Step 10 in the Hero’s Journey is “The Road Back,” the hero begins their journey back to their ordinary life. My big picture viewpoint of Step 10 is that it is a time of hope, a place for reflection and a time for decision making about which direction to take next.
The setting is spring time so there are flowers. There is sun and rain, so also there are rainbows, which is another representation of hope.
Both dogs and doves represent hope. There is at least one dog and dove there.
Coffee houses are a nice place to sit in the springtime, to sip coffee, tea or hot chocolate and reflect on where you are, how you got there, and where you want to go. There are also benches and a swing to sit on outside while sipping your hot drink & looking at the mountains while you are reflecting on your decisions to make.
If your decision is to go back to school, there is the “Guided Pathways areas of Study” wheel to help make your decision and the key to success of “Pursue your passion.
If your decision is to get a job, there is a key to success of “Responsibility”.
Either one of those decisions would benefit from the key to success of “Resources.”
The Hero’s Journey 12 Steps; some ideas:
I looked up the demographics of the student body at Peninsula College and learned that about 36 % of the students are over the age of 30 years of age. 24% are over 35 years of age. To me, that means that there is a wide variety of students who may be using this infographic. They could be any of the following:
- A young, single high school graduate.
- A parent who never got their degree and now wants to do so while raising a family and possibly working.
- A parent who did get a degree but can’t find a good job or doesn’t like their career so is returning to school to obtain a different degree for a better job prospect while raising a family and possibly working.
- A single person who never got their degree and now wants to do so while possibly working in order to make more money.
- A single person who got a degree but doesn’t like it and wants a different career.
- A retired person who is going back to school for a new career or just for fun.
The majority of students both at Peninsula College and other community colleges receive financial aid.
These factors affect what thought provoking questions I would ask them on the sign since the questions may relate to their finances, family or outside employment.
Although older students like myself are not the majority, there is still a large number of them here (36%) so I will keep that in mind in this.
I will assume two first person perspectives of a new college student coming to Peninsula College and try to make the questions/comments pertain to as wide a student body as possible.
Perspective student A will be a parent over 30 who wants to get his/her degree while still working and raising a family.
Perspective student B will be a recent high school graduate who works part time and wants to go to college full time.
Step 0: Onboarding:
Step 1: Ordinary World (Summer time):
- I am working but I never got my degree. I have a couple of kids and barely make enough to pay the bills. I don’t save anything and I’m sick of my job.
- I’m 18 years old and just graduated from high school. I work at Burger King part time and definitely don’t want to do that the rest of my life!
Have you ever thought about doing something else?
Are you looking for a challenge?
Do you want a higher salary?
Are you sick of your job?
Do you want your kids to have more opportunities?
Potential Keys for success: Curiosity, Enrich, Connect
Step 2: Call to Adventure (Summer time):
- One day, as I’m watching TV while I’m making dinner for my three kids, I see a commercial on TV for Peninsula College. I learn that if I go to Peninsula College, I could get my degree online and choose a career where I could make a decent salary. If I fill out all the right paperwork, I could get financial aid. Then it would just be a matter of juggling my work & family schedule with classes and making time to do homework. Hmmmmm.
- My manager at Burger King told me if I go to college fulltime, I could get financial aid to pay for it.
Will I qualify for financial Aid? How does it work? Are there scholarships I might be eligible for?
Can I take classes if I work?
Potential Keys for success: Pursue Your Passion, Inquiry, Enrich
Resources: pencol.edu/financial, pencol.edu/areas-study, pencol.edu/services/career-center, pencol.edu/student-life
Step 3: Refusal of the Call (Summer time):
- Two of my kids just tested positive for Covid-19. I had to call in sick to take care of them. I’m so stressed out that I forgot to pay the electricity bill and since I was already a month behind they turned off my power. Am I kidding myself? I don’t have time to go to college! It’s all just a pipe dream.
- Do I really want to go back to school? I don’t think I’m smart enough. No one in my family has ever gone to college. Burger King isn’t that bad.
Life always presents challenges; Are you going to give up before you’ve tried?
Are you a quitter? How will you know what could have been if you don’t give it your all?
Potential Keys for success: Persistence, Pursue your passions, Resilience
Step 4: Meeting with the Mentor (Fall time):
- That commercial about Peninsula College came on TV again so I called the number listed. I talked to someone there who told me I could apply for financial aid and I could enroll for classes next quarter. I realize now that I really want to do it and the counselor on the phone was very encouraging.
- My Burger King manager told me I should still go to college. He wishes he had but said now he’s too old and if you wait too long life happens and you never get another chance. He said I should go now while I’m still young & that it will open me up to a world of other opportunities outside of Burger King.
Do you need advice by someone who knows the answers? Do you want to talk to someone about whether you can manage school?
Potential Keys for success: Communicate, Connect, Set Goals, respect
Pencol.edu/advising
Step 5: Crossing the First Threshold (Fall time):
A&B. I applied for financial aid. I didn’t hear back and it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to go. Then, at the very last minute, I got approved. I got assigned to an advisor who met with me and helped me figure out my major. Then the advisor recommended which classes I needed to take. I enrolled!
You don’t accomplish anything unless you start it.
Have you prepared for you next step? Setting up your study area, study time, and study resources?
Potential keys for success: Responsibility, Engage, Resources
Resources: pencol.edu/financial
Step 6: Tests, Allies & Enemies (Fall time):
- It’s so much more difficult than I ever expected. Working and taking care of my kids is a full-time job. Adding classes onto that is just too much. I am falling way behind and don’t think I’m going to be able to make it. What was I thinking? I don’t have time to do this.
