35 before 35: #20

#20: Go back to school

Ever since I graduated from college (seven years ago--how is that possible?), I've been thinking about going back to school. I thought about getting a master's in library science, a master's in creative writing, even a master's in accounting. But I never pursued anything—I just did a lot of thinking.

This summer, my responsibilities at work changed, and I started working on the financial side of things. Because I have no experience in accounting, I thought about taking a class. Then I thought about getting a master's in accounting. Then I realized how insane that was, and I went back to thinking about taking a class. At the end of July, I decided it was time to stop thinking and time to take action, so I got on our local community college's website to see what kind of accounting courses they offered. In the midst of my search, I noticed a blurb about a library certificate. Within minutes, I was taking steps to sign up for the library program, and all thoughts of accounting fell by the wayside.

My program is a certificate in Library and Information Services. It's only 18 credits, but because of the way classes are set up, it will take two full years to complete ... if I decide to stay with it. I'm taking one class this semester, and it's online. In the beginning, I hated the class; I felt like it was a lot of busy work. Now, the class is getting better, but I wish I could just go sit in a classroom for three hours one night a week and be done with it. This is the first online class I've ever taken, and I think I'm more of a traditional classroom kind of girl. (Unfortunately, this entire program is online, so I don't have the classroom option.)

When I'm finished, I'll have completed the requirements to be a certified public librarian in Nebraska. (Many libraries require their librarians to have a Master's in Library Science, but that's not a state requirement.) I figure if I completely fall in love with it, I can go on to a Master's program. If not, I should be able to get a job in a public library—which is something I've always wanted to do.

The reason I'm not sure if I'll complete the program is because of the time factor. I already feel like I have no free time (which isn't true; I'm just not managing my time well at this point)—I shudder to think what this spring will be like with speech season, a full-time job, and another class! But I also know that this is the perfect time for me to be in school. At this point in my life, I'm responsible for myself ... and that's it! If I need to stay up until 2 a.m. working on a paper, I can. If I want to grab a bowl of cereal for supper while reading, I can. And I can fairly completely recuperate each weekend (at least until speech starts). So I'm tentatively planning to sign up for the next course in the spring.

I'll keep you posted.

Have you thought about going back to school years after leaving college? If you did it, what was your experience?