30 Day Writer's Challenge | Day 4

Education, education, education.  We are told from a very early age how important it is to go to school, graduate, go back to school, graduate, and if you feel so inclined, go BACK to school...and graduate a few more times.  We are told that a good education will open all the illustrious doors to the right jobs.  It's as if the heavens would part and hand you all the things you deserved for doing the "right" thing - going the right path.

So when I graduated from high school and went off to BYU, I was under the impression that 1) this was going to be as easy as high school was...BIG misconception...and 2) I'm going to graduate and a job will fall into my lap.  Hmm...even BIGGER misconception.  After three incredibly unsuccessful semesters, I went home with my tail between my legs only to learn that now I have to find a JOB!  What the crap was that all about?  Wait, now you're telling me I have to pay my own bills?!  Needless to say, I entered the work force at a younger age then the people that I graduated high school with, but I also found the oh so rewarding job I currently have at that young age.  Which is why I still haven't graduated with my first degree.

But in this incredibly fruitful economy of ours, what are people doing?  I ran into an old high school buddy of mine just last week.  I thought he had already graduated.  He had and now he's back in school.  Turns out (as I am hearing) there aren't any jobs out there to be had.*  People are graduating with their first degrees and turning around for a second because as long as you're in school, student loans are deferred.  What a novel idea, right?  As much as it sucks, it is a way to get out of paying loans right away and I guess furthering your career - if you're into that.

So now I'm starting to think.  There have be way toooo many times where I have run into people I graduated high school with who graduated college in 2007 (which I "should" have done) and were lucky enough to find a job in their career choice.  (Key word there - that's why it's underlined.)  When talking to those people, I had always felt a bit ashamed to mention that I still haven't graduated, but I am going to school.  It's as if by the time I get around to saying I've held a full-time job since I was 19, they're done listening.  But then I talk to those friends that haven't found a job in their career choice and they're doing what they can to get by.  At least they have their degree, right?

I have finally come to this realization: It doesn't matter what other people do, as long as what you do - the choices YOU made - are livable to YOUR standards.  Get it?  Why should I be ashamed because of the paths that I chose?  I have had the same full-time job for almost 6 years.  I have literally climbed the corporate ladder (albeit a very small one in my company) to get where I am today.  I pay all of my bills on time.  For the last 3 years, I have been going to school, mostly full-time, while carrying on my full-time job.  What do I have to be ashamed of?  One day I will graduate and hopefully find that job the makes me want to get up and go to work every morning, my career.  Now, I'm smart in knowing not to quit this before I find it.  But I feel like I am ahead of the game.  It's an accomplishment.  One that I'm proud of. 

*Sarcasm plays a major roll in what makes me, me.  

Enter sarcasm here.