Hehe, Karen showed this to me. I love the MC Esher reference. Totally takes me back to school. If I was a dude. If I was white. Well, I'm a nerd, so 2 outta 3 is close enough . Anyways...

We get taught all the rules and then in industry, all the rules become obsolete. Protocol rarely, and I use that loosely, goes by the book. Sorry for the cliche. Seriously, in my short time during co-op and my even shorter time as a full-timer, I have found that the percentage of information I use from school... is VERY VERY SMALL ! No matter how much I ask about why we don't do things the way that I had learned, I get the, "That's just how we always do it" or "It just doesn't work that way". Well WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL ME THAT IN SCHOOL?! It's like the all nighters about theory and application were just to piss you off and train you to do slave work.

The crap we learned doesn't always get used. We just had to learn it at one point to get the degree, to get the interview, to land that job. Yea, the one we're going to have for years and years. The one we'll be working at to save money for the day we don't have that job anymore.

For some odd reason, I decided to add to that schooling that I don't seem to need and get another degree. So why then... am I going back to school for my MBA or my Masters in Engineering? Good question. I already have a dual undergrad degree and I did it in 4 years. Maybe I'm a masochist? Yes, but I don't think that's it. Maybe furthuring my education will come with a new pretty title under my name and a 1% raise? It's got to be more than that. I want to learn. Even if I use 5% of what I learn, I will have worked on learning it. Who knows, it may be put to use. Even with a technical degree, I still have this strong desire to learn MORE. I think I'm crazy. *Checks mirror and looks around room* Nope, no fizz coming out of the side of my mouth yet and my room walls aren't padded.

Think about this... why is it that nothing seems gets done in Corporate America? Because there is a LOT of red tape and because seniority rules and new ideas are too risky and "inexperienced". Often, anyway. Well, how would I know, I've only been working a short time and this could be my slow step towards being defeated by the system. Anyway, when the young are new to the working world, we feel like we can do sooooo much. I still believe that we can, but it doesn't come without some struggle and ass-kissing. After some of us young ones get beaten down and keep hearing "no", we can lose all bright-eyed innocence, curiousity, and the whole goodie goodie "I can change the world" attitude. We work damn hard through school... staying up all night cramming equations onto green paper (engineering paper), taking study breaks (and by study breaks, I mean quick 5 minute naps and/or poking people on facebook), and stretched our memories to capacity. All that to be downtrodden by "The Man".

I still have plenty of time to use what I learned in school. I use a lot, trust me. My engineering school did not fail me. There is just a lot of stuff they never teach you, like red tape: all the paperwork and people that you have to talk to in order to get certain tasks done. I just want to know more about other stuff. I am competitive and I refuse to be one of those people. I just want the degree. Simple.

I have so many questions running through my head...

• Does the school matter?
  
• How am I going to afford to go to grad school and pay for my $930 min rent?
  
• Will I have the time to finish my work with diligence?
  
• Will I have enough time to enjoy LIFE?
  
• Will this freakin' MBA do anything for me?
  
• Can I handle this?
  
• What happens with my relationship? Geez, don't even get me started on that.
  
• Can I even score well on the GMAT?
  
• Will this put my life on hold?
  
• Does this mean that I will be in GR for 5 more years?
  
• If I wait to get to an area with a better school, will I be in a worse off position as far as timing?

You know what? I reread what I wrote here and I think I confirmed my insanity.

Categorized: School, Work, Grr