Long time, no post. My bad. Life is happening in a spiral with branches and I sometimes find that I just can’t quite get to things I ought to. In my defense, there are about 6 or 7 drafts I just never posted. Here’s hoping I actually complete something today. It’s July 26th @ 940PM, Here we go!

Yo, Diary…..

In exactly 30 days, I will be back in the classroom. Not teaching but as a student! Though I kinda miss teaching too…

I’m about to be a proud Trojan at Virginia Statue University. Me!?! At an HBCU! Grandma, you see this!?

I did skip a semester between finishing at Bright Point Community College and heading to VSU but semantics. Cause I’m in there and I can’t be prouder of myself. Even more so, I’m now also perusing a minor in Creative Writing alongside my major in Social Work.

I can hear my mother-in-law begging me to slow down a bit but I don’t know if I can. In the words of Aaron Burr (no, not the real one, I’m talking Leslie Odom Jr.) “Ev’ry day you fight, like you’re running out of time.”

Morbid but aren’t we always!

As I prepare to go into my junior year of college and specifically onto campus (cause I avoided that shit like the plaque at Brightpoint) there are a few things I’m preparing for and one glaring thing that’s really got me tripping.

I know I’ll have to start meal/medicine prepping again. With an 8AM and 5PM class, I’ll need to consider having my meds and insulin schedule shifted or be popping pills and poking myself during class. I’ll have to plan breakfast and dinner to avoid stopping at Wawa everyday. But since Wawa is 5 mins from campus, I definitely will treat myself – A 24 once coffee for every A!

I’m also being proactive to arrange child care. My kid is starting school the same time as me so there will be little leeway getting him to class and from school on time. The grandparents are being deployed for that.

I’ve even being wise to spend time with friends now cause once class starts, every free moment I got will go to studying and homework- with intentional carved out time to spend with Khaleef.

Okay, but here’s the thing I’m most worried about. As a 37 year old woman, I’ll likely be taking classes with 18/19 year olds. One’s that live on campus and rolled out of bed to be at class on time. They’ll be in pajamas or gym wear. And I… am gonna stand out like an old ass sore thumb!

I bet you $100 that on the first day of class, somebody is gonna think I’m the teacher! (Did I tell you how, at orientation, they assumed I was a parent and sent me to the wrong place?! Em-fucking-barrassing!)

So I’ve reminding myself of the goals: I’m here for my education not to impress Gen Z!. These teachers could be my future mentors or colleagues so impress them. You are representing the women of the Gillison family! How dare you not put your best foot forward?

So sorry peers! Mrs. Gillison-Akinwole is a 37 year old college student-wife-mom who’s wearing a casual plaid suit at 8 o’clock in the morning just to sit in an uncomfortable desk the size of one-of-my-thighs knowing she has to leave here and go manage employees your age at her 9-to-5… but watch me crush this class!!!

I’m also getting my self-care regime in place cause math first thing in the morning might be one of the levels of hell!

It’s 10:018M… not to bad! I’m gonna binge something on tv, eat low sugar ice cream, and scroll Facebook anonymously. Haven’t I earned the right!?!

POST IT!