To Study or Not To Study?

I’m thinking about going to grad school. You might be asking, “Who isn’t thinking about going to graduate school in an economy like this?” I’ve been asking myself what is my real motivation for taking on such a possibly tedious (Okay, not possibly, it WILL be tedious…and expensive!!!) venture? Right now it seems as though there has been somewhat of a “flight to safety” for a good amount of the population. I’m all about one furthering his or her education, but at the same time-much like a bachelor’s may not have the same strength it did ten or twenty years ago-be careful what you decide to study when going back. I had toyed with the idea of going directly into grad school after completing my undergraduate studies, but at that point I wasn’t quite ready to take on more school.

I’ve worked. I’ve lived. I’ve learned. And as I’ve matured, I have a hunger for the knowledge that further education will provide. I think we sometimes have a tendency to consider education more as a means to an end, rather than a means to infinity. Learning never ends. I mentioned a couple of days ago how I briefly struggled with my social identity when I lost my job. I think part of the reason why we associate our professions with our identity is because they almost become the foundation for our lifestyle. For example, if I list words like Ferrari, country club, four-story house, nanny, and maid; do you think of a social worker, perhaps a teacher? Of course not!!! And you may even have thought of some faces, as you read those words.
But is a graduate degree going to guarantee any type of financial or monetary gain? No. You’ll just be a better rounded person in the scope of what you studied. As for me, I can live with that. A wise person once told me, “If you do what you love, the money will come,” and I’ve carried his words with me. If grad school is the path to your fulfillment, by all means, go for it…but in times like these, millions are going back to their passions. What are you doing?