And You Spent All of that Money on Grad School to Do What?

Anyone who has pursued an advanced degree and has chosen to pursue an alternative career path has likely been greeted with this question, or will be, at some point or another. (So, those of you who have yet to experience this, be prepared because it’s coming). 

Sure, it’s not really a surprise. After all, it is pretty logical that someone who, for example, went to law school would take the bar exam and then practice law. Yes, that definitely sounds rather logical to me. And, yes, a lot of people follow that path, which probably makes it seem that much more logical.

Now, it’s important to note that this question is usually posed by people who truly care about us, our progress, our wellbeing, and in posing such a question seek to convey their loving concern, which is certainly appreciated.

So, what do you say when you find yourself facing the question “and you spent all of that money on grad school to do what?” Do you say that the traditional route just isn’t for you? Do you mention that deep ever-abiding desire to creatively forge your own path that you have possessed for years? Or do you just stay quiet and hope that the poser of the question picks up on the awkward silence and reads it as a cue to change the subject?

Realistically, you could do either of the above and likely experience a modicum of success at diverting the focus from your career choice to life in general, or anything else that you think to use as a segue. Or you could just try the straightforward method and say, for example, that you aren’t interested in practicing law in the traditional sense (you never have been, actually) and that you prefer a more alternative path to helping others abide by the laws that are in place.

The point is that what we choose to do with our education is our responsibility. And ultimately we are the ones we will have to face and give an account to concerning how we have chosen to make use of our education. So why not alleviate some of that pressure that we inadvertently put on ourselves and, instead, come up with an answer that works for us and let it be, all the while allowing the fruit of our ventures to speak for itself. Now that I like. #sanguinemango