The mascot for my first elementary school was a Roadrunner. At four years old, I thought roadrunners were the coolest thing on the planet and wanted nothing more than to be one when I grew up. My sister, five years my senior and much smarter than I, informed me that, "No stupid, you can't grow up and be a roadrunner."

She was wrong. In January of 2010, I will be a Metropolitan State College Roadrunner. Having been in the workforce for just shy of three years, I come with some life experience and plenty more left to attain. My chosen major is English, my native language, with a minor in Writing. My reasoning for this is simple; I love the crazy language that we have created through borrowed words and mangled meanings. Some people say English is a trite language, too confusing and with so much complexity – but this is what makes it beautiful.

I have selected the Writing minor with the intentions of becoming a technical writer. My work in technical support allowed me to discover one of my talents – the ability to transform technical jargon into a format fit for human consumption. I find such enjoyment in documentation. My father always found it amusing that when we rented a car, the first thing I would do was open the glove compartment and tear through the vehicle's manual. On occasion, I'll read technical books or product manuals for my own enjoyment. The strangest thing is that I'm still a hit at parties.

Being that I am in my early 20's, I am not a wealthy man. While I am afforded steady income thanks to my employment, it is not without its limits. I have attempted to budget what I can for school, but find myself coming up short. While attending Metro State, I will be working part-time to cover the majority of my expenses. I have applied for financial aid, and will take out federally-subsidized loans if available to me. I have been living on my own since graduating high school in 2007 and have not received any assistance from my parents. A scholarship of any sorts will allow me to focus on my studies now. The less work I have in the office translates to more work with the College. The sooner I graduate, the sooner I will be writing product manuals for people who threw them away with the box but realized it far too late so that they have to dig through the trash to find my writing – and when they do, I become their hero, even if only for that moment.