisms on how to prevent a relapse. School was easy for me at times and sometimes it became very difficult. But all I can say is I'm so glad to be finished!!!! (Praise break) I learned it doesn't matter how you start, as long as you finish!

before graduation

    Community college is great! I was able to go all year round without taking out any loans and everything was covered. My instructors cared and taught at U of M, Eastern, and Wayne State, so I knew they were the real deal. My grade point average at Wayne State was a 2.23 I believe, and I was able to bring that up to a 3.81 at Schoolcraft! GOD is soo good! I literally relied on the Holy Spirit and prayers to get me through every paper, exam, and presentation! Heaven had my back!

My BFF and I at my grad dinner at Rusty Bucket in Northville

family

my spiritual parents and I

    What's next??! Well, I just completed today my training as a Mental Health First Aid for Youth and I plan to get training for Adults. I go for mentoring next week to be a volunteer for the summer working at Children's Hospital with the cancer patients. I'm looking into being certified by the state to become a Peer Support Specialist. I get ordained on Father's Day, June 18th as an elder/evangelist! I go for a tour in August to visit Madonna University in Livonia and I plan on applying there in October and attending Fall 2018!! I'm so excited! This year off will be very productive for me and I will be rejuvenated to go back to school. I will be continuing on with my mental health advocacy through blogging....so be on the lookout for more!!

I love you guys!

-Sheree B

xoxoxoxo