i'm graduating from college... now what?

in may 2009, I'll be wearing the old cap and gown with the senior class of Drury University. but in my lifelong pursuit of education, i've made the decision that i'm not ready to abandon the university lifestyle: i'm going to graduate school.

it's a decision i always knew i wanted to make, but i had never truly confronted the issue until these past few years. i see graduate school as an investment in my future and an opportunity to differentiate myself from my peers. it's an experience that will help me become a successful leader of the advertising and public relations industry. 

there are so many factors that go into my decision to go to grad school:

i first asked myself, "do you really want to be in school for another two years?" the answer is: yes. i enjoy learning in a classroom-style environment and i can easily see myself learning and growing in a graduate program. 

how am i going to pay for it? will my parents help me out? family? loans? tuition wavers? graduate assistantships? scholarships? internships? a job? 

where do i want to go? i know i want to have the graduate school experience in a larger city, but i need to find a program that suits my needs and career objectives.

when should i go? should i take a year off before applying? i've made the decision to go to graduate school the fall semester after i graduate from Drury. 

where am i going to live? housing in larger cities is expensive. how do i pay for it? how can i find an apartment? 

where can i work? most programs offer classes in the late afternoons and early evenings. are there paid internship opportunities available? a part time job? 

am i ready to truly be on my own? this is a question that all graduates must be asking themselves. to many people, going out into the "real world" can be a scary thought, but i see it as an opportunity to keep learning, growing, and experiencing new things. 

am i ready to abandon my love of theatre and music? NO. no matter where i am, i want to be involved extracurricularly or professionally in theatre, music, or musical theatre. many of the graduate programs offer groups and activities to non-major graduate students. if not, the cities in which i am looking offer rich theatre and music scenes. 

i've been doing a lot of research on graduate programs all across the US, and even some in Europe! i am truly excited about the prospect of graduate school, but i'm prepared to do a lot of work to apply for admission. most graduate programs are highly selective and i know i need to work hard on my applications, personal statements, essays, and the dreaded GRE. i also need to contact supervisors, professors, advisors and mentors for recommendation letters. it's a lot of time and work to apply for graduate school, but it's a process for which I'm ready.

Look for more graduate school-related posts in the future. 

these are a few of my favorite things...

to most people, obtaining an education means going to school. 

and it's true: if you apply yourself and retain the information given, you can learn a lot from schooling.

why do we go to school? each fall, millions of young people go off to school at private and public institutions. going to school can be time-consuming, costly and expensive. school is more than just learning out of a textbook: our education is filled with rich experiences, both good and bad, that have shaped who we have become. it's a place where young people can come together in common ground, a place where mentors and advisors can help guide, a place where we develop a sense of who we are, a place where we gain knowledge and the tactics to use that knowledge in a real-world situation. 

it's a place where we prepare for our future. 

here are a few of my favorite classes from my schooling. (it includes elementary schools, middle school, high school, and college)

SPANISH II and III (Tulsa Community College, Summer 2004) - Learning another language is an especially interesting way to learn. It opens your mind to a new culture, which in turn can expand your schemas and view of the world in an enlightening way. I took these classes at TCC over the summer in a fast track course, which means each course was only two weeks long. I think these courses are a great way to submerse yourself in the language and learn Spanish rapidly. 

AP WORLD HISTORY (Mrs. Brannon, Union High School, 2004) - It may seem hard to learn about the entire history of the world in a year, but this class was hugely successful. I love history, especially ancient history, and although this class was difficult, I learned a lot. 

LIVING WITH JOY AT LIFE'S END (Dr. Peter Browning, Drury University, Spring 2007) This class was about dying, a subject that many people do not want to confront or talk about. However, I thought this class was the best class I've taken at Drury. One of our projects was to go to a local nursing home and simply talk to our new friend, a patient at the home. My friend, Ora, truly is a remarkable woman. She told me all about her life and I wrote down the things she told me and made a book through Shutterfly, an online scrapbooking website. The book included her life story and pictures that she had showed me. It was truly a touching moment when I gave her the book at the end of the semester. Although death may not be what most people want to talk about, this class prepares you to accept dying as a part of the human life. 

AD TEAM (Ron Schie, Drury University, Spring 2008) This class solidified my interest in advertising as my career path. It is imminently helpful to work on a real case study in your collegiate career; it helped me understand what is expected of an advertising professional and what the industry can really be like.

DOES GOD EXIST? (Dr. Peter Browning, Drury University, Fall 2007) This class helped me answer the question, does God exist? It was a fair class in that we learned both sides of the argument and made the decision for ourselves. Having this academic experience to help me understand my faith was such a great tool for me. 

WHO IS JESUS? (Dr. Peter Browning, Drury University, Spring 2008) This class, along with Does God Exist, were two classes that helped me figure out what my faith is and what I believe in. Again, the class was very fair, presenting both sides of the argument to figure out who Jesus really was.

YEARBOOK (Mrs. Patrick, Maize Middle School, 1997-2000) Yearbook was the class that sparked my interest in designing, layout, photography, copy, all of the elements that would later lead me to discover my love of advertising and public relations. Although yearbook and an ad campaign may seem completely different, they are more similar than one would think. I learned at an early age how to think strategically and creatively and this prompted me to consider the advertising and PR industry.

Comments: What is one of your favorite classes from school?