I was that annoying girl who loved high school. Correction: I was that even more annoying girl who loved going to school because she got to see all of her friends and be social and hang out and talk through her classes. I rarely missed school because I feared missing out on some important social event. I loved most of my teachers, I loved pep rallies and school events, and even though I was in detention most Saturdays or afternoons for dress-code violations, I otherwise followed the rules, was super-friendly and bubbly and did I mention, probably annoying to everyone who wasn’t.
I did okay with a low B average, but I could have done better if I applied myself even just a little but everything else was just more important. When it came time for college, I knew I wasn’t going. There was no money for college in my family. And really, there was no big importance put on continuing my education either. And since there was no push for college, there was no incentive for me to even think about scholarships or financial aid. Even though I attended a private, college-prep high school that I worked to help pay for, I knew University wasn’t in my future. I didn’t even take my SATs because I thought “What’s the point?”
My plan was to go to a junior college, graduate with an associate’s degree and then transfer to a state college. Four years later, I was still taking only electives at that junior college and had only taken one class to fulfill my general ed courses: Environmental Science. I loved that class. In fact, it was that teacher and that class that prompted me to start my little eco company, beSmart beGreen almost ten years later.
My major{s} changed so many times that I honestly think I took just about every elective course that was offered. I began in fashion and interior design and worked to gain certificates in both majors but changed my mind one class short of getting certified in either. I was a pseudo-working actor at the time {commercials really only, but they were paying the bills} so I decided that I’d go for a degree in broadcasting and journalism, then theatre acting, then art, then business, then marketing… and so on and so forth. I’m telling you, I took so many classes because I just wanted to take them to learn and was so committed to it, I was an A student in everything but pattern-making. But I just couldn’t see myself actually finishing with a degree and heading anywhere else.
At around the same time I started teaching myself how to build websites. I bought a few books and used a friend’s company as a guinea pig and in 1997 became a freelance web designer. Remember what websites looked like back in 1997? I took a graphic design course at UCLA to learn Photoshop, Illustrator, and at the time, Quark. But I already had a strong understanding of Photoshop just by playing around with the program and learning by trial and error. I’m of the belief that college isn’t for everybody, but I’m a very good “self-teacher” and would consider myself a lifelong learner. I love learning new things and I’m constantly on the hunt for knowledge.
Because I’m of a creative mind, type-A personality, perfectionist, with an artist’s brain, this way of learning in life has worked for me. Even though I had the basic skills that made becoming a blogger in the beginning easy, in the past 5 years I’ve become a better writer and photographer, and have gained so many new skills in this new and developing profession, I wouldn’t even know how to categorize what I actually do on a resume. It’s so much! My “just do it/trial and error approach” to so many things in life really allows me to jump, take a risk and try anything that makes my insides electric with excitement. And since I cannot leave a job unfinished, I will continue working on it until it is complete no matter how many scratches I get along the way.
However, finishing college was still not the priority as everything else has become in my life. Do I regret not finishing? Sometimes, yes. But since I don’t feel like not having a degree has held me back because of who I am, it’s the little things about it that irk me, like not getting “the college experience” that all my friends had or the smug bragging rights about what University I went to. But what’s amazing is that I can go back now if I really wanted to and even take courses online to get my degree… and who knows, I just might.
I decided to interview my friend Alison, who in the last few years went back to school for her Master’s in Psychology, and though she’s not currently working in the field, had some really great responses to my questions about continuing her education. Read below…
1. Why did you decide to go back to school? And what did you go back specifically for? I am the kind of person who needs to be involved in many different tasks. I currently work in TV and at the time I was searching for more of a passion-filled job. I have been battling with an eating disorder for the majority of my life and have been in psychotherapy for it. I went back to school to obtain my Master’s in Psychology in order to help people who have been struggling with eating disorders as well.
2. Was it a challenge to decide to take on such a big commitment with a full-time job and a family? It was definitely a challenge to juggle both work and school, especially being that my job was not a typical 9a-5p type of job. But, the school offered all-day long Saturday classes and a few night classes during the week. The second year of school, I was pregnant and working on my internship. So, basically, I was working two jobs, pregnant and going to school and studying. It was an insane amount of work. I would find myself almost falling asleep on my way from my TV job to my internship. Although, I have to say Saturday classes were typically fun. Which made it easier for me.
3. How has your education added to your life? Whether it be what you learned about yourself through the process or how it empowers you now. The education required for an MA in Psychology with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy required me to get real with myself and really understand how I got to where I am and all the obstacles that lead me to the field of psychology. The education really changed my marriage, for the better, and provided me with so much more insight and clarity into who I was as a person. Having this knowledge also has benefited my husband and me as parents.
4. Are you working in the field now? Have you worked in the past {and it’s over now?} What are your goals for the future? Are you happy with where you’re at, even if you’ve decided not to continue with the career? I am unfortunately, not working in the field as a psychotherapist currently. I am working as adjunct faculty at the Graduate school that I went to. I would like to be working as a therapist. However, for financial reasons I cannot just yet. I worked in the field during my internship and still need quite a bit of hours to obtain licensure. I look forward to the time when I can focus primarily on working with eating disorders.
5. Did you use any social media groups or networks and how were they beneficial during your education and after? I use LinkedIn and Facebook to stay connected to the field and people that I have met.
6. Explain why getting an education is important to you and if you’d consider more school? For me personally, education and hands on learning are extremely important because of the types of jobs that I am interested in. You must have the knowledge to do them. I am always considering going back to school to learn other things. We are a work in progress and learning more never hurt anyone!
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I’d love to hear from you and learn how education has given you the power to change! Leave a comment below and be entered to win a $100 VISA gift card!
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