College plans

A few months ago, I obtained financial aid so I could go back to college. A few weeks ago, I settled on a major. It's not the one I wanted, or any of the ones I wanted, for that matter. There's no English degree or History degree forthcoming. Hell, I couldn't even manage to pull off changing my entire life in order to get a degree in Hospitality and Tourism, seeing as they wanted me in too many places on too many different days working through too many different schedules.

I'm returning to the college that gave me my first degree - my A.A. It took me 15 years to get that baby and it's not doing much in the way of making me look uberspecial in the pool of overqualified applicants for any job in the world. One of the reasons it took me so long to get this degree is because I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I've been a waitress, a hotel know-it-all, an accountant, a call center punching bag, a student, and a mom. But what I'd really like to be is a legal assistant specializing in family law, a writer, a tutor, a cross-country traveler, a contestant on The Great American Road Trip, and a hotel know-it-all again. And because of my inability to make a decision and stick with it (though I blame this more on my desire to know about everything and not spend so much time focusing on one thing), I chose to pursue a degree in Supervision and Management.

Does it sound generic and bland? Yep. But I'll learn so much about alot of things like marketing, human resources, customer service, accounting, computer programming, business ethics and law, technical writing, and a host of other things. Enough to keep me busy for the next two years. And I expect I'll not be bored but only because I'll have my attention shifting from one field to another.

Unfortunately, I have to write an essay about why I think this degree will help me in my career. I've considered a couple of different themes. The first being "This Degree Will Help Me In My Career By Hopefully Making Me Stop Job-hopping So I Can Stick Around Long Enough To GET A Career." My coworker advised me that sarcasm is not necessarily the way to go. So I thought being a straight shooter would grab their attention by giving my essay a title such as "I'm Tired of Being Everyone's Bitch". I haven't thrown this particular idea out for discussion but I have a feeling it won't fly.

But, really, no matter what field I choose to work in I will have at least a little bit of street cred with a four-year degree. I already have experience in finance and accounting, property management, customer service, front desk management, sales and marketing, military billeting, making a badass pot of coffee for my directors, and wrangling a gaggle of eight-year old girls away from birthday cake candles that could light them up in flames in a matter of seconds if they don't get their faces away from that cake right now!

If only I knew how to word it.