Youth, Wasted On The Young

I've been thinking lately about the decisions we are faced with when we are young. The fashion dos and don'ts, keep the cool superficial friends or the uncool yet interesting loser ones, meet curfew or be grounded, go to the prom or party with friends at a kegger not sanctioned by any parental units, get a job or not have a car....all perfectly stressful decisions for a teenager, right?

 

There is a reason why college isn't mentioned in that list. It is because I didn't really stress over whether or not to screw around in college, I just screwed around. I never took it seriously. I did well in the fun classes and flunked/dropped out of the boring, yet mandatory, ones. Mom said I would regret that one day. Did I listen? No. I had no time to worry about the future, I was having fun! I did just enough to get by and live at home…that is…until I left home and college altogether.

 

Life is funny. The older you get, the wiser your parents become. Mom was right, school is important. She also was right in that it gets harder to complete the older you are. When you are young you don’t have to worry about working, your TiVo filling up, your dogs missing you because you are either at school or at work. You don’t have to worry about finding time to study or if the bills are getting paid! Parents took care of all that pesky life stuff. All I had to worry about was studying but I was having too much fun to see the big picture. Life was so much easier back then.

 

I sit every week and see kids making the same mistake. They talk about blowing off tests and dropping out of classes. They are planning parties, downloading movies, not a care in the world. I’m jealous. I want to go back and do school over without the worries I have today. This is what I wish for the kids in my class. I hope they learn the value of education before they are in school in their 40’s, listening to the kid next to them plan the next kegger.

 

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Youth, Wasted On The Young

I've been thinking lately about the decisions we are faced with when we are young. The fashion dos and don'ts, keep the cool superficial friends or the uncool yet interesting loser ones, meet curfew or be grounded, go to the prom or party with friends at a kegger not sanctioned by any parental units, get a job or not have a car....all perfectly stressful decisions for a teenager, right?

 

There is a reason why college isn't mentioned in that list. It is because I didn't really stress over whether or not to screw around in college, I just screwed around. I never took it seriously. I did well in the fun classes and flunked/dropped out of the boring, yet mandatory, ones. Mom said I would regret that one day. Did I listen? No. I had no time to worry about the future, I was having fun! I did just enough to get by and live at home…that is…until I left home and college altogether.

 

Life is funny. The older you get, the wiser your parents become. Mom was right, school is important. She also was right in that it gets harder to complete the older you are. When you are young you don’t have to worry about working, your TiVo filling up, your dogs missing you because you are either at school or at work. You don’t have to worry about finding time to study or if the bills are getting paid! Parents took care of all that pesky life stuff. All I had to worry about was studying but I was having too much fun to see the big picture. Life was so much easier back then.

 

I sit every week and see kids making the same mistake. They talk about blowing off tests and dropping out of classes. They are planning parties, downloading movies, not a care in the world. I’m jealous. I want to go back and do school over without the worries I have today. This is what I wish for the kids in my class. I hope they learn the value of education before they are in school in their 40’s, listening to the kid next to them plan the next kegger.

 

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Following Your Bliss When The Bliss is Money

My co-worker and I got into a heated argument. I mentioned my goal is to finish nursing school, work as a nurse for 15 years making tons of money and then retire on my ranch to rescue dogs…that is, after I travel to every National Park in my RV! She asked why nursing when I don’t even like people! I said I am working now for $15 an hour in a job where I don’t like people and have to deal with them, why not do it for $75-90k a year? She said that it’s a shame to be working toward the goal of making money! I should be doing something I like and the money will come, follow my bliss and I would never have to work because bliss isn’t work! When I asked how well that was working for her, the subject suddenly was changed! I asked how much she loved listening to people complain about health insurance but she rushed off in a hurry. Imagine that!

 

This did get me to thinking: what is wrong with delaying the bliss following? For the first time in my life, I have a long-term goal in view. Sure, working full-time and going to school is hard and I might have to sacrifice an hour or two with the Desperate Housewives or Jack Bauer to study. It will be worth it! Put up with a few nasty family members? That can’t be any different that someone cussing you out because they didn’t’ bother to get pre-approval for their MRI and now they are getting a bill!

 

If I am going to not LOVE what I am doing, I might as well make money while I am doing it! That way, I can have enough money to be blissful in retirement. I may not be following my bliss now, but if I keep on this path, there will be plenty of bliss as a result.

