An Unlikely Opportunity to Contemplate an Alternate Life.
While buying 3 different highly caffeinated Starbucks drinks from 7-11 last night so I could pull another all-niter to finish up homework before my honeymoon this weekend, the clerk ringing me up guessed that I was a college student. I guess only a certain demographic of young women buy a ridiculous amount of Starbucks products at midnight on a Monday. As she started the "been there, done that" speech, I could tell that she felt obligated to follow that statement up with an explanation as to why she understood the college experience, but could simultaneously be standing behind a 7-11 counter at midnight on a Monday. Again, only a certain demographic...
Apparently, she has a film degree from OU, which was her second major. Her initial attempt at college was an Anthropology degree. She asked what degree I was going for, and when I said "Business Information Systems" an almost sad or embarrassed look came over her. She congratulated me on my good decisions and opened up to me about how she had many regrets about her choices as a young woman. She went straight to college out of high school, her parents paid her tuition, no pressure... it was taken care of. Armed with her new degree, she could only volunteer at OETA for so long before she had to find a way to keep her lights on. And now she has a family and a mortgage and when it comes to the decision of paying for a SECOND college education for herself or saving for her young daughter's future education, well, ultimately this college graduate has a lot of late nights at 7-11 in her future.
I've often been resentful towards my mother for not planning for my education, or have gotten upset with myself for settling with my current major because it pays well rather than doing something that I am passionate about. But last night, I saw myself in that poor woman pulling the overnight shift... that could be me. And it probably will be a lot of my friends who have a masters in Music Theory, Composition or Performance.
I'm glad I made careful decisions about which classes I took because I was paying for them myself. And I am glad that I had the sense to go in a direction that promises to pay off these loans that I have been accumulating for so long.
This goes out to the convenience store courier, for providing the signal that I needed.
I needed to know that I am on the right track.
So, cheers!
*drinks double shot white chocolate Starbucks energy drink, glances at her stack of homework, and smiles contently*
Apparently, she has a film degree from OU, which was her second major. Her initial attempt at college was an Anthropology degree. She asked what degree I was going for, and when I said "Business Information Systems" an almost sad or embarrassed look came over her. She congratulated me on my good decisions and opened up to me about how she had many regrets about her choices as a young woman. She went straight to college out of high school, her parents paid her tuition, no pressure... it was taken care of. Armed with her new degree, she could only volunteer at OETA for so long before she had to find a way to keep her lights on. And now she has a family and a mortgage and when it comes to the decision of paying for a SECOND college education for herself or saving for her young daughter's future education, well, ultimately this college graduate has a lot of late nights at 7-11 in her future.
I've often been resentful towards my mother for not planning for my education, or have gotten upset with myself for settling with my current major because it pays well rather than doing something that I am passionate about. But last night, I saw myself in that poor woman pulling the overnight shift... that could be me. And it probably will be a lot of my friends who have a masters in Music Theory, Composition or Performance.
I'm glad I made careful decisions about which classes I took because I was paying for them myself. And I am glad that I had the sense to go in a direction that promises to pay off these loans that I have been accumulating for so long.
This goes out to the convenience store courier, for providing the signal that I needed.
I needed to know that I am on the right track.
So, cheers!
*drinks double shot white chocolate Starbucks energy drink, glances at her stack of homework, and smiles contently*