Forgotten Memories

Chapter 5

"So what are you saying? I should drop out and leave?" she asks, her eyebrows raised high in surprise.

"If that's what you want to do, then that's your decision." The girl slumps back in the chair and to Ava's surprise, defeat takes over her features. "Daisy, why did you want to take a gap year?"

"I don't know what I want to do with my life," she admits with a look of shame. "Everyone I graduated with already knew what they wanted to study when they got to college, and I was too ashamed to admit I had no clue."

And there it is.

"Okay, so answer me this," Ava says as she studies Daisy's face. "Is you wanting to take a gap year because you want a break to go live your life a little before settling down into your education or because you don't know what you want to do now that you're here?"

Daisy studies her face closely before shifting her gaze to the window behind Ava's desk. She can all but see the wheels turning in her head as she thinks about the question. Ava sits back and lets her come to her own conclusion.

"I don't know what I want to do now that I'm here," she admits after several minutes. "I can't just drop out, this is where I'm supposed to be, but I have literally no idea what I'm supposed to study now that I'm here."

Ava lets a slow smile spread across her face as she sits up and turns toward her computer.

"This is something I can help you with," I assure her. Daisy's eyes light up for the first time since she walked into the office. That look right there is why Ava got into this line of work. As stressful as it can be at times and as annoyed as she can get with her coworkers, seeing that hopeful look on a student's face when she helps them map out their future at the university is amazing.

"You can?" she asks, hope filling her voice.

"Yes, I can. We can set you up with the basic classes that you'll need for any degree you decide to go with, and maybe a few in different studies that you may be interested in. That's how you can see if something piques your interest. You may sit in a class and fall in love with the subject. And if that doesn't happen, you can move on to the next one." Daisy nods slowly as she again drops her eyes to her lap.

"Uh, I'm not really sure what direction I want to go right now, but I think getting the basic classes taken care of is a good idea." She nods again and lifts her eyes to meet mine. "I think that's what I'll do and in the meantime look through the course catalog and look up some information and go from there."

Ava nods her head in agreement before turning her attention back to her computer. She pulls up the course catalog and Daisy's information and sets about rearranging her schedule to take the classes she's going to need.

"Okay, so it looks like you are all set now. I've lifted the restriction for getting advised if you decide to change anything or want to add a class," Ava says as she looks over the screen. "Right now, you are taking twelve hours which constitutes you as a full-time student, but you can add up to nineteen hours, but any further classes will need to be paid for before you can actually start the classes."

"Okay, thank you for your help. I don't think I ever asked your name."

Ava smiles as she turns her attention back to Daisy. "I'm Ms. Barrett, and you are more than welcome. I hope things work out for you," she says as she hits the button to print out her papers. "These papers," she staples the papers and hands them over to Daisy, "are the list of the classes you will need to cover your basics and once you figure out what you'd like to major in, those classes will be added as well."

Daisy studies the list carefully before nodding her head. Her wide eyes lift to mine and I can see the relief there instead of worry. Good.

"Thank you, Ms. Barrett. Really." She gives Ava one last smile before grabbing her things and heading out of the office.