July 9, 2014
Gaining an Education in Prison
Slightly overwhelmed. My new schedule that includes 3 to 3&1/2 hours of school every day is getting just a little stressful trying to adjust to. I love being in school, I work extremely hard to concentrate on every word my teacher speaks, retaining as much information as possible and taking more notes then anybody. This is all very foreign to me, I haven't been in school in over fifteen years, and even then when I was in school I didn't try to learn because I was too busy cutting class and getting high with my stoner friends. Now that I truly want to learn, it's difficult for me, draining every bit of my energy. We also have homework, so the first thing I do when I return to my cell from class is spend another hour completing my assignment. I certainly don't want to sound like I'm complaining because I'm truly blessed to have this opportunity. A couple of weeks ago I had to readjust my daily routine by getting up a half hour earlier each morning at 5:30a.m. in order to coexist more efficiently with my new cell mate and friend, Kurt. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to exercise as much, especially now that I have horticulture in the afternoon and I'm certainly not going to give up any of my exercising like everything else in life I just have to get acclimated to this new schedule and routine, it's just going to take a little time.
Steven Dybvad
