Every day I look forward to seeing what time capsules come up on my 鈥淥n This Day鈥� section on Facebook. It鈥檚 usually good for a laugh or two at my clothing choices and hairstyle from high school, and to see what I cared about the most over the years.
Earlier this week, a post from 2012 caught my attention. 鈥淐ole Douglas Claybourn is done with school forever!鈥� I posted shortly after my college graduation. Young Cole. So na茂ve.
At 22, I had no intention of entering the classroom ever again as a student, much less as a teacher. In my mind, I was going to work hard and end up in a big city covering major college or professional sports for a newspaper or major sports news outlet, but then….
Going back to school can be a drag. It鈥檚 not easy, and even those most excited to get an advanced degree probably feel the anxiety that school brings to some extent. While going to college might be considered somewhat of a societal norm in 2018, pursuing an advanced degree isn鈥檛 quite to that level yet. For some, going back to school means taking on that same course load and stress you knew in undergrad while managing a life, family, and a full-time job.
My wife is a year-and-a-half into an intensive master鈥檚 program online through Liberty University, and I see every day the emotional and mental toll it takes on her. I felt that same stress and anxiety as I worked my way through ACE鈥檚 program . It鈥檚 not easy.
So, how do you make it work?
You have to find the joy in pursuing your advanced degree.
That, too, is not easy some days. There will be plenty of days where the last thing you鈥檙e interested in doing is school work. In high school and college, it was a little easier knowing that your friends were all in the same boat. A Friday night study session with friends helped lessen the blow of missing a party or get-together knowing you were at least with your friends and you weren鈥檛 the only one missing out.
If your situation is anything like mine or my wife鈥檚, you鈥檙e likely alone in your circle of friends when it comes to pursuing an advanced degree. Frankly, it won鈥檛 always be fun.
But remember, there鈥檚 a reason you鈥檙e doing this. You鈥檝e chosen to pursue an advanced degree. In a world where far too many people focus on instant gratification, pursuing an advanced degree is the antithesis of that. So while it鈥檚 easy to lose sight of your reason from time to time, it has to serve as your continual motivation.
It鈥檚 an old clich茅, but pursuing an advanced degree is truly a marathon, not a sprint. Through all the pain and struggles that you鈥檒l endure during that long trek, the moment you cross the finish line and throw your hands in the air is a feeling to which no party or get-together can ever compare.
Are you ready to start your advanced degree? 番茄视频 offers a variety of at a variety of graduate levels.
