Today’s interview with Holly Gold is part of my ongoing blog-to-book project: Life After High School: Secrets To A Successful Life By Those Who Have Had Twenty Years To Think About It (or) What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School. If you missed the last post, click here, otherwise, you can start at the beginning here.
Holly Gold
Maple Valley, WA
My Life In High School
Who were you in High School and how did you feel about it?
I was confused in high school. Didn’t know what I wanted to do. Didn’t really care. Just wanted to hang out with my friends, and host lots of parties.
What did you think your life would become when you graduated?
Had no idea. Really didn’t think too much about it in high school.
My Life After High School
What happened in your life to you, for you, and by you in the last twenty years (how have you used your time and who have you become)?
I didn’t graduate high school. I didn’t focus enough on my academics. I also got sick and had major surgery in my junior year and was out for over a month. This set me back far enough that I wouldn’t graduate with my class. So I dropped out, got my GED and started taking college courses at SVCC.
I then decided to become a nanny and I moved to Connecticut for a short time. Then moved back and was a nanny do 7 years in Bellevue. I also was going to Bellevue cc. Then decided to change my course and went to school for medical assisting, then worked in West Seattle as an MA for 3 years.
Decided I wanted to become a nurse, moved back and lived in Sedro-Woolley while working on my nursing degree. Graduated in 2011 and started working at my new career.
Met the love of my life in 2012, moved down to Maple Valley to be with him.
I continued to work at Overlake as a nurse. We had our beautiful daughter in January 2016 and I am currently a stay at home mom—which is the hardest but most rewarding “job” ever. Loving life.
My Life Lessons
What were the major life lessons and wisdom that you gained during your journey over the last 20 years?
The first thing I will pass on to my daughter, school matters. It matters a lot! You can’t escape it, don’t even try.
It took me a long time to catch up to what I could have accomplished in high school and directly after. That is probably the biggest lesson.
And family first…always. They are the ones that will be there. Don’t break those bonds.
Be yourself, but keep yourself forward moving…always.
Letter To My High School Self
If you could write your 18-year-old self (or however old you were when you graduated) a letter, and send it back in time, what would you say? What lessons, wisdom, encouragement, or warnings would you give yourself?
I would say love your friends, but love yourself and your family more.
Listen to what your parents are telling you, they have been right about everything.
Take the high road, and stay who you are.
Get through school while you don’t have rent and bills.
Student loans are the devil.
Be confident in who you are.
Don’t be late to things!
Mistakes are ok but don’t make them twice.
Move forward…always.
In the next post, I will continue with chapter 11, entitled Gift Registry.
Are you from Generation X? I want to hear what you think! Please comment below and participate in the conversation about What They Didn’t Teach Us Gen Xers In High School. What do you wish someone told you when you were eighteen?
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