When is education self-indulgent?
My last blog raised a topic that I had not anticipated. As commenter Bob the Troll succinctly asked: "How many times can someone change career and retrain before they get painted as selfish and wishy-washy?"
I think, much as with Year 13 essay questions, we should discuss, and obviously I'll do so by reference to my own academic endeavours.
While I may well be selfish in other areas of my life, it did not cross my mind that further study could be considered so. Yes, I do have two previous degrees - one in media arts and one in law.
I have diligently paid back the vast bulk of my student loan, which was modest in the first place, thanks to working all through both degrees.
So the New Zealand taxpayer is not going to suffer at my hands, whether or not I require a loan for this year's study. After all, I have been a taxpayer myself for the last 14 years. I don't think I could be called a professional student by even the meanest of calculations.
I am not taking any dewy-eyed 18-year-old's university place. It's a graduate diploma - you need an undergraduate degree in another discipline to apply - so I am not snatching it from the hands of some hopeful teen, unless he or she is some sort of prodigy, in which case I do not think they would need me to step aside to get a university place.
I have been a journalist for 11 years, five of them at Stuff. While working in journalism, I also did a law degree. About three-quarters of the way through law, I realised I did not want to practise in the field.
Perhaps I should not have completed my final year knowing this but it seemed foolish to abandon the degree at that point. Law expanded my knowledge on a variety of topics and I do not regret studying it.
The choice to study psychology is not a spur-of-the-moment whim because my life has hit a dead end and I don't know where to go next. I have been planning towards it for a year and the only question was if it would be this year or 2013.
Everything slotted into place for this year, so here I am. I do not consider my time in Sydney a failed experiment - I enjoyed it and discovered that Wellington is a great little city in ways I couldn't appreciate before I left.
So, is there a certain number of years I should complete in a career before being allowed to change? Is it wishy washy to not to take up a career that I trained in, given I knew I would not be happy?
Surely there's no rule that insists you must stick to all your decisions, even if they lead to results you were not expecting?
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That decision is entirely yours to make. From my (employer's) perspective, 11 years in one profession does not constitute vast experience. If you strive to work at a senior level anywhere, you will need to stick to doing the same thing for 20+ years. Theory is all good and well, but on the job experience is another kettle of fish.
I think you just have to do what's right for you. Think long and hard about it, then just do it. The only 'but' is if you're just doing the professional student thing and studying endlessly, which fortunately you're not :)
Good on you Ann! Do whats right for you and don't listen to what the trolls have to say! It doesn't matter how many degrees you have, do what makes you happy :)
Only an anti-intellectual, know-nothing troglodyte would say that someone else's education was self-indulgent.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of troglodytes around.
I'm more amazed that you want to go back and study AGAIN. I am SO releived that I never have to take another paper again in my whole damned life.
In my opinion - if you're paying back your student loans and still working while studying you're definitely not selfish and wishy-washy.
Don't feed the trolls and feel like you have to justify your decisions to them. They're just comments from random anonymous people who like to dish out condescending advice to bloggers. Just have a giggle at their comment and move on with life.
I don't think it is selfish - it's your life and your money! I think the wishy washy is generally geared towards people who are 40 and still studying whilst not having a career at any point - at some point I personally think those people need to make some calls on their future and grow up, settle a bit rather than floating and eating up student loans they have no intention of paying etc. You aren't like that (from what I can tell!) so I don't think selfish, or wishy washy remotely applies to you (unless you quit your job, wear hemp, live with 9 others in a Te Aro 3bdrm flat.... lol)
It's your life, if you've got the money to support (or in the case of loans, repay) what you want to do, then why not do it.
My mum spent the better part of 10 years puttering through a doctorate, which she has never "used" in her working life since. However it gave her immense pleasure.
Dance to your own tune.
I think there are plenty of careers which are better performed with some life experience prior to starting that particular journey. Psychology would be one of them. Social work and police work also both benefit with some life experience, rather than wet behind the ears type 21yos.
And it's no-one's choice but your own.
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Depends.
got my first degree and post grad and am working in a field completely un related.
Now i want to do law as it spins my wheels in my current role.
Kids and family wont let that happen lol cos we need the money.
If you are able to do so then go ahead and good on ya!