Thursday, April 9, 2009

Thinking Before Coffee 101

Pierce threw quite a curve ball at me this morning. I generally always have a snappy comeback for anything he throws my way (shocker right) but not this morning. We were talking on the way to daycare about college. Pierce wants to grow up and be a weatherman. Very Cool. He knows that he has to go to college to be a weatherman. This morning he asks me: "Mommy, what did YOU go to college to be?"

here the crickets chirping?

First off, my kid does not know what psychology is, 2nd....how to explain to him that I got a degree that I don't so much use. (although that may actually be debatable).

Since he does not know what psychology is and since I can't tell him that I majored in my boyfriend with a minor in my sorority, I told him that mommy took a lot of classes about books (thank you English minor).

"So you learned to read in college?"

crickets.

I was able to explain to him that you learn a lot of different things in college and that you read a lot of books about many different things. That seemed to appease him but then it got me thinking. What exactly DID I learn in college?

Since about 4th grade I had always wanted to be a teacher. Kindergarten specifically. Around my sophomore year in college I decided to be a social worker. The following year I switched to psychology with no intent to get a masters or a PhD. I always kept English as a minor...I like to read and write.

What do I do now? 32 seconds after graduating from THE BEST COLLEGE IN THE WORLD (here in Ohio we get excited about our Alma mater) I started working for an insurance company as an underwriter. 11 years later I am still here. Don't get me wrong....I LOVE my job, I am truly blessed to HAVE a job, not to mention one I like, and to work with cool people (including my mother....nepotism at it's finest).

I'm not sure that I need a psychology degree to do what I do. Or any degree really....everything I learned about my job I learned in training when I started.

So all this got me thinking (BEFORE coffee, no good) what DID I learn for all of that money that I am STILL paying back?? I really think that college is more about experiences than anything else.

I learned-

-How to budget.....or not budget.
-How to schedule according to priority-i.e. no classes before 10AM or that interfered with Days of Our Lives.
-Responsibility-Your professors really don't care if you show up or not but your grade does....this one took me a few years to learn
-Resourcefulness-There was that place on High St that sold notes to almost every class on campus....in case you did not learn the above skill.
-How to be safe- carry mace for your walk home and avoid the "little person" who was always drunk on High Street. He will chase you if you make eye contact
-Relationships are not always forever- Just because you are in love does not mean that life wont take you in an entirely different direction years to come. Thank God
-The best relationships ARE forever- Sisters do not always have to share blood
-Direction-When you are stumbling home from a late night out, turn right at the HUGE sign that looks like a penis but is really a book store sign...that is your street.
-Patience- I spent one year living with 20 other women. Enough said.

The 4 years that I spent at THE BEST COLLEGE IN THE WORLD really taught me more about life than anything else. Some days I think I'm lucky to have made it out with a liver unscathed.

Looking back I don't think I would change a thing.


17 people fed my need for attention:

Kati

Sometimes I wish I could have experienced a "real" college experience.. dorms.. drinking.. sleeping late.. ect.. but that just isn't me.. never was.

Kids.. they always seem to say something that just brings on the blank stare.. its worse than public speaking!

Unknown

Sounds exactly like my college experience....
Not sure it was worth the money my parents paid to send me... but I enjoyed every min.

Sally's World

you had a great experience!!! i left with a bunch of qualifications i will never use...i've forgotten more than i ever learnt and i feel that life is the only thing that has taught me anything of value...doesn't mean i'm not on at the kids to make the most out of it, get a higher education...i just hope they have better experiences than i did!

E @ Scottsville

All I did was go to a 'business school' where they trained me in the particular 'trade' that I planned to go into. I paid it off quickly, it got me right into the field I wanted, so for me, it was a good decision. Then I quit my job and stayed home with my kids for TEN YEARS. =0)

But back to the grindstone now.

Mommy of M's

I don’t do EXACTLY what I went to school for, but I don’t think I would have even had the chance at my job without my degree.

I lived in my sorority house for 2 1/2 years, with 23 other girls. It’s amazing what you learn from that!

jeana

I agree with everything you just said - imagine that :)

Ali

I went to college to be a teacher and when I graduated I stayed on at a dept store then became a SAHM:) I think college is a great place to learn about things that you've never been exposed to before--art, psychology, archeology, anthropology, etc. I loved the classes I just hated the term papers!

Kristina P.

I think that you ARE using your degree. Psychology comes into play in everyday life. And if you work with psychos.

Anonymous

Hey, did you go to THE Ohio State University?

Kirsty

LOL!!! I totally enjoyed my college years, I may not be using the degreee, but those lessons stay with you forever!!!

Kelly

Sigh...you just made me miss college. Yeah...I went to school for Travel & Tourism Management. That doesn't have so much to do with boxes.

Becky

Those years in college made you who you are today!

Very cool that you are happy with the job you have:)

Ronnica

I have two degrees that I'm not using right now (history undergrad, seminary grad), at least not for my job. Though I dread starting to pay off my $25,000 in loans here in a couple of months, I think it was worth it. Like you said, it's a lot about the experiences...I KNOW I wouldn't be who I am today without those years.

Robin

My parents shelled out way too much on my college life and it was one year into it that I knew it. A matter of fact, if I hadn't had as much fun and didn't feel so much guilt over insisting on out of state, I know that money could have been better spent. Twenty two years later (and then again three years after that) I was shipping my own daughters off to way over priced private colleges out of state. Isn't it great? :-)

Hope your weekend is beautiful.

Kate

I absolutely love this post. It is so true, I majored in Sociology not sure where I thought I was going with that one...Being in a sorority was a great experience and the girls I was close to back then are still my best friends today.

Megan

I didn't go to college. Sounds like I missed out on some things. ;0)

jineen

i wanted to be a kindergarten teacher too! i didn't last long with that major:)

sounds like it was worth every penny:)

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