Monday, March 15, 2010

If you had to choose: Would you rather work OR be in school for the rest of your life?

Ok, so that's a bit extreme. Hopefully one day we will all retire to some place sunny...or at least to the couch with a pint of Ben and Jerry's. But what I'm asking is, are you more of a school or work oriented person? I don't think I have to tell you my answer to this question: work work work! Which is interesting since I'm having a hard time GETTING any! Call me crazy, but I was actually a bit envious when my friend Robin told me she was at the office until midnight the other day. I just love the feeling of really busting my ass and doing a good job at something I enjoy. I hope to have a long, prosperous career doing...I'm really not sure what, and that this whole unemployment thing is just a small hiccup to a road of success!

School, on the other hand...ick. I'm just going to go ahead and admit right now that I got D in my junior year high school English class! And my GPA in college was all over the place. One semester it would be a 3.4, and the next I'd be struggling to stay above a 2.0. If I really liked and respected a teacher, I'd usually work hard and get an A or B. Usually. If the teacher just stood in front of the room reading from a book word for word (as many of my socially awkward English teachers did), I'd zone out and just not give a shit. Looking back, I wish I had taken a little more pride in my grades, but at least I'm not one of those people who killed themselves trying maintain a perfect GPA, (and missed out on all the fun!) and then did absolutely nothing with their degree! I mean, I'm an English major who has worked for national magazine publications. I'm not doing half bad.

So tell me: If you had to choose, would you rather work or be in school for the rest of your life?

14 comments:

  1. I'd rather be in school, probably because I value education more than I value money.

    Of course I don't want to be in school for the rest of my life, but I'm really excited for college and learning new things! Also, I want to get a job in a specific field so I want to learn more about it.

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  2. School. I was in school for 19 years straight and didn't get sick of it until about the end of my third year of law school.

    I LOVE school.

    Working aint so bad either.

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  3. Tough one! I value education a lot more now that I am not in school and don't have the access I once did to being taught interesting new things....(that I didn't find interesting when I was in school).

    Now I wish I would have tuned in a little more and wanted to retain a lot more. Mainly because I think having actually read the book and not the cliff's notes would have served me well now...around intellectual types in NY. haha.

    But overall, I'd have to say I am a work girl as well. I just feel that working for someone who is paying you is a lot more challenging and rewarding than working for something you are paying for. I like to love the work and want to bust my ass for it. If the job isn't challenging, I find it extremely difficult to do my best:/ College I was mediocre. Design school I busted my ass and loved it because I was paying out the ass for it and wanted desperately to learn everything I could.

    hmm- yeah...working girl!

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  4. Hum...interesting...a few years ago I would have said work without even thinking about it but now I think I would say school.

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  5. well this is crazy but i have to say---work! i can't believe i said that since i am living like a person who wants to be in school forever (working on my third degree)! But I've come to feel that learning without application is very self-indulgent and i think doing it forever would be selfish. i absolutely LOVE the lifestyle of a student but i'm excited to get out in a few years and try to create my dream job with a similar lifestyle, learning opportunities, AND a little more money coming in (wish me luck!)

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  6. Definitely work.....you can't spend school time on beer and cakes!
    Some good questions lately by the way.

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  7. That's definitely a tough question. I think, though, I'd rather work because of the ability to achieve and get paid for it. I also really like the 8:30-4:30 routine, and life would be perfect if I actually liked the job itself.

    haliwoodsaywhat.blogspot.com

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  8. Work work work, no question! I sometimes have nightmares that I'm still in school and have huge papers due. ~shudder~

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  9. Can I cheat and say BOTH? I loved school, but the neverending work got old. I like learning and expanding my knowledge, but I can't deal with poverty that accompanies being a full-time student. But right now I am taking a class that I can immediately apply at work... and it's great!

    D) All of the above

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  10. Easily school. I like the schedule better. I can work on my own terms at my own times and I'm just very passionate about learning. I still read some pretty heavy s*** by choice. If I was working for myself it might be different though. I just really don't like the drain that a 40 hour work week is.

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  11. I'm right there with you Ellen! I love my job and I love getting paid haha! I think I followed the same pattern as you in high school, but we sure did have fun didn't we????? I failed sophomore english cause I HATED my teacher, I told her she looked like Mrs. Doubtfire- she was less than pleased. I got punished the hard way though cause I had to retake it junior year and they gave me the SAME biznatch teacher :) Love your blog BTW!! I wish you were coming to LA with Liza this weekend!

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  12. hmm Ellen you've got me thinking. I've only been out of school for 2 years (in may) and I'm currently plotting on getting a job at a private university so I can take classes for damn near free. And I'm kind of excited about the prospect of being a student again. But if I had to choose a hardline...I would say I would rather work. working gives you a feeling of accomplishment rather than working toward a grade and a degree. or at least in my head that's what i think working should do, which is why i'm job hunting because i just don't get that feeling from my current position (though i'm grateful to have it). School is a means to an end, and if you're a well adjusted mature adults, you're always learning anyway, right?

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  13. Looks like everyone is split on this one! And yes, good point, Nadette...you can continue learning as a mature, working adult. That is the best kind of learning...through work, life experience, etc.

    And yes, Jess, we had SO much fun in high school! We totally got A's in partying :)

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  14. just go to a shitty school, on the warm coastline somwhere, it would be so easy. Or become a teacher/prof for that matter.

    I have yet to enter the workforce full-time as i am finishing up my final semester in law school. Not sure im prepared either. I like no responsibility and the ability to take personal days when i need/want one.

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