What I Learned From Go-Go Dancing My Way Through College

Besides That Non-Go-Go Dancing People Don’t Generally Like Go-Go Dancers

60s style Go-go dancing may evoke a girl in tall white boots and a day-glo mini dress; but it evolved into something completely different by the time the 90s rolled around.

I haven’t written a ton about go-go dancing my way through school, because for a long time, I was kind of embarrassed about it.

But I worked as a real deal New Jersey go-go dancer from about 1996 to 2001.

Here I am, age 18.

I was 18 years old when I ventured out to L.A. to meet my dad, who I didn’t grow up with and hadn’t seen for a few years, and visit the West Coast for the first time.

It was kind of a disaster and a very lonely chapter in my life.

Photos taken around this time show me looking how I felt.

I quickly ran low on money and with what I had left, bought a decrepit but sturdy Volvo and drove back to my old familiar East Coast to be with my mom and go to college, with her help.

“Rosie”, one of my favorite early cars.

When I got home, I was disappointed to find that her financial situation wouldn’t allow for her to help me with college after all, and in fact, she would need me to watch my three younger sisters while she worked to support them.

I sat my sisters for a few months, wondering how college would be a reality for me.

I applied for part-time jobs at restaurants, a book store, hotels and whatever I could find in the local Jersey shore town during the off-season, but I wasn’t a fit anywhere.

Then one day, while perusing the classifieds, I saw an ad that said, “Make $$$$$$$$$” followed by a phone number.

Always a bright kid, I quickly called, thinking, “I want $$$$$$$$”.