Free to Be

 

In November of 2020, I lost my job with Alvord-Taylor, Inc. I got a new job with a cleaning company but, unfortunately, I was very sick for the last part of November and I couldn’t start my new job until December. Then I was let go in March, 2021.

 

Right around the time I lost my job, we got news about something else going on: My oldest lost his scholarship to the University of Oregon. When he had won the scholarship in January 2020, he was told he was guaranteed 4 years of paid tuition.

 

But, apparently, no guarantee is ever a guarantee!

 

When this happened, all I could think was, It’s a good thing I’m unemployed.

 

On one hand, I was furious, scared and disappointed that the university did this to him. My son takes his education VERY seriously. He is all about school and work! All of us have sacrificed so much just so that he could attend school and work virtually without any problems.

 

But on the other hand, I really wasn’t surprised this had happened. I had recently read a biography about Nikola Tesla, and the same thing had happened to him when he was a student at uni. According to the book, he tried EVERYTHING to get funding so that he could stay in school. Unfortunately, he could not get the funding, so he was forced to withdraw. He was very despondent about being forced to make this decision. Worse, he was never able to return to school to finish his education.

 

I don’t want that to happen to my son! Not when he has so much potential and so much to offer the world. He is very bright, motivated, and dedicated. He has a bright future and I know he is destined to make an impact on the world. Especially since he has done so much in his young life so far.

 

So, that said, I am going to have to take action to ensure he will be able to stay in school. It’s up to me now.

 

When he reapplied for the scholarship, we had to live by certain guidelines. For one thing, I could not be working or earning any income. For another thing, I could not discuss anything related to this mess with anyone. I had to lay low while my son did everything in his power to get his scholarship back.

 

But now that we know he won’t get it, I am free to talk about this now. Not only this, but I am also free to get a new job! Free to earn some income, as much income as I want to! I am free to talk about this and also free to make my choices about my own future of education based on this result.

 

Earlier this year, my son suggested that I apply for the same scholarship that he had. I never finished college because I ran out of money. (I don’t want my son to inherit this same problem!!) I have always wanted to go back to school. Once my son made this suggestion, I took it into consideration. But now, now after seeing that they pull the rug right out from under a student who was PROMISED funding for 4 years, I won’t do it. I won’t! Not if this is what they do. I will trust some stranger on the street making the same promise before I trust any university.

 

And I wonder if this is standard for EVERY SINGLE college or university student, too. Because given that I have seen this happen twice, I am beginning to think that this is what they do! They only care about money and not about students.

 

So I am back at square one. Before all this mess came about, I was working with Vocational Rehab to get a new job. Not only this, but VR was telling me that they might be able to help me get a cochlear implant, since it would help me career-wise. I have had some problems with VR but now that I have a new counselor, I’m hopeful that we will get back on track with that.

 

But if my son got his scholarship back, I would have had to say goodbye to all of that. Getting a new job, getting the implant, and even going back to school! Because we would have been forced to live practically below the poverty level just so he could KEEP the scholarship!

 

I find it very interesting that the university said that they were withdrawing his scholarship based on earnings I made at my job with Alvord-Taylor. I was WORKING at Alvord-Taylor at the time he got the scholarship, and had been employed by them for over a year. So, it doesn’t make any sense that they would award the scholarship then withdraw it based on the same earnings!

 

But, anyway, I guess they just needed a reason. It’s all about money! I guess universities don’t really care about their students. They don’t really want to help students with potential to even have a chance to stay in school.

 

But we are going to do everything we can so that my son can stay in school. A GoFundMe was set up for him and I am taking on as much freelance work as I can. Until I get a new job, I am going to be doing what I can to earn an income so that I can help my son to stay in school. (Both of my kids and my husband are working.) His education is important to him and it’s important to us too.

 

And I gotta say, one good thing has come out of this. This means I no longer have to lay low. This means we no longer need to rely on handouts to survive like we have been doing or struggling to pay our bills. This means I am now free to do what I want, be what I want, and go after what I want. The limitations have been removed. I am free to work again. I am free to earn an income again and work to make a living again. Got nobody telling me what I can and cannot do anymore and no longer dealing with guidelines to live by anymore just so that my kid can stay in school. Nobody gets to trample on my kid's dream! Time to let Mama Wolf run free. From this point forward, it’s game on, and I’m ready.

 

UPDATE 8/19/21: Shortly after I wrote this blog post, I was informed that the university had not completed its review of the application. I don't know why the person who told me the news thought that he had received a denial on the application. It was still processing. I have learned today that the university has reinstated the scholarship and, thankfully, my son will be able to stay in school. Hopefully until he graduates! I am very happy to receive this news and extremely grateful. This does mean I have to adhere to their guidelines. With my youngest struggling with school, I have no problem accepting this because now I have the time to help him with his personal needs, as well as having the time to write more books.