One of my biggest life changes and personal accomplishments of 2012 has been the beginning of my graduate studies. Sometimes, I can't even believe I'm back in the classroom. Pursuing a master's degree has been a goal of mine for just about as long as I can remember, but, in all honesty, I spent many years not knowing what that degree might be in. After six years of professional work in four different jobs, I am more certain than ever that student affairs is the career for me.
Graduate school is scary. It means sacrificing my home life in favor of studying and writing papers. It means figuring out some strange balance between working as a semi-professional and managing grades, classes and group projects at the same time. It means relinquishing a regular daily schedule and a regular paycheck in favor of a scholarship and on-the-job experience that build my resume for future professional endeavors. All in all, I miss my personal life!
I spent last fall and winter applying for, visiting, interviewing with, and making major decisions about graduate programs. I'm thrilled to say I am lucky enough to have secured admission to all of the programs I applied to, and scholarships to three out of the four programs. My reasons for choosing the program and university that I did are long and complicated, as I'm sure anyone's are, but here I am: halfway though my first semester of graduate school, and glad to be back where I feel I belong. Still, it's a weird feeling, being in school full-time and working part-time, intensified by my desire for stability in my personal life and the absence of regular work with children, aside from the occasional childcare gig. I thought I'd be soaking up every minute of graduate school, from writing papers to finding another ten hours each week for practicum, but when it comes down to it, I feel old and ready to be back working full time and focusing on family.
Anyone else out there struggling with the intersection of personal and professional trajectories? How do you make sense of it all?
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