First Time Adult

I went far away to college when I was 17. After two academic quarters the school punitively told me to take a break thanks to my terrible grades.

My parents were not interested in funding this forced time off. 

To make money to live I called the university job line. I applied to the conferences group at the continuing education office. I did not know, as a student, I should have called the financial aid office to find work. 

They gave me a big desk with a Mac SE/30 on it. I learned to use Word mail merge to print conference badges. Designing programs and materials for conferences with Quark Express was a big part of my day. 

Before then I had never felt more adult.

Thirty five years later I feel more like a 17 year old than I do an adult.