Resident rediscovers love of learning

Local 23 year old says back to school just as exciting for adult learners 

It's taken a few years for her life to come full circle, but this September, with a new binder under her arm and her son dropped off at daycare, Kylie Fickell is going back to school.

The 23-year-old Edsonite is entering her second year of high school upgrading classes with NorQuest College, through the Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium (YREC) at the Edson Provincial Building.

Because YREC brings the NorQuest College courses to Edson (as well as those from other institutions), Fickell doesn't have to relocate to a big city.

After this year, Fickell will complete one more year of high school courses and then plans to move on to college courses. 

She has her sights set on becoming a pharmacy technician, which will require two extra years of college once her high school classes are caught up.

It will mean a total five years of school once all is said and done, but Fickell has approached her second shot at school with energy and optimism.

"Four (more) years isn't that long when you think about it," she said.

It's a far cry from the opinion she held as a teen.

"I hated school, when I was in junior high - I hated it. Now, I'm so excited to go back to school."

First, because of various provincial financing programs, Fickell is being reimbursed for living costs as she attends high school, she explained. Also, when she enters her pharmacy tech college courses, she will take out a student loan that will later be repaid.

This means she can provide for her herself and her two-year-old son without worrying about taking on extra jobs, and focus on her studies.

Also, going back to school has allowed her to rediscover a love of learning that Fickell said has been missing since she was a kid.

She dropped out of school in Grade 9.

"I was bad," she laughed.

"I just hated it, I was too cool to be there. I didn't see the point, I thought I knew it all."

It started with Fickell cutting a few classes to go home and watch daytime television.

From there, she eventually quite altogether, moved in with friends, worked minimum wage jobs and travelled across Canada.

Now, she says she's matured and returning to school has been her top priority. "you really understand the point of school when you're older. It's more rewarding and you're getting a lot out of it."

In between she worked hard. Too hard, in fact.   

She waitressed and worked as a chambermaid at local hotels.

"I realized I don't want to work that hard all my life," she emphasized. "You have to work very hard when you don't have an education." Also, it's work that doesn't allow her to use her intellect the way she knows she can.

"I just realized that I wasted so many years doing nothing. Now, I'm in such a hurry to make up for it all, and I can't stop trying. Nothing can get me to my goal quick enough. I don't waste time anymore, that's for sure."

However, she said that going back to school is not a cakewalk, either.

"It takes a lot of work, there's a lot of homework, a lot of pressure."

Yet she finds a lot of support from her fellow classmates. Ages range from young adults, like Fickell, to middle-aged and older learners.

She and her classmates share stories, laugh and encourage each other during the small sessions. Classes usually include fewer than a dozen students.

"Everybody's there to learn. Nobody judges, we all understand that is is never too late," she said.

"They're all down to earth, open-minded. We really have a lot of fun."

To find out more about YREC programs call the Edson location at 780.723.5206.

As posted in the Edson Leader September 1, 2008.