Back at it again with the white belt - Why did I stop, goals for BJJ this time around, and my first day back

Back in 2015, I started BJJ I did it because I wanted to get in better shape. Why BJJ? Because I had a coworker that had done it before and he said it was “fun.”  So, without any prior martial arts experience in 2015, I walked into American Top Team Gwinnett and started training. I didn’t fall in love with BJJ immediately. In fact, I really questioned my decision to do it. It didn’t help that I was out-of-shape and that all the movements were entirely out of my wheelhouse. Additionally, without any knowledge of how to defend myself, I found myself getting very well acquainted with the mat. But I pushed kept with it, and finally, after about 4months something clicked and my BJJ game improved, and that is when I started to enjoy BJJ and see its benefits.

Why I stopped:
Not long after I started wanted to make some changes in my career. Looking at my options, I thought the best path for me was to go to grad school. In doing my research on programs, I found out that I will need to take the GRE. My research also highlighted the unfortunate truth; my undergrad GPA was low! This meant I would need a stellar GRE score to help offset my GPA. With that in mind, I set out a seven-month plan to study for the GRE. However, life got in the way, and I found balancing a job, GRE prep, BJJ and all the other little aspects of life too much. In 2016, 14 months after I started, I chose to drop BJJ and focus on the GRE prep. While BJJ was something, I enjoyed and had I stayed 6-8 months more I’m sure I could have got my blue belt, getting into a graduate program was my top priority.
For those readers that are interested, I’ve decided to pursue an MBA, and I will be submitting applications for matriculation in fall 2019.

My goals for this go around with BJJ:
This time around my goals are the same as the last time around, get in shape. I would like to get my blue belt by the summer of 2019, but if I’m in better physical condition, I’ve achieved my goals.

My first day back:
In one word... it SUCKED! But, it was worth it. I’ve been away from BJJ for as long as I had been doing it. Additionally, I’m out of shape again! I just about fit my old GI, and I couldn’t even get through a 6minute roll, and I was taking every other round off!
The thing that surprised me the most was that I wasn’t starting back from square one. In the three rolls I participated in, I got in one elevator hook sweep, and I got past my sparring partners guards a couple of times.