Back to School?

I had coffee with my college roommate Katherine today. (I had to get in at least one last iced green tea latte from Starbucks before it gets cold.) It was so nice to see her. She's so easy to just hang out with and talk about everything going on. We definitely don't spend enough time together, so it's always refreshing to hear about what's new in her life.

We ended up talking about our futures and where we see ourselves in the coming years. The option of going back to school came up and I said how much I'd love to be able to do that, but between losing my salary and adding in tuition and other school fees, I just didn't see how it would be possible. She asked if I would be able to get a part-time job during that time... and it really got me thinking. Of course it wouldn't be easy taking on 18 hours a year of graduate level work plus a part-time job, but I think it would be doable.

I started looking into it more when I got home. I was looking up financial aid options and, of course, teacher assistantships are the main option. I'm not sure what sort of a teacher that I'd make, but at the same time, that would be some valuable experience and give me options for the future. Of course, being a TA wouldn't include much pay ($9000/year plus tuition costs), but I did that math and that's the same as making $15/hour at a part-time job (and let's be honest, it'd be difficult to find something part-time where I'd be making more than that, especially in this economy).

I think it's a little too late to look at next year. I'd have to take the GRE next month (yah, right!) and apply by January, which would include a whole heck of a lot of writing samples, etc. But I'm seriously considering looking at the year after that. That gives me a year and a half to get everything together and study and write! That's still pretty daunting, and would take a lot of discipline, but this may be the last time in my life where I have the option of doing this.

Don't hold me to this. I haven't even talked with Jarrod about it yet. But it's on my mind and I felt like writing about it. So it's definitely something I'm considering. But it would affect a lot of things over the coming year. I wouldn't graduate until 2015. I mean, that's a long way off. Hmm... lots to think about...

A bouquet of newly sharpened pencils

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."
-You've Got Mail

Ok, so it's not New York and it's not quite fall, but I still love this line. This is how I feel about Back to School day. Going back to school makes me want to buy pencils and notepads and erasers! (I'm such a nerd, I know.) I miss that excitement of the first day. You're excited about seeing everyone and how they've changed over the summer. You spend hours picking out your best outfit for that first day. You look forward to seeing what the teachers have planned for the year. However, that's about where it stops. Once that first day is done, it's time for summer again! 

My wonderful cousins started school today for the first time in North Carolina. I'm really excited to catch up with them this weekend and hear all about it! Mariah started her first day of high school. I can't believe how grown up she is! That first day of high school was so BIG. Even though it wasn't quite as big of a deal for me as for others since I was in the same school as I was in middle school. But 8th grade was such a hard year for me since I was sick, so being in high school was a time to start over. Taylor began 7th grade today and Katherine started 4th grade. They are all growing up so fast! I'm so glad that they're here now so I can be a part of it. 

But I miss that excitement of starting something new. I love starting new things. Having a chance to reinvent yourself. That's what each new year always brought. That's what going off to college meant. That's what starting that new job did. I haven't had that feeling in a while. I've taken some big new steps, like getting married, but I don't consider that in quite the same category. I don't feel that you "reinvent" yourself when you get married, even though it is an exciting new stage of your life. It makes me really want to find something truly "new" to start. I guess for now, I'll have to live vicariously through my cousins... and take a stroll down the school supply aisle every now and then.