The Postseason
Slacker time? I don't have any time to slack off. I don't have time to do anything anymore.
I graduated with my B.A. in May of last year. I decided to take a year off before I would start my grad program. I was burnt out and I wanted to not think about writing papers and reading for the first time in five years. I began working a full time job and the money coming in was nice. But when September rolled around, I began to miss the school routine. I was missing doing some homework. I actually wanted to have an assignment. It was weird. I would think like this many times during a normal day. But then I'd say to myself, "You're free!" I was able to go to the gym, go out on weeknights, and even go out in the morning and do stuff. By the way, walking around at 9 a.m. around Ogden is weird. Banks are actually open, elderly people are shopping, and the sun is positioned a bit differently. It was a lovely time. As I began to apply to graduate programs, I began to realize this freedom would soon go away. But I didn't care. It was December and I still had 8 months until grad school. In the spring, I was accepted to Michigan State University and their Graduate Program of Rhetoric & Writing. I was thrilled. But I got bad news. They did not have any financial aid for me. I would have had to pay close to $20,000 to go there. I was not about to do that. I was so disappointed. Not because I was going to have to stay here; I was disappointed because I really wanted to leave Utah and have a new start in a new school. I was accepted to Weber's Master of Arts in English program a few weeks after that. I am currently taking two masters classes. This one and Intro to Linguistics. I really like both of them.
I have 2 months doing masters-level work. After 2 months, I realize how tough the next 2 years are going to be. I miss my freedom....badly! I knew my freedom was going to be gone, but I didn't realize how masters-level work was going to change things. This is definitely NOT undergraduate-level work. I wish I had that. Masters work is tough in the sense that you want to put in as much detail as you can in your work. Not saying that you wouldn't do that in your undergraduate work, but there's something about knowing that you are doing grad work that changes the way you see things. I am a huge sports fan, so I see things with a sports eye. I consider undergrad work as the regular season in a league. You do your best, get a lucky break here or there, and then you end it on a great streak. Grad work is like the postseason. There is no room for error. This is where the best ones shine and get the job done in pressure situations. I am in the postseason! Sure, I have no time to go have a drink with friends. I don't have time to go have a fun Saturday with the family. I don't have time to even update my facebook. But it's OK because I'm in the postseason now! The big boys (and girls) step up and become champions here. All (or most at least) of the great ones have done it. I plan on becoming a champion, just like my beloved Yankees will be this year, in 2 years. It's going to be a rough postseason, but I survived the regular season. If you can survive the long regular season, you can make the postseason. But as far as winning in the postseason, that's something I'll tell you how to do after I get my masters.
I graduated with my B.A. in May of last year. I decided to take a year off before I would start my grad program. I was burnt out and I wanted to not think about writing papers and reading for the first time in five years. I began working a full time job and the money coming in was nice. But when September rolled around, I began to miss the school routine. I was missing doing some homework. I actually wanted to have an assignment. It was weird. I would think like this many times during a normal day. But then I'd say to myself, "You're free!" I was able to go to the gym, go out on weeknights, and even go out in the morning and do stuff. By the way, walking around at 9 a.m. around Ogden is weird. Banks are actually open, elderly people are shopping, and the sun is positioned a bit differently. It was a lovely time. As I began to apply to graduate programs, I began to realize this freedom would soon go away. But I didn't care. It was December and I still had 8 months until grad school. In the spring, I was accepted to Michigan State University and their Graduate Program of Rhetoric & Writing. I was thrilled. But I got bad news. They did not have any financial aid for me. I would have had to pay close to $20,000 to go there. I was not about to do that. I was so disappointed. Not because I was going to have to stay here; I was disappointed because I really wanted to leave Utah and have a new start in a new school. I was accepted to Weber's Master of Arts in English program a few weeks after that. I am currently taking two masters classes. This one and Intro to Linguistics. I really like both of them.
I have 2 months doing masters-level work. After 2 months, I realize how tough the next 2 years are going to be. I miss my freedom....badly! I knew my freedom was going to be gone, but I didn't realize how masters-level work was going to change things. This is definitely NOT undergraduate-level work. I wish I had that. Masters work is tough in the sense that you want to put in as much detail as you can in your work. Not saying that you wouldn't do that in your undergraduate work, but there's something about knowing that you are doing grad work that changes the way you see things. I am a huge sports fan, so I see things with a sports eye. I consider undergrad work as the regular season in a league. You do your best, get a lucky break here or there, and then you end it on a great streak. Grad work is like the postseason. There is no room for error. This is where the best ones shine and get the job done in pressure situations. I am in the postseason! Sure, I have no time to go have a drink with friends. I don't have time to go have a fun Saturday with the family. I don't have time to even update my facebook. But it's OK because I'm in the postseason now! The big boys (and girls) step up and become champions here. All (or most at least) of the great ones have done it. I plan on becoming a champion, just like my beloved Yankees will be this year, in 2 years. It's going to be a rough postseason, but I survived the regular season. If you can survive the long regular season, you can make the postseason. But as far as winning in the postseason, that's something I'll tell you how to do after I get my masters.
posted by Joel Cardenas at 8:48 PM
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