IT Director, Photographer, Dad

Joel Goes to College

Added on by joel spangler.

A long time ago in what seems like a former life, I went to college. I attended Berklee College of Music, where I majored in Music Production and Engineering (MP+E if you’re hip). In hindsight, attending this college was both the best and worst experience of my life. I was totally ready for it, and at the same time not ready at all. I learned a lot there, much of it stays with me today, but I also got lost in a huge world without restrictions. My life leading up to that point was suburban, rule-filled, religious family, caged boredom. For the most part. Given free reign, I went insane. Hey, that rhymed. Anyways, it was the classic story, off to school with the greatest of promise, eventually dropping out in a pile of flames.

So. I picked myself up, got a job, found the IT world, and am now an IT Director at a fairly large company. What a difference 20 years makes. I suppose I can never say I regret going to Berklee, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the good mostly outweighed the bad I suppose. Barely.

So this year I finally decided it was time. I have joined the legion of 40 year-olds from my generation who want to go back to school and actually get a bachelor’s degree. I enrolled at Penn State for Spring 2022, and I'm going to school. I’ve been in classes for a couple of months, I’m actually doing really well, it’s hard to believe. I had convinced myself for a time that I wasn’t cut out for it, but I should’ve done this 10 years ago. A sworn hater of math, I currently have a 101% in Calculus. It’s fun to get to do this, and I’m glad I had the chance to do this again. I might not graduate until I’m 43, but it’ll be worth it and I’m looking forward to it.