Skiing was something I'd always wanted to try -- I've always enjoyed watching it on TV and it just looked like so much fun. I resolved to take a ski lesson as soon as I could afford it and find a way to get to a mountain. If I enjoyed it, I'd take another lesson; if not, I wouldn't. The opportunity finally came when I could afford a one-day bus trip sponsored by a local sporting goods store.

In my dutifully purchased long johns, down jacket, and boxing glove-sized mittens, I showed up for departure at 6AM. Two and a half hours later, I found myself at the base of the area designated for beginning skiers. Looking at the ski area's other two peaks, I noticed what appeared to be different-colored jelly beans rolling down one of them. They were, of course, skiers!

I felt quite overwhelmed by the sight and its implications. But then I thought, "It will take some work, but I'll get up there one day." It took a couple of years, additional trips, a stress fracture, more lessons, and a LOT of falling down. But by setting step-by-step goals, I did eventually graduate from the bunny slopes, and then from the plateau most intermediate skiers hit (by being patient and confident enough that my skis would turn themselves instead of "muscling" them). Then came the big day –- officially joining the "jelly bean skiers" by making my first run down the mountain that had once seemed light years beyond my capacity!

Being a "freshman" at WA University has really resurrected those memories, and I know why -- because I'm standing at the foot of those bunny slopes all over again. But being older and wiser, I realize that just as I didn't become an advanced skier overnight, getting to the top of the WA slope will also take an investment of patience, dedication, and a little tuition. Technically, it's not true that WA is for everybody: it's for everybody who's willing to do the work and make the sacrifices. It's not called a "university" for nothing – to ensure that you're getting the most out of it, TREAT it like one!