Putting the Queen in Homecoming Queen?

I am considering a run for UNM's Homecoming Queen 2010.

Ok, granted, I know I am not the hottest chick on campus, nor the youngest. I am 42, and built like you might expect a woman with five kids and a breakfast burrito addiction should be. I did not get my mother's lovely petite build, sadly, I inherited my father's resemblance to Fred Flintstone.

So why subject myself to the potential ridicule and scorn of my peers? After all, Homecoming is for the young, to highlight the beautiful young girls on our campus, and celebrate youth and school spirit...well, here are my reasons.

Increasingly college campuses are becoming havens for people like me, who have been out in the world for a number of years and are facing job losses and the need to become more competitive in a scary economy against yearly crops of younger, cheaper labor. We are competing against our own children!

By running for Homecoming Queen I hope to inspire others to return to school. I want to show other 40, 50, 60 somethings that we are on campus, there is a place for us, and that the University values us as more than a financial asset. I want to bring older students into the campus community in a more substantial way, to mentor one another and be an example to the other, younger students. We don't need to just be commuter students; we can be a much more visible and active presence on campus.

I also want to encourage older students to join the Association of Non-Traditional Students (ANTS). We are in the basement of the Student Union Building, room 1063, near student activities (second door from the elevator.) This fabulous organization can help you get connected with other students who may be returning after a long absence, have families, other obligations, and develop relationships that will support you through all the difficulties that come with life. We have a mini-computer pod, a printer, a copier, a quiet room, a loud table for lunch and conversations, and all sorts of great amenities and benefits for minuscule ($8/semester or $15/year) dues.

So, lend me your thoughts on the subject. Should I? Shouldn't I? Should I instead maybe seek therapy?

I am listening....