Do I go back to school… Am I completely bonkers?

With a new year staring me in the face, the sun shines, and the garden beckons enticingly. So why, more than twenty years after completing a Bachelor of Health Science, and nearly forty years after studying Drama at Tas Uni, am I contemplating going back to school, again?

Am I completely bonkers? Well quite possibly – in both senses of the word. A little bit insane, and also incredibly excited!

I love learning, and since my BSc I’ve spent many hours researching, and attending post grad courses. But I was never driven to return to tertiary education or anything involving a longer commitment. I was absolutely, completely and one hundred percent sure that those days were over.

That was until I took an early retirement from practice (thanks Covid), and started writing again.

In the past two years I’ve been soaking up as much information as I can, through any opportunity that’s been available. The most influential being my Mountain Ash Chapter writing group, and the knowledge and guidance of my mentor Elissa McKay.

So, it was with trembling hands that I opened the envelope from Faber Writing Academy at Allen & Unwin to find that I’d been accepted for the Writing a Novel course in 2024. Ok, so a bit of poetic licence here. Of course there was no envelope or trembling hands, but a happy email saying the same. It’s not 1987 anymore.

I’d be lying to say the only feeling is excitement. There’s trepidation, uncertainty, flat out fear of failure and naturally that old writer’s friend- imposter syndrome.

But our time here is brief. And whilst I love my peaceful existence amongst the trees on our little mountain, working towards homesteading with the chickens, bees, fruit trees, herbs, veggies, bee pollinators, crafting, pottery, and husband man, the Mopsies, the dogs, the bunny, and Luna the Miracle Cat, there may possibly be more to eke out of this life.

So, do I relax and enjoy my retirement, or take this crazy, late opportunity to live my third life?

Find out more about Faber Writing Academy at Allen & Unwin here.