It is so blissful to take a break. Sometimes you get so cooped up with the corporate culture that you have forgotten what it was like to be able to just enjoy yourself, breathe in all the fresh air and smell the roses. I have never felt so carefree in ages, ever since graduating all those years ago.
When I was in the university, I could not wait to finish my studies fast. Thus, after wasting time in law school, I did not want to spend another 4 - 5 years studying. So when I entered NIE, I crammed ten to eleven modules per semester so as to finish the course in three years, with an additional year if I make the Honours programme. My peers took the normal seven modules per semester and finished a basic degree in four years, Honours in five. Come to think of it, why should I have done that? I have my entire life to work anyway, so what if I enter the workforce a little later?
Mind you, it was no easy feat, considering the type of subjects I was taking. Besides my own majors (Music, English Literature and History), I had to take primary curriculum like English, Mathematics and Music, as well as secondary curriculum like English Literature and History. All very heavy-going stuff with lots of reading. Imagine five books per semester for English Literature, and twenty books per semester for History, not to mention a music assessment every month.
My peers mostly took English Language (learning about proper usage of Grammar, phonics, phonetics, structure of the English Language, etc, very technical stuff) with Geography, or else English Language with another subject. Lighter workload. I had to be different. As a result, I used to scream for help and tear my hair out whenever there was a deadline, sometimes as much as seven submissions per week.
I used to kick myself, wondering why in the world I chose this type of subject combinations, or why did I want to accelerate the course? While others spent a three-hour break going for buffets and shopping, I had to go to the library photocopying the relevant pages off the History texts. And they were very hard reading. It is one thing reading historical epics and biographies, but it is another thing trying to digest a history book written by a real academic.
While others relaxed with just 2 - 3 papers per semester, I had to take 5 - 6 papers. I survived an average of 3 hours sleep per night. I had to give up so many things I like - playing games, writing, dancing, shopping, and just concentrated on my schoolwork. My only recreation was the one movie per month which I tried to squeeze in time for. Luckily I was taking Music and had to be in the choir, otherwise I would have given up piano playing and singing too.
There were times when I got so stressed up that I thought I could not take it anymore. I almost contemplated giving up the whole thing. When I started to think of the implications of giving up, that was what spurred me on to continue. If I gave up, then all my years of studies would be in vain. I was bonded, so if I gave up, my parents had to pay off my bond, and I would not want them to waste their money this way.
And what if I want to look for a job? It would be hard without a proper qualification (heck, even with a degree, it is hard to find a job nowadays anyway), and it would reflect badly on me if I broke my bond. Besides, I was taking subjects I really like, and despite the heavy workload, what I was studying was really interesting and enriching. I just told myself to hold on and it would be over fast.
But now that I have worked for quite a number of years, I really feel like going back to school. School now seems so carefree compared to working life. Although my job (or rather, my former job) allows me more free time to pursue what I like, but working life comes with more responsibilities and worries. I never had to worry about anything when I was in school except to try my best and do well for my examinations. Now I have to worry about how to pay my next bill if I do not get a job soon, and whether my cards would be cancelled if I become a professional bummer for a period of time.
I have been contemplating taking a Masters degree for quite some time now, but I am still under-qualified, as all Masters entry requirements need someone with at least a second class (upper) Honours. This is where my part-time studies come in. Partly due to interest, partly due to enriching my knowledge, partly to get an Honours degree (I will go all out to get a first-class Honours this time), partly to gain better employability and marketability, and partly to clear the path for a Masters degree.
Again, it will be a crammed course. I will be taking the maximum number of modules per year so as to complete everything in the shortest period of time. I am eyeing the Masters in Arts (Mass Communications), but that will be another few years once I complete my Honours course. I hope to get my Masters before the age of 35, so if I ever want to change jobs again, I can still do it. Otherwise it will be hard to change careers after that age.
When I was in the university, I could not wait to finish my studies fast. Thus, after wasting time in law school, I did not want to spend another 4 - 5 years studying. So when I entered NIE, I crammed ten to eleven modules per semester so as to finish the course in three years, with an additional year if I make the Honours programme. My peers took the normal seven modules per semester and finished a basic degree in four years, Honours in five. Come to think of it, why should I have done that? I have my entire life to work anyway, so what if I enter the workforce a little later?
Mind you, it was no easy feat, considering the type of subjects I was taking. Besides my own majors (Music, English Literature and History), I had to take primary curriculum like English, Mathematics and Music, as well as secondary curriculum like English Literature and History. All very heavy-going stuff with lots of reading. Imagine five books per semester for English Literature, and twenty books per semester for History, not to mention a music assessment every month.
My peers mostly took English Language (learning about proper usage of Grammar, phonics, phonetics, structure of the English Language, etc, very technical stuff) with Geography, or else English Language with another subject. Lighter workload. I had to be different. As a result, I used to scream for help and tear my hair out whenever there was a deadline, sometimes as much as seven submissions per week.
I used to kick myself, wondering why in the world I chose this type of subject combinations, or why did I want to accelerate the course? While others spent a three-hour break going for buffets and shopping, I had to go to the library photocopying the relevant pages off the History texts. And they were very hard reading. It is one thing reading historical epics and biographies, but it is another thing trying to digest a history book written by a real academic.
While others relaxed with just 2 - 3 papers per semester, I had to take 5 - 6 papers. I survived an average of 3 hours sleep per night. I had to give up so many things I like - playing games, writing, dancing, shopping, and just concentrated on my schoolwork. My only recreation was the one movie per month which I tried to squeeze in time for. Luckily I was taking Music and had to be in the choir, otherwise I would have given up piano playing and singing too.
There were times when I got so stressed up that I thought I could not take it anymore. I almost contemplated giving up the whole thing. When I started to think of the implications of giving up, that was what spurred me on to continue. If I gave up, then all my years of studies would be in vain. I was bonded, so if I gave up, my parents had to pay off my bond, and I would not want them to waste their money this way.
And what if I want to look for a job? It would be hard without a proper qualification (heck, even with a degree, it is hard to find a job nowadays anyway), and it would reflect badly on me if I broke my bond. Besides, I was taking subjects I really like, and despite the heavy workload, what I was studying was really interesting and enriching. I just told myself to hold on and it would be over fast.
But now that I have worked for quite a number of years, I really feel like going back to school. School now seems so carefree compared to working life. Although my job (or rather, my former job) allows me more free time to pursue what I like, but working life comes with more responsibilities and worries. I never had to worry about anything when I was in school except to try my best and do well for my examinations. Now I have to worry about how to pay my next bill if I do not get a job soon, and whether my cards would be cancelled if I become a professional bummer for a period of time.
I have been contemplating taking a Masters degree for quite some time now, but I am still under-qualified, as all Masters entry requirements need someone with at least a second class (upper) Honours. This is where my part-time studies come in. Partly due to interest, partly due to enriching my knowledge, partly to get an Honours degree (I will go all out to get a first-class Honours this time), partly to gain better employability and marketability, and partly to clear the path for a Masters degree.
Again, it will be a crammed course. I will be taking the maximum number of modules per year so as to complete everything in the shortest period of time. I am eyeing the Masters in Arts (Mass Communications), but that will be another few years once I complete my Honours course. I hope to get my Masters before the age of 35, so if I ever want to change jobs again, I can still do it. Otherwise it will be hard to change careers after that age.
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