When I Grow Up
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
It's a question every kid is asked. I went through phases. I wanted to be an oceanographer. Then a lawyer. Then the president. Then a doctor.
I think it's a silly question to ask a child. Kids should be kids. They shouldn't have to pick the pathway to their future at such a young age. They should keep an open mind and try out all sorts of things. Even in high school. Heck, even their first year of college. You shouldn't be expected to have life figured out by age 18. It's ridiculous.
(Now some kids do know, and that's cool too. I'm just saying they shouldn't be pressured to make a decision.)
But still, the question is asked: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
To which I believe there is one acceptable answer: "Happy."
I want to be happy when I grow up. Happy means all sorts of things. Do some research. It's not a selfish aspiration. In fact, it's proven that happiness comes from helping others. Being happy is a good goal.
But still, it has me thinking. I am 31 years old and I STILL have NO IDEA what I want to be when I grow up (other than happy). None whatsoever. And it's actually really frustrating.
I'm thinking about going back to school. I have my associates degree in business administration. I would like to get my bachelor's degree. But IN WHAT?!?! I have no idea.
Someone asked me, "Well, what are your goals? If you could have your dream job, what would it be?" I have NO IDEA. It's terrible.
Actually no, that's a lie. I'd like to be an author and motivational speaker. But they don't award degrees in that. And I don't want to be an English major.
Anyway, back to the drawing board. What do I want to be when I grow up? Ugh. Gosh darn it. How am I supposed to know what to study if I don't have any career goals?
Let me break it down for you. I have a few options. I'm basically deciding between 2 schools. They're online schools, because right now I think attending classes at a brick and mortar school just isn't realistic for me.
School #1: University of Maryland University College (UMUC). I could complete my bachelor's degree in business administration with 34 credits. It's cheaper. Not as friendly. 10 week classes with 5 "semesters" a year. Which means I could complete my degree in 2 years. And that's if I only take one class at a time. That's not too bad. Not bad at all.
School #2: Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Here's where the options start weighing me down. I could just do a regular business administration degree. I haven't gotten an official transcript evaluation yet, so I'm just doing some guessing here. I'm probably going to need a minimum of 39 credits for a regular business admin degree. SNHU offers specializations that are really interesting to me. There's an organizational leadership specialization that would require an additional 15 credits. Then there's an accounting degree. The only reason I'm considering an accounting degree is because (a) I'm apparently really good at it and (b) SNHU offers a forensic accounting specialization. Which is awesome. I'm thinking an accounting degree would land me 51 credits with an additional 9 for the specialization. SNHU is more expensive, but a lot more personal. You get an individual advisor who checks in on you and helps you stay on track. They have 8 week classes with 6 "semesters" a year. So if I just got the business admin degree with the 39 credits, it would also take me about 2 years with taking one class at a time. Add on the specialization classes and we're looking at another year. Consider the accounting major and...oh gosh I think I just talked myself out of it.
Typing it out makes it looks like a no-brainer. UMUC is cheaper and faster. End of story. Today at least.
I might change my mind tomorrow.
Is cheaper and faster necessarily better? Maybe. Maybe not.
Is it worth it to spend some extra time and get a degree that is especially interesting to me? Maybe. Maybe not.
They say that an undergraduate degree is really about showing employers that you're able to set a goal and accomplish it. Your field of study isn't necessarily all that important. Do you buy it? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not.
Today I want fast and cheap. Tomorrow I might want a more user friendly experience. The next day I might want to be an astronaut or something. You never know.
My brain is spinning at this point, folks. I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up, so making a decision like this is SCARY.
All I know is that it's time. It's time to start. I hesitated to write this post because it meant publicizing the fact that I intend on going back to school. I've tried it before, and it hasn't worked out. So I don't really want to put myself out there on the big old internet. But it's time. It's time to start. And I need your help! I don't often get many opinions, but...I WANT YOUR OPINION!! Or rather, your experience. Any advice. What you wish you had or hadn't done. What you would recommend to your kid if they were facing a decision like this. Anything. Please, leave a comment :)