Grand Re-Reopening

For many students, choosing a college is a milestone reached once. For others, it’s a winding road paved with second thoughts, shifting finances, and unexpected detours. For me, the journey has become something else entirely: a shared chapter with my daughter.

Now preparing to return to school for the third time, I'm once again deep in the process of researching programs, weighing costs, and imagining what the next few years might look like. My dream school—CG Spectrum Institute—still sits at the top of my list. But with a price tag nearing $40,000, that path is beginning to feel increasingly out of reach unless something extraordinary changes.*

Instead, I'm turning my attention to a mix of local and online options where financial aid and scholarships are more attainable. Schools currently under consideration include Oregon State University and University of Oregon, along with art-focused institutions like Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Otis College of Art and Design, Gnomon Institute of Visual Effects, and Academy of Art University.

My path hasn’t been straightforward. At one point, I had committed to the Academy of Art University, only to pivot at the last minute when a better opportunity arose with CG Spectrum—an opportunity that ultimately fell through. So here I am again, researching for 2027.

But my story isn’t just about my own ambitions.

In a twist that feels both surreal and deeply meaningful, my daughter was recently accepted into the neuroscience program at the University of Oregon. The past few months have been a whirlwind of financial aid applications, housing arrangements, and campus events—experiences typically reserved for one student in a family, not two.

The result? A rare and poignant overlap: mother and daughter pursuing their bachelor’s degrees at the same time.

It’s bizarre, my baby and I will both be in school at the same time.

It’s a season defined by uncertainty, resilience, and hope—where spreadsheets and campus tours meet something a little less tangible. Whether it’s luck, timing, or sheer determination, I'm open to anything that might help make it all possible.

Say a prayer, throw a Hail Mary, send some good vibes. We’ll take whatever we can get. * The reason I cannot attend CG Spectrum, despite its lower price-tag is because it's located overseas in Australia and therefore does not qualify for federal financial aid, scholarships, or grants from the United States. :(