1 post tagged “grad school?”
I feel like I've been asking myself that question to some degree for the last 12 or so years. During that time I've spent WAY too long at a community college, gotten married, and finally decided to bit the now-or-never bullet and go back to school to get a BA. Still lacking direction, I chose a BA in Sociology. After all, I love everything from history to anthropology and the way people interact. I didn't know until a year ago that I was interested in politics (though not politicians or the flawed process of carrying out the law).
If I could do anything I'd make ceramic sculpture, but I know that to be a very perilous path and have decided not to attempt to follow it. When people (at school) ask me what I want to do, I still don't know. The closest answer I can get to is "write". I'd also like to do something that matters. I vaguely imagine that a job at UNICEF, the EFF, or heck the Discovery Channel (pre-their stance on Taxi to the Dark Side) would be good. DemocracyNow!, a Museum, an ethical FEMA?
So my adviser says to me, "you should go to grad school". This wasn't something I'd thought about. My options would be limited. Rather in fact. Moving is not an option. That leaves me with a school whose programs don't interest me and another whose programs do, but honestly can I 1. get in (my grades now are excellent, but my community college days were mediocre) and 2. get funding. Yet another rub, is that I'd have to quit my job. As things stand right now, this would not be livable. Other things would need to change first. So, imagining that all these hurdles are cleared with ease...
What would be the point of getting an MA or PhD? Unless the world and my place in it changes greatly, I won't be moving to a larger or job friendly area. What would I do after the 2 to 7 years it would take me to complete said degree? Teach? Write? What else? I'm not sure I can take a blind leap without some better idea of the possibilities, but if I stay at the present job it will kill my soul.
And yes, I know this sounds a lot like an older post - obviously it's a recurring theme...
