Day Twenty Two: Degrees

I have three degrees.

This is something I am very proud of. I worked very, very hard for my degrees. I went through hell for them. I put my family and friends through hell for them as well, which I apologize for, but it couldn’t be avoided.

My first degree I actually finished second quarter of my junior year. My English degree was the one degree I went into college knowing I wanted like hell to get. I have never not wanted a degree in English. I picked creative writing because that is what I love doing. I also think that reading is sometimes a passive activity; writing takes so much more effort and challenge in my eyes, which is why I love it.

My second degree is Italian. My second degree took me all the way to Italy for three months, where I lived in Bologna and made some of the best friends I’ll ever have. I love everything Italian: the language, the food, the literature, the music, the history, the cities and the people.  I love when I speak Italian to my boyfriend and he goes weak in the knees.

My third degree was the most difficult. My Master’s in Education took almost a year longer than it should have for reasons I will not divulge to the masses. But I did it. I finally did it and I can say I have a Master’s degree.

All three of my degrees are a little useless in this economy. We’re living in a world that favors Engineers and scientists over scholars and poets. I can’t blame out country, because the liberal arts are not what we need right now. This makes finding a job very hard. Teaching is another very difficult job to get right now, especially as an English teacher.

But I’m working on it. I really am. And in the meantime, I love my three degrees and everything they mean to me. 

Challenge to my Readers:

Be proud of your academic accomplishments. That A on your paper. Passing that licensing exam. Passing the driver’s test. Even finishing that twenty page paper due tomorrow. Getting your degree. Be proud and celebrate the knowledge you have. Reward yourself.