December 12th Update.

Ok, just kidding about the December 12th bit. That was my goal, but a month and a half went by in which I got a job for the holidays, went on Christmas vacation, got a job for the rest of the year, and started said rest-of-the-year job. HOORAY.

So yeah. I think I made myself clear in the previous post that you should not pursue graduate studies unless you really want to. It is not a way to postpone "real life." It is not an escape from "real life." It is hard work. That's why, when you finish, you get to be called a "master" or a "doctor." Because you have actually mastered the work. And you know what? Mastering something is hard. It takes time, focus, and hard work.

I went into my graduate studies thinking my love for music would carry and inspire me through it. It did not. Because not all of grad school is happy and fun. A lot of it kind of sucks. The work is tough, and there's a lot of it. Especially when you're taking five courses. But that's a tip for later in the post.

So I quit grad school, and I'm going out into the "real world" to get some experience, save up some money, and take a good hard look at when or if I will ever go back. For now, I'm going to contribute to society and make enough money to be *gasp* independent. It's a scary word, I know. While I would love to chill at my parents house all the time, not paying for rent or food or insurance, that does nothing to help me, them, or the people around me. So here's to independence. Ugh.

If you are going to graduate school, don't take five courses in one semester. That's stupid. Take the minimum amount you can to be able to afford all of the semesters you'll need and keep whatever assistantship or fellowship you may have. It's about the quality and quantity of the work you do, so give yourself plenty of time to do said work.

And for those of you who finished grad school: Congratulations. May you go forth and make more money than me.