 

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Following Your Bliss When The Bliss is Money

My co-worker and I got into a heated argument. I mentioned my goal is to finish nursing school, work as a nurse for 15 years making tons of money and then retire on my ranch to rescue dogs…that is, after I travel to every National Park in my RV! She asked why nursing when I don’t even like people! I said I am working now for $15 an hour in a job where I don’t like people and have to deal with them, why not do it for $75-90k a year? She said that it’s a shame to be working toward the goal of making money! I should be doing something I like and the money will come, follow my bliss and I would never have to work because bliss isn’t work! When I asked how well that was working for her, the subject suddenly was changed! I asked how much she loved listening to people complain about health insurance but she rushed off in a hurry. Imagine that!

 

This did get me to thinking: what is wrong with delaying the bliss following? For the first time in my life, I have a long-term goal in view. Sure, working full-time and going to school is hard and I might have to sacrifice an hour or two with the Desperate Housewives or Jack Bauer to study. It will be worth it! Put up with a few nasty family members? That can’t be any different that someone cussing you out because they didn’t’ bother to get pre-approval for their MRI and now they are getting a bill!

 

If I am going to not LOVE what I am doing, I might as well make money while I am doing it! That way, I can have enough money to be blissful in retirement. I may not be following my bliss now, but if I keep on this path, there will be plenty of bliss as a result.

 

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The Hard Part

I was told going back to school wouldn't be easy! I thought they were talking about studying. Studying is the easy part. Finding the time to do it has proven to be very difficult!

I have too many things to distract me. I have 4 episodes on Oprah on TiVo, 2 Rottweilers that need a love fest, 2 months worth of magazines and catching up with my roommate to do. On top of all that it is National Blog Posting month and that means I have to blog every day! None of this should be more important than school but it always seems to be!

I have always had plenty of time. I am single with no kids so time has been strictly my own. Having time hasn't been a problem but setting priorities has been. I have been self-indulgent, only caring about fun.

Times, much like myself, are changing. I am finding the best time to study is in the morning and I stick to that. I watch TV only for an hour when I get home from work, to wind down. The magazines and books will wait. I am setting priorities that will serve me best in the long run, not just what will make me feel good now. That indeed is a change, one for the better. Like this post? Please share it, bookmark it or leave a comment.

The Hard Part

I was told going back to school wouldn't be easy! I thought they were talking about studying. Studying is the easy part. Finding the time to do it has proven to be very difficult!

I have too many things to distract me. I have 4 episodes on Oprah on TiVo, 2 Rottweilers that need a love fest, 2 months worth of magazines and catching up with my roommate to do. On top of all that it is National Blog Posting month and that means I have to blog every day! None of this should be more important than school but it always seems to be!

I have always had plenty of time. I am single with no kids so time has been strictly my own. Having time hasn't been a problem but setting priorities has been. I have been self-indulgent, only caring about fun.

Times, much like myself, are changing. I am finding the best time to study is in the morning and I stick to that. I watch TV only for an hour when I get home from work, to wind down. The magazines and books will wait. I am setting priorities that will serve me best in the long run, not just what will make me feel good now. That indeed is a change, one for the better. Like this post? Please share it, bookmark it or leave a comment.

Clarity

There is a moment in life where you have no doubt about the path you are about to take. You have no control over when it comes to you but you are sure when it does. Pop culture psychologists call it a "moment of clarity". I call it welcome relief!

Last night after a day of listening to podcasts of pundits arguing about health care, it dawned on me: if I quit my job and go to school full-time, I will be in the bracket of those without health care! I am too old for that! Then my thoughts progressed to other things: I work mid-afternoon to evening which makes going to school in the morning a breeze (the class selection is much better during the day) AND I work at a job that gives me 5k a year educational reimbursment that ISN'T tied into my current position (meaning they will pay for any major...not just what's related to your job) Ok...why was I thinking about leaving?

I am so relieved! The solution to my current worries was right in front of me all along: stay put! Keep my current job! I know the ropes, won't have to learn a new job on top of going to school and I have my benefits, health care and other wise. This way, I can leave community college debt free, with my RN and hit the ground making money instead of spending the first couple of years paying it back!

I feel much better that I know where I am going to school and who is going to pay for it! I don't have to worry about where to find financing or how I am going to live. I'll save all that for when I go back to get my advanced degrees. Right now, the plan is in place and all the details are starting to come together! This feels good! Like this post? Please share it, bookmark it or leave a comment.