Yeah, very shortly, I will be attending classes at Saint Louis University, “officially” making me feel like a graduate student (the summer thus far hasn’t been much besides a “job,” of sorts…now I actually have to study and such…). This is both exciting and rather scary, the former due to the fact that I get to finally delve in to my chosen profession…the latter because…well…it’s graduate school… Likely this will be my largest challenge to date. The really odd parts follow:
- — I am going to school at a new place with new people and new professors.
- — I am at the bottom of the food chain again, much like I was five years ago at Truman.
- — I don’t have as many friends/bar buddies in this town, so I won’t be as socially active as in recent years.
- — Along with that, I’m married now, so my roommate won’t be able to help me in my classes as in recent years…on the other hand, it’s easier now that I don’t have to make time to go to my girlfriend’s place to hang out with her once and awhile…she’s conveniently at my place all the time now… 😛
- — I no longer have “responsibilities,” such as attending AXE meetings, Wesley House functions, or working for ITS. It’s school and home. That’s it.
- — I have to drive to class every morning. Snow or not. And fight for parking.
So yeah, completely new shenanigans to deal with. Really, I’m the same old person in a completely new environment…making me wonder how I’ll deal with the situation. Will I study as much as I should? Will I make it to class on time? Or at all? Will I be able to manage money better now that I’m married and on my own? Will my personality remain the same, or should I expect another paradigm shift as what occurred in college? …or will I wake up tomorrow and still be in my bed at the old apartment in Kirksville?
…as Spock once said: “Life…is not a dream.” And as he also said, in a different movie, I “will perform as according to one’s gifts.” Hopefully I’m as prepared as I can be for the flames I am to be thrust in to….’cause it’s going to be close to five years that I’m roasting in them…
“Sounds like fun.” (…that was Kirk, this time…)
Good luck, yo….just take everything one step at a time and enjoy. If this is what you want to do with the rest of your life you should at least enjoy it. Oh, and eat a marshmellon….
listen… that is a good post about a life changing experience… and I had something reasonably good to say in response to it.. but all I can think now.. is what the hell is a marshmellon?
…for those non-geeks out there, a “marshmellon” was referred to by Spock in “Star Trek V” during the campfire sequence…it is the singular form of “marshmallow,” according to Spock…so that’s how he referred to it… Kristen got the joke, as intended… 😛
You have normal anxiety jitters from starting a whole slew of new stuff all at once. Once you get into the swing of school you’ll think: “Is that all there is to it?” It’s not as hard as you think it’s going to be.
A couple points of advice, take ’em or leave ’em:
– Like Kristen said, OSAAT.
– If you don’t already, make a budget and stick to it. Track _everything_ you spend. Money has a way of disappearing unexpectedly sometimes. 🙂
Right here is the most important one. Seriously.
– Don’t forget to make time for your woman. She needs carin’ and lovin’, and you have to be there, no matter how hard you’re working or how busy you are.
That was the hardest thing for me to get used to when Angela moved in: She was always around, and I started taking that for granted. Don’t get complacent.
god knows that it wasn’t me helping you in any of those classes… you are in STL now !!! Drop the “yo” from the vocab already… but somehow i dont think that will ever fade with you.. oh yeah donna says “yo”… good luck in school… if you ever need anything just call the cell…