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  • LAVA Moderator: Shinji Ikari

recent graduates, what do you like less: real life or school

Real life is boring, and so is the preparation for it (school). I'm trying to arrange it so that I am never in the same place for a long time, thereby experiencing a variety of "real lives" that never really get old.
 
I've decided I'm going to really savor every day of this last year of real life I'm starting, before years and years of school. It's nice to surf the net or read, and know you're not procrastinating anything. If I'm able to stay on track, I don't mind school -- it's actually a nice challenge, although it can bring out my intense side and not do any good for the ol' caffeine and adderall habits. But I can only do classroom for a couple years on end before I'm sick of it. Gotta get me into something hands on.
 
I vote real world. At school, you have little money and you're under some pressure to get grades. If you're working, you're probably doing something boring. This is balanced by the fact that life is generally kinda fun, you're around lots of young hot people, and you're learning interesting things.

Real world: money to do stuff, your job is probably more interesting, you can always take a part-time course to learn stuff. Plus you can do what I do and get a job in a university, and still be round lots of young people, and impress them with your experience and worldly wisdom and be the cool older guy (this may not work if you are actually me; then again, it might ;)).
 
I really wish I could say. I know I would rather be in school than ever go back to the menial job I had before, lugging beer into peoples cars from 10:00 AM till 7:00 PM for three years. In school I am learning and expanding my mind, but I have all of these deadlines and there comes a time where I just burn out. Then again, I plan on going into some sort of research field in either chemistry or pharmacology, so I have a feeling the whole school experience will never end for me, and I'm fine with that.
 
well, i think we should differentiate school for undergrad and grad. i don't think grad schools are really like "school" the way people think, i mean depending on your program you only really take classes for a year, and maybe some electives that you take not because you have to but because it'd be helpful for your specific field. and then it's just like any other job, showing up for teaching, research, meetings...except you have more freedom than you would have in a "normal" job, setting your hours, etc.
 
Having been a grad for a few years, I can honestly say that I like IRL much less than school, which is why I'm seriously considering going back. Yes, it's stressful and expensive, but I love the books, the people, the dialogue, feeling like I'm going somewhere...then again, I have a unique situation.
 
^ Just recently I've noticed that you've mentioned said "unique situation" in a couple different ways. What's the deal-i-o? Inquiring (or just nosey) minds would like to know! :)

In response to the thread: I'm afraid of not being in school. No joke.
 
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ebola? said:
doctorate in what? Many program have fellowships or allow you to work as a TA, effectively nullifying tuition.

ebola
Click to expand...


oops, sorry i forgot about this thread for awhile. i want to get my doctorate in clinical psychology. i already have my bachelor's in psych from a pretty decent school. my grades were very good and i am good at taking standardized tests so i'm not worried about admissions too much.

that said, undergrad was a tremendous financial burden and i'm trying to get myself out from under a significant portion of this debt before i jump back in. even with tuition assistance the fact that you aren't working full time while living in an apartment, eating, and trying to have the odd bit of fun here and there can be pricey. i don't want to be in debt until i'm forty.
 
All that said, clinical psych is REALLY competitive, at least in the US. I would work hard to get all my loose ends tied up in relation to the application. Study for the GRE longer than I did (10 hours total). I too test well but could've done better.

I don't know about how teaching assistance works with clinical psych, but you should look into this as you plan financially.

ebola
<<<might be paying student loans 'till age 40.
 
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