Becoming a part of WGU as a Master's student not only opened a door into the higher education world, but it ignited in me something I was truly passionate about...

Higher education is a mixed bag of beliefs. Some believe that it is the ONLY option for a stable life, others think that it is a waste of money and working your way up from the ground-level of a company is the real way to the “American Dream”.

I live for education.

While I do believe that you can achieve some stability staying with the same company for years, the days of our baby boomer parents job situation is all but dead and in today’s world I believe more in creating options and part of that means having an educational advantage over the competition. So I decided to get my Master’s Degree… and trust me when I say, I AM MISERABLE BUT LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

The Story:

First of all, getting my M.S. was a decision made solely by me that I did not take lightly. Neither of my parents went to college (with the exception of my third parent, my step-mom), I definitely do not come from money or social-status, and I have paid for the entirety of my education on my own with no help from relatives or distant trust funds and savings bonds. I moved to Seattle my senior year of undergraduate business school and finished my degree through my university’s distance-learning program.

By the time I had finished my degree, I was exhausted from working full-time while attending school full-time and wanted to spend a year just working and not worrying about school. I decided I would spend that year working on my first novel, deciding on a career path, and re-establishing some hobbies. Well after about 9 months off, turns out I had not done any of those things.

After being unable to get my novel completed, sustaining a back injury while re-introducing myself to running (a former hobby), and feeling even more confused about what I wanted to be when I grow up, I decided to explore options of furthering my education. It was something I had thought about for awhile but had pushed aside after not finding a program I liked at my SOU Alma Mater.

So I explored a few colleges and degree options and really did my research this time around (far more than I did when choosing my undergrad). I broke my decision down by a few factors:

First I chose a degree field: I considered my favorite classes in business school and took into consideration a few career paths by pay, location, and work/life balance and chose three schools with three different programs to narrow my search. Only colleges that allowed mainly online coursework would be considered since I was still going to have to work full-time at my current job, but the accrediting was really important to me.

Most online colleges are awful and no employer will take them seriously… you are better off just printing your own diploma and attaching that to your resume to show off your computer skills.

But that’s most. After reviewing multiple options that fit my busy schedule and lifestyle, I landed on WGU Washington. I decided WGU was the only acceptable option that fit… To be completely honest, the rest were complete useless garbage.

WGU’s alumni network for job searches is fantastic, they lead the way in online student resources (including online textbooks so I no longer have to sell vital organs to afford textbooks), they have actual resource centers in some states to help with additional resources, and have a competency-based Master’s program which means my GMAT was waived due to work experience in my degree field, and I can test out of courses with subjects that I already have extensive knowledge in.

The fluffy BS:

So obviously as I was going through orientation, I was a College-level BTS Pinterest wet-dream. It was all I was talking about. I updated all my profiles, set up a learning center in my apartment (which I have sense moved out of reality smacking me in the face), and posted so many cringe-worthy study pics of my calendars and WGU coffee mug; I about made myself sick. And I wasn’t even studying yet… I was just going through orientation.

So yep, it started great… Then I actually began my courses. So, I have this mentor who calls me at a set time every week to see if I’ve done my homework and am still on track. It is the most annoying thing ever, and is the only thing I hate about WGU. I like having someone to reach out to and guide me when I need it, but honestly I am not a reacher and prefer to do most things alone.

If I want to procrastinate and turn in all my work at 11:59 the day it is due, well I am a 30 year old graduate student and I am paying a lot of tuition for that, right? Then, my mentor informed me he was leaving and I would be receiving a new mentor... her last name was Warrior and she was a God-Send. She was so down to earth and realistic and never questioned my progress... and she encouraged me to take breaks. Bless you Delores, bless you... you helped me retain my sanity while I honestly felt like I was drowning.

Expectation vs. Reality of a 30 year old Master’s Student:

Expectation:

My life is going to be one inspirational page with images of sunshiney success and happiness and pictures of coffee and notebooks and tablets on wood desks in serene outdoor environments. It will be filled with desks and amazing pens and stationary and cute office supplies and then someday I’m going to get the call of a lifetime for my dream job and it will all be thanks to WGU. Oh and I am also going to travel and adventure and look fabulous all the time because what an amazing life I lead…

WRONG. If you believe this is a grad student’s reality, you are a fool.

Reality:

I chose to stay in Seattle and not move home or live with 5 roommates so I am working full-time which means I am exhausted the vast majority of the time. You’re lucky if I wash my hair more than twice a week. I eat cereal or protein shakes for dinner often to save time. I sleep A LOT, and I shove supplements down my throat twice a day in order to boost my immune system because all the stress will inevitably make me sick.

Oh yeah… and those happy-go-lucky inspirational photos in pretty gold cursive are complete nonsense. 🙂

Tired, stressed, broke = a functioning Master’s student.

So why go forward? If it’s that terrible, why finish?

Because nothing worth having is ever just handed to you. Otherwise, everyone else would have one too.

And yes I am at a disadvantage, but it’s the same disadvantage of any student who willingly enters into the higher education system without a full-ride or financial support from parents, family members, or trusts. You just have to work twice as hard as students with that financial cushion. I would love to be able to just work on my master’s degree and start every morning just thinking about what studies I am going to complete instead of wondering when I am going to get my studying in. But a lot of factors come into play in order for me to be able to do that and maybe I am just not quite there yet. Still, I press on because I know it’s worth it and someday my life will look just like that inspirational college post-Google search because I would have time for all that…

For now, I will gladly make do. But I do it because I know all the options that I will have because of it. CEO, Professor, Author, Inspirational Speaker, I could do all of it with a Master’s Degree in my field. Higher education is worth it always because it gives you the options to build a better life easier.

Choice = Freedom

It’s a waste to not utilize talent to better yourself and the world around you. I will say it again… I hate myself for getting my master’s right now. But I would have regretted waiting around until all the circumstances finally aligned for me to have that Pinterest board college experience.

So yes… for now I hate myself, and I probably will for the next year and a half until December 2017 when I graduate. But after that…

I will LOVE MYSELF FOR IT.