To drop out of school – I had this thought very often over the last year. Perhaps it is easy to understand when you see my perspective of having a relationship, in which both are separated by half of the globe. However, nobody – especially me – wants to be that person whose friends roll their eyes for and blame it on the rose-colored glasses. But what’s the point? What could possibly happen, if I do though?!
I dare say nothing!
I could imagine that there are no consequences for me. I have a completed apprenticeship and I also have a diverse skill set. For instance my skill to solve problems rather verges on a super power than a simple skill. So what should happen to me? Why do I withstand the thought and complete the study program, even if I am unhappy?
Agonizing over safety?
Day after day we are being taught, that a degree is very important: “If you have a study degree, you will get a job more likely!” Really? Is this something like a guarantee?? I doubt that extremely! Well, in Germany it is very easy to get a job as an educator (alias kindergarten teacher) and social worker. The number of job vacancies is just as high that lateral entrants and volunteers do our jobs. So I start wondering, how much my degree is worth, when untrained people can do my job. Let’s observe other academic professions. There are lots of academics who seek support from welfare before they start in the job, because they cannot find a job.
I would understand it, if people study mysterious majors such as “Advanced Computational and Civil Engineering Structural Studies”, which is offered by our University in Dresden (Germany). The main problem is that you don’t even understand, what it is about. When I meet new people one of the first topics is the study program – normal for a city with 16 colleges. In the meantime I have to ask more often, what they are going to work in with this degree. Many Master’s degrees are ridiculously specialized, that I cannot believe in good job prospects. On the other hand, there are also fresh architects, lawyers and artists who have a lower guarantee to get a job after graduation. So I wonder: What kind of safety or guarantee do we have, that it is worth to study?!
Agonizing over pride?
Is completing your degree more about saying you have finished something to be proud of? That would definitely apply to me. I had finished my apprenticeship before I applied to a college again. I could have tried to apply in-between, but I wanted to have one degree safe. Even if it mainly has to do with the safety, I was proud to finish something as well. A graduation means completion – another step forward. However, I was educator which is basically a kindergarten teacher – that’s at least how our society understands it. This wasn’t enough for me! Thus I decided to study following this apprenticeship.
Agonizing over status?
“I am student.” or “I have a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in…” simply sound better. This is what our society shows us: “The doors to the world will stand wide open, if you study, my child!” My German society puts a high value on degrees. I couldn’t even imagine to show a CV (resume) without an academic component. The importance of studying is just ingrained in my head.
From a kindergarten teacher to millionaire!
Well can we be successful without an academical degree in our pockets? I still cannot tell. I have to admit that I grew and matured through the length of my study. It doesn’t necessarily mean that I grew on knowledge. I rather made a huge personal development. Imagining 7 years back in time, I wouldn’t do the step, I am going to take in summer. Wow, SEVEN years of apprenticeship and study – so long! However, I regret the choice of the study program a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a social worker, because I love to deal with different people and support them, but from a today’s view I also would need some knowledge about computer science or management. Whereas other bloggers already came to the insight, that they’ve learned more by themselves after graduation and fulfilled themselves the dream of the 4-hours-week by Tim Ferris.
What shall I do? Wela ka hao!?
Since I was in Hawai’i, I could wrap the motto of my life in better words. Wela ka hao literally means “strike the hot iron”, which relates to the saying “strike while the iron is hot”. So basically they are better words for Carpe Diem or Seize the day. I loved these words so much that I decided to eternalize them on my body.
Unfortunately I find myself too often in situations, in which I hesitate and don’t act instantly – postpone it to later. That bugs me! Now my tattoo serves me as a daily reminder on my arm. I know quite well, how transient life can be. I recognized this on the short life of my dad- I promise, I don’t want to tell you one of these extremely dramatic TV stories. However, it teached me something very significant:
Don’t postpone your big dreams to an old age or to too late!
My whole motivation or my own motor to tackle things as they come, evolved from this insight. I wanted to study abroad: so I worked part-time, saved money like a champ and I also got some help from my family. The same goes for traveling. I am working to fund my travels – it’s all about setting priorities. I don’t go shopping as much as other people, I cook instead of dining out and I don’t make party every weekend. And all this just to work through my wishlist more quickly. The problem of the single travels was that they couldn’t satisfy my wanderlust and because of that I came to the idea of the digital nomad way of life. If I follow my motto of life, would I just drop out of school and book a flight for tomorrow?
Sitting in the airplane and drop out of school by tomorrow?
No! Of course not! I have only 5 months of 4 years study left. It would be ridiculous to drop out now. In addition I am simply lacking courage to do that, because I am still a fan of some safety. Besides that my family would outcast me! I could swear that my sister would get a sick note that she can come to my house every day to bring me to my classes in person. Regardless I don’t feel satisfied to trudge myself every day to university or internship, without feeling like doing it or being happy. I rather would work on my projects and invest more time, that everything is working till summer. However, even my father used to say: “Sometimes you have to bite the bullet!” You don’t have to drop out of something or quit something immediately, because of a quick dream. Sometimes ideas or plans need time to develop. According to this you should wait a bit, when you feel the desire to drop out of school. If the desire solidifies though, you might be almost done with the degree – like me – and the decision got unnecessary or you try to find a better solution, which works out best for you. In the end it’s your life and you have to be happy!
