By Andrea K. Lerew
I'm at the point in my senior year where I should have already taken the time to decide whether or not graduate school is in the cards for me. If you would have asked me at the close of my junior year, I would have proudly stated, "Yes, I am going to graduate school, and I am getting my Master's degree." In only four short months my mindset has changed, and now I am teetering on the fence between pursuing a Master's degree or a full-time job.
Senioritis. We all know what it means, how it feels. I've never wanted to finish school so badly. With 222 days left until graduation, I'm already seeing the tell-tale signs of senioritis myself: I'm jittery, easily bored, easily distracted and unmotivated. These are not the attributes that graduate schools are looking for in prospective students. I'm beginning to think that I should have made a concrete decision about graduate school during my junior year when I was ambitious and hungry for education. Now, I hardly have the patience to sit down at my computer and research these schools. I've been pondering the possibility that I have more options to consider before committing to another two years of schooling.
My internship as a grant writer at Martin Library has opened up so many doors for me. In my opinion, grant writing is one of the most rewarding ways to make a career out of writing. Since I have this amazing job, I've been questioning whether or not I should give it up for graduate school. The closest graduate school that has a writing program is one and a half hours away, and I'm unsure whether I'll be able to stick with an online program. Though my grant writing position is not officially secured upon graduation, I'd like to believe that I have a pretty good shot at being offered a full-time job. If this is the case, I must choose one or the other--graduate school or a full-time grant writing position.
A Master's degree may be better in the long run (only time will tell), but a full-time job is definitely better for the short term. Grant writing experience may even top a Master's degree in some cases. Most graduate students have had a limited amount of field experience whereas I've already had nine months hands-on and a refined portfolio to boot. As I'm reading this over, I can easily see which side I am leaning toward.
Now that I've worked this all out in writing, I suppose I do not have to choose between the two right away. Graduate school will always be there, but this job position will not. I will live in the present and hopefully it will turn out to be the best for my future. But like I said before...only time will tell.
I'm at the point in my senior year where I should have already taken the time to decide whether or not graduate school is in the cards for me. If you would have asked me at the close of my junior year, I would have proudly stated, "Yes, I am going to graduate school, and I am getting my Master's degree." In only four short months my mindset has changed, and now I am teetering on the fence between pursuing a Master's degree or a full-time job.
Senioritis. We all know what it means, how it feels. I've never wanted to finish school so badly. With 222 days left until graduation, I'm already seeing the tell-tale signs of senioritis myself: I'm jittery, easily bored, easily distracted and unmotivated. These are not the attributes that graduate schools are looking for in prospective students. I'm beginning to think that I should have made a concrete decision about graduate school during my junior year when I was ambitious and hungry for education. Now, I hardly have the patience to sit down at my computer and research these schools. I've been pondering the possibility that I have more options to consider before committing to another two years of schooling.
My internship as a grant writer at Martin Library has opened up so many doors for me. In my opinion, grant writing is one of the most rewarding ways to make a career out of writing. Since I have this amazing job, I've been questioning whether or not I should give it up for graduate school. The closest graduate school that has a writing program is one and a half hours away, and I'm unsure whether I'll be able to stick with an online program. Though my grant writing position is not officially secured upon graduation, I'd like to believe that I have a pretty good shot at being offered a full-time job. If this is the case, I must choose one or the other--graduate school or a full-time grant writing position.
A Master's degree may be better in the long run (only time will tell), but a full-time job is definitely better for the short term. Grant writing experience may even top a Master's degree in some cases. Most graduate students have had a limited amount of field experience whereas I've already had nine months hands-on and a refined portfolio to boot. As I'm reading this over, I can easily see which side I am leaning toward.
Now that I've worked this all out in writing, I suppose I do not have to choose between the two right away. Graduate school will always be there, but this job position will not. I will live in the present and hopefully it will turn out to be the best for my future. But like I said before...only time will tell.
Hello Mr. Richman
I've had a little health problem and I'm just catching up on your blog. I've read everything that's there and also noted the date of each. Productive young wipper snapper, aren't you?
May I give you a modest piece of advice? My impression is that something or someone is chasing you and, for some reason, you seem to feel compelled to type out what's on the top of your head. Personally, I'd much rather read fewer but more considered pieces than the superficial stuff you're putting out. You can and have done better than that.
Don't assume that, just because a piece carries your name, that people will want to read it. No, I don't expect you to write like George Will! But I do expect quality writing if I'm going to take my time to read it.
Now, here's your assignment. I would like you to write a 300-400 word piece on the difference between FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. They're not the same thing and I absolutely don't want a piece that any 5th grader can do. Go to your history books and dig into what our founding fathers had to say about it. Forget what you think you know about them and do some research in depth.
Mr. Richman, you have talent as a writer and, as a reader of yours, I yearn for you to put some meat on those literary bones. Right now,I feel like I'm reading "Dear Abbey", but the potential is there to do much more. Are you game?
Respectfully,
JB