Grad school blues

hi nightwish. hey, you do what is right for you. you have the absolute right to feel welcome and accepted in any academic environment. maybe a chat with your peer liaison officer regarding these intimadatry practices is warranted. some academics are snobs, thus you hold your head up high. obviously to complete your masters where you are currently studying is congruent for your professional and personal development. seek support, this may well be happening in other formats also. i would look to see what the universities tolerance on bullying is. plenty of ways to skin a cat!! keep positive, am sorry that these numbskulls are distressing you. you be you, i admire that you have made clear sacrificies to succeed well in your masters program and future life. keep on track, with loving compassion. jamie.

NightWish-

I have been in a somewhat similar situation. I left my prestigious 4 year university midway because it didn't seem worth the money anymore. When I returned home to a local community college with the intentions of transferring after I had gotten all the credits I could, at first, it felt like a disaster. Every time I had to tell someone why I was back, or where I was going I got those disapproving and judgmental looks. Everyone thought that I had made the wrong decision, to them, it seemed as if I was throwing away my education, when in reality I am learning more and paying less where I am right now. For a long time it really bothered me and made me truly feel like a failure, that I should have just taken the financial risk and taken out all those student loans, but after a few months I began to realize that this truly was the best decision for me and whatever other people think is right or wrong, doesn't really have much to do with me, considering I am the only one that can make decisions for myself. I think what really helped me with that is reminding myself all the time of why I made the decision, why it is the right one, and shut my mind off to all the if's, and's, or but's.

There is absolutely no reason on earth why your degree would mean less because it came from a certain school. If what you have chosen is different, then so be it, I think you sound like an intelligent human being who most likely thought very carefully before making the decision and I would trust that! It's tough to ignore those looks, I know they kill, but other people don't walk in your shoes, so they can't really be the judges can they?

Walking a different road is hard, but if it's right, then it's right. I hope this helps a bit, sometimes it helps just knowing that there's at least one person who doesn't think you're crazy, because that's how I felt for quite a while until I heard a lot of these words from a very good friend, thank god for those. Hang in there!

Thanks you guys. You've helped me put things in perspective. Sometimes we make decisions in life based on what makes the most sense at the time and we just have to roll with it and what happens. I've realized that I care what people think of me more than I thought I did, and so this is a good reminder that all that really matters is what I think of myself and to not let anyone break me by giving them my power. Hopefully I'll see the humor in it soon too. And if not, there's always the option of moving to a different state after I graduate. Just kidding

Yes Nightwish,

Well done, and you should be proud of yourself. You are doing a fantastic job. Don't let what a few people think, keep you from reaching your goal. That goal is yours and you can do this.

Best wishes,

Hugs, Karen

Aw, thanks ladies. Your support means a lot. I know I'm going to look back on this one day and laugh, so I'm trying hard to just remember my goals and that this is really a small thing in the grand scheme of life. Thanks.