My story… there’s been ups and downs, deep downs, for sure; but this future of mine, it’s looking up.
I’m a bit of a gypsy as both of my parents were in the military. I’ve lived in Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, and Michigan. As a child of a military family, I witnessed the strong emotions and related unhealthy behaviors connected to the endless cycle of deployments. When family members returned home from service abroad, sometimes there was help, but there was never enough.
In my teen years, let’s just say some poor choices led me down some rough paths. I started high school in one town, applied to Mid, switched high schools, missed graduating with my class, but did earn my GED a year later. The next few years of my life were, in a word, turbulent. I moved to Texas, began and ended relationships, became a mother to three amazing kids, and then, to better their life and my own, I moved us all back to Michigan.
I then faced legal and custody battles to secure a stable future, all while being homeless for two years.
You might be thinking, “This girl isn’t going to make it through this.” And I completely understand why you would think that. I have seen the devil many times, but I have always told myself one thing when I feel like it won’t ever get better. Tomorrow ain’t here yet, and we can’t ruin tomorrow with today, because tomorrow is what brings the blessings.
And the blessings have arrived.
Legal battles ended and my kids are safe with me. I met a kind, supportive, understanding man who is my soon-to-be husband. We now have a home, an honest-to-goodness home! It was at this point that I reflected on my past. On my ability to keep fighting, as a survivor of mental and physical abuse, toward my goals.
So, I took my next bold ever optimistic step and re-applied to Mid. From that first conversation with Admissions to regular meetings with my Mid Mentor Tena, and from the Math Lab to connecting with the CREW program, everyone at Mid is supportive, understanding, and caring—they are family! I’m currently pursuing a psychology transfer degree so I can give back to and help families who face addiction and military-related mental health issues as I did.
My story could have had a very different outcome, but I kept pushing for better, no matter the situation I found myself in. From moving out at 16 to having 3 kids and being alone in Texas, I knew my story wasn’t over. I hope people hear my story, hear my experiences and trauma, and, most importantly, hear how I persevered, so they can believe they can overcome the obstacles in their own lives. And remember, the fun doesn’t stop at Mid it just begins there!
At Mid, we prioritize student wellness by offering several support-for-success services, including counseling, health-related testing, and training focused on helping faculty and staff provide support to our diverse community of students. We also look to our partners in the community to help us offer additional ways to support students, and one of these ways is the Ten16 Collegiate Recovery Education and Wellness program, or CREW. CREW offers a comprehensive response to issues related to alcohol and other drugs for students both on campus and in the community. CREW integrates a collection of prevention, early intervention, and peer support activities and makes these activities available to all students, regardless of whether they have a mild, moderate, or severe substance use disorder, or are in early or established recovery.
Learn about counseling and wellness services here.
