For better or worse, these pictures depict a large portion of my life. When I am not at WCC, I spend a great deal of time, seated at this table, studying. Will it be worth it? I hope so. It will certainly be worth it in terms of me, proving to myself, that I can study hard and get good grades. The level that worries me is more at the employment level. Medical Assistants start out at lower wages (in Whatcom County) than I was earning in my last two jobs. My hope is that the payoff will come in terms of truly loving my occupation; there is much to be said about the satisfaction of a job you love. It won't be a necessity for me to work full-time which will allow me to spend time with my family. This year has been a major adjustment and very hard, on many levels. Next year will be even more intense as I take on quarters that will have 18, 19 and 20 credits. It scares me a little but I am very thankful for the grounding I am getting this year. Next year, this years "nose to the grindstone" will become "whole head in the grindstone!"