- I forgot how hard school was. I was never really a good student. I don’t think I can do it. I just got a “D” on a test!
Do you have a plan for how you will study? Do you have a place and time set aside to study?
Have you organized your schedule to fit school in?
Potential keys for success: Accept Failure, Adaptability, Study, Communicate, Resources,
Animals: wolf, snake, owl (wisdom, deception)
Resources: pencol.edu/advising, pencol.edu/services/tutoring
Step 7: Adaptation & Approach (Fall time):
A.&B. I contacted my advisor in a panic. I explained that I didn’t think I could do it. The advisor talked to me about organizing my time and taking a critical look at each class. I realized that I needed to change some things in my life in order to adapt to my new life as a student. I need to create a study place. I need to schedule quiet time each day where I can concentrate on school.
Do you have a plan for how you will study? Do you have a place and time set aside to study?
Have you organized you schedule to fit school in?
Potential Keys for success: Adaptability, persistence, resilience, set goals, study
Animals: Beaver (Builder)
Resources: pencol.edu/advising, pencol.edu/services/tutoring
Step 8: Ordeal (Winter):
- I got in a car wreck and I’m at fault. My oldest kid just got suspended from school and my dog had to be put down. I have two mid terms due and I can’t concentrate. I’m exhausted after working and then making dinner for the kids and putting them to bed. My car is totaled and I have to figure out what I’m going to do with my delinquent kid. I have to remind myself about the importance of perseverance under pressure. I realize that reaching my goal is more important than ever now. I have to count my blessings that I am receiving financial aid. So I continue on. I stay up late to do my homework and press forward.
- I got two “D’s!” I’m still living with my parents and they make me do chores around the house. Burger King is the only place I enjoy now because it’s a break from homework, bad grades and parents. My boss told me to suck it up. He told me all successful people made lots of mistakes and had lots of failures before they became successful. He said if they didn’t pick themselves up again to keep going, they never would have reached their destination.
Do you have a plan for how you will study? Do you have a place and time set aside to study? Are you a quitter?
Have you organized you schedule to fit school in? Even when stressful things happen in your life, you have to persevere. Time goes by, you continue with your schedule, and you will get through it.
Potential keys for success: Accept failure, persistence, adaptability, resources, courage, communicate
Animals; wolf, snake
Resources: pencol.edu/services/tutoring, pencol.edu/advising, pencol.edu/services/pc-cares
Step 9: Reward (Winter):
A.&B.: I finally finish. I graduate. I can’t believe it. It’s the best thing ever. I finally have the freedom to seek a new job in a new profession with higher pay!
Have you started figuring out your next steps?
Potential keys for success: Celebrate, socialize, pursue your passion, enrich, engage, encourage,
Setting: Rainbow (representing a reward)
Resources: pencol.edu/services/career-center
Step 10: The Road Back (Spring time)
A.&B.: Now I need to figure out the next steps to take. I’m starting a new chapter and kind of starting all over again. I need to get my resume together and figure out where and how to apply for new jobs. I realize that now I have so many more opportunities. I could move to another city. I can buy a car.
Do you have a resume? Have you had someone review it for you? Do you know where you want to apply for jobs?
Potential keys for success: Resources, Responsibility, Set goals, prioritize, contribute
A.&B.: Or, I could wait and stay in school and get another degree. Now that I made it this far, I think I could go a little farther.
Is there an area of interest you would like to pursue further? Have you looked at options for further study? Have you seen all the options Peninsula College has to offer? Will another degree or an advanced degree help you financially in the long run?
Potential keys for success: Pursue your passion, Study, responsibility, prioritize, resources, set goals, persistence
Setting: Springtime flowers, Springtime sun & rain (rainbows),
Animals: Dogs & doves both represent hope
Colors: Green can symbolize new beginnings and growth (Smashing Magazine, Jan. 28, 2010, “Color Theory for Designers, Part 1: The Meaning of Color,” by Cameron Chapman).
Yellow, Orange, Blue, Green & Red all are colors of hope (Tallahassee Democrat, April 27, 2018, “Symbols of Hope are all Around,” by Rosalind Tompkins)
Resources: pencol.edu/services/career-center, pencol.edu/services/areas-study, pencol.edu/services/career-center
Neo Steampunk Items: compass, spyglass
Step 11: The Resurrection Hero (Spring time)
A.&B.: I have put together a resume and start applying for jobs. I receive rejection after rejection. It’s very disappointing. I begin to think it wasn’t worth it and that I’ll never get a job. But I remember what my advisor told me; not to give up and to persevere. So I get some help revising my resume and I keep applying for jobs.
You may get rejections and that is okay. Just keep trying. Failure is a great way to learn how to do it better. Maybe your resume needs to be revised. Maybe you need help refining your interview skills. Or maybe that wasn’t the right job for you anyway.
Potential keys for success: Persistence, prioritize, pursue your passion, accept failure, resilience, resources, adaptability, communicate, contribute, connect
Resources: pencol.edu/services/career-center
Step 12: Return with Elixir (Summer):
A.&B.: I finally start getting called for interviews and am hired at a new job. My office is filled with young people, many who don’t have degrees and haven’t been to college. I soon begin encouraging them to go to Peninsula College and that it could change their lives.
Are you ready to encourage others who are going through what you went through?
Potential keys for success: Celebrate, socialize, responsibility, respect, communicate, contribute, connect, enrich, engage, encourage, develop empathy
Animals: Butterfly (represents transformation), Eagle (integrity)