Elianna and I visited UIS for a college day. I found myself almost instantly wondering, “What are we doing here?” Kids these days still have pressure to go to college, and even in my own head I have this idea that college is what you’re supposed to do, or at least is a good option if that’s what you want. But nothing about this seems to excite her. I feel like if you’re going to go to college somewhere and commit to four more years of school then you should have at least some inner drive or reason for doing so.

We ended up leaving early. They had an opening welcome sessions and after that they divided us into students and parents. The students had a panel session and the parents had their own. While she was doing that I visited the admissions office seeing if there was any way they’d lift the hold I currently have on my registration process. Apparently they never received a final transcript from LCU after they closed. I’m just irate with these hoops that never seem to go away or end.

And then I walked the half mile or whatever it was to the health office. My vaccination records were finally listed as “satisfied” but I wanted to make sure the lift from that office was gone. I was having all these nightmares of having to send in another self-addressed stamped envelop to the IDPE, except this time with one that was addressed to the college. But thankfully all I needed to do for that one was look up Ozark Christian College in Missouri and have a transcript electronically sent from there.

“I’m not gonna lie, I kinda hated it there”, she said on our way to community college that’s more or less across the street. I mean, I think it’s fine and I personally like going there but if you don’t like a place then you just don’t like it. If you can get a four-year degree for free, and you have no other responsibilities holding you back or taking up amounts of time, then I kind of feel like it’s not a bad idea to get one. Plus she’s so smart. I drove us over to a close enough parking lot.

“Elianna, you’ve got to talk to these people in person”. It’s the only way to get anything done or accomplished. I was going to show her how it was done and we followed the signs to something that sounded like Admissions. There was a sign on the counter saying the receptionist person was away from the desk. But also thankfully a paper highlighting their medical programs including a 6-month veterinary assistant option. We left inspired, with direction and answers and one more day in the books.