Ok.  You all know my story by now.  I moved from Denver to New York City in order to get a MFA in Creative Writing.  Years ago, when I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in English, I had a very specific plan.  I would go on to graduate school and get a Master’s in English, an MFA in Creative Writing and a PhD in English.  The plan was to teach literature and creative writing courses at the college level.  Let’s just say if I still intend to get all of those degrees, I’m very behind.

As much as I love going to school, I’m forced to reflect and ask myself what I am doing.  There are tons of articles on the internet about the top-paying careers, or whatever, and they always list areas in engineering, medicine or the sciences.  Before deciding to study English, I wanted to be a veterinarian, but I barely made it through high-school science courses and couldn’t imagine spending so many years taking science classes.  I love animals but decided that veterinary medicine was not the way to go.  So, I went to reading and writing.  I enjoyed my undergraduate courses.  I still have all of my notes for the books I read—just in case I need them for something.  I love my classes now.  But I know there are some people who think liberal arts degrees are a waste of time—although no one can graduate from a college in any program without taking some type of English and History course.

The workplace has been the most difficult area.  Once I’m done with my Creative Writing degree (which is my passion), then I’ll probably get one more degree—a business degree.  I’m not looking forward to all of the math classes but I feel like I have to have one in order to get a decent job.  I may be wrong, but it’s how I feel right now.  I have yet to work (and get paid) in any job that is related to English in any way, shape or form.

I don’t have children, but if I did, I don’t know if I would tell them that they had to go to college.  I would tell them to go if they want to, but I would also tell them that they need to major in two distinct things so that they have options.  I see friends and family getting business degrees and non-liberal arts degrees and landing jobs very quickly in this rough economy.

No one wants to regret going to college.  I don’t regret going but I sometimes wish that I had thought things out more.  But then again, if you can’t go to school to study what you love, then why go at all?

It’s a lot to think about.

I’ll think about it after I get this MFA.