Hello, My name is Carol Van Wyk. I am a Navy wife, a stay-at-home mom, and a college student. I have four children and while that may seem like a lot I can assure you, it is. However, two of my kids are actually my step-kids and they live in Ohio with their mom. Of the four of them, the eldest is the only girl followed by three boys. At times when all of them are here it can get a little loud and cramped in our small town home but we make it work. My family is the most important thing to me; everything I do is for them.

Originally, I am from Phoenix, AZ. I lived there most of my life. I moved to Virginia Beach in the spring of 2000 on orders from the U.S. Navy. I was active duty for five years, working on F-14 Tomcats, when I met my husband. He was active duty also and when wedding bells started ringing we decided that he could keep the Navy life and I would make the transition to dependent. He has been enlisted for fifteen years now and we are slowly but surely getting ready for him to retire.

This was my first semester in college since graduating from high school some years ago and I am very excited about it. I have wanted to go back to school for a long time now but deciding what I wanted to do with my life took a little longer than I had expected. Currently I am studying my general education courses, I am enrolled in the accounting program but some recent developments have made me evaluate the path I am on. I expect to graduate from Tidewater Community College with an associate’s degree in the summer of 2010. If by chance it takes me a little longer than I have planned I won’t be upset, I am really enjoying my time at TCC.

I strongly believe that a person should always strive to better himself and never stop learning. As for me, I plan to get as much as I possibly can out of going to college.