Finding My 'Second Act' as Someone on the Autism Spectrum

When I went to see the movie “Second Act” in theaters, I had no idea that it would motivate me to change my life.

The movie is about a woman (played by Jennifer Lopez) who never earned a college degree, and so didn’t get a promotion. After a friend makes a fake resume for her, she has a second chance with a different career.

As someone on the autism spectrum, I never thought I would graduate from high school, let alone go to college. Even when I did try college for Early Childhood Education, I wasn’t expecting to earn a degree. I took one class at a time, but started losing interest in the major and nearly gave up near the end of 2018. I’d rather work with animals, so why should I bother earning anything in Early Childhood Education when I wasn’t going to use it anyway?

Around that same time, the film was released into theaters. I was excited to see it, as I’m also a fan of Leah Remini, who stars in it as well! What I wasn’t expecting was a motivational story. Maybe we don’t all need a college degree to be successful, but why would I pass up the opportunity to have some credit for my work there?

When I returned home, I knew it was time. I signed up for the last college class I would need to earn a certificate. On May 16, 2019, I’m proud to announce that I graduated from college with my Child Development Associate, Certificate of Competency. Although I’m planning to work with dogs instead, I’m glad I will have this college certificate.

Now I’m ready for my “second act” as well!