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- May 7, 2003
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Here's a question that seemingly will not die. I've been through the phase where I'm paranoid it's just me, and got over that when I saw like 8 threads on the same theme in the Allied folder, the Allo folder, the pre-med folders... but I think maybe this is a job for the Non-Trads.
Because we have a little life experience, and because more than a few of us have thought the question through, or are doing so right now -- maybe we can come up with a framework for considering the question. It's a case of "do I do med school, then residency, and be a doc starting at age 40-something?" versus "would I be satisfied to reap the rewards of being a mid-level?" But that's a question that needs context. We're pre-meds. What we know is not enough to get us directly to a conclusion.
I know I could use a way to know whether I'm obsessing about stupid details, or actually considering the important factors that will affect my life. So far, I've figured out that you can't approach it as anything other than "which choice is the best fit for what I want to do." You can't go into it wondering "would x be good enough?" or "would y be too much?" You can't think about what's easier (neither is, really), or which is more cost-effective (that depends on how long you look at it).
Even time is no good test, because eventually we'll all be 70 years old, and the only thing we don't have time for is something that doesn't make us happy. That's why we're non-trads in the first place.
So I'm thinking it's a question that goes something like this:
Would I rather be a well-respected chef getting great reviews in a popular restaurant, or would I feel like I need to own the place, and make decisions about the menu, the decor, the hiring and firing?
Would I rather be the bass player in a touring rock band, or would I feel like I need to be out front writing the songs, singing lead, and dealing with the press and the record company?
Would I rather be a master carpenter and practice my trade, or would I feel like I'd be happier running the contracting company, or designing the house?
Would I rather be Tom Sizemore in Saving Private Ryan, or Tom Hanks?
For those of you who've made the decision about which road to take as an "older" student... how did you approach the question, and come up with the answer that was right? How do ya get this question to settle down and become one that can be answered?
Because we have a little life experience, and because more than a few of us have thought the question through, or are doing so right now -- maybe we can come up with a framework for considering the question. It's a case of "do I do med school, then residency, and be a doc starting at age 40-something?" versus "would I be satisfied to reap the rewards of being a mid-level?" But that's a question that needs context. We're pre-meds. What we know is not enough to get us directly to a conclusion.
I know I could use a way to know whether I'm obsessing about stupid details, or actually considering the important factors that will affect my life. So far, I've figured out that you can't approach it as anything other than "which choice is the best fit for what I want to do." You can't go into it wondering "would x be good enough?" or "would y be too much?" You can't think about what's easier (neither is, really), or which is more cost-effective (that depends on how long you look at it).
Even time is no good test, because eventually we'll all be 70 years old, and the only thing we don't have time for is something that doesn't make us happy. That's why we're non-trads in the first place.
So I'm thinking it's a question that goes something like this:
Would I rather be a well-respected chef getting great reviews in a popular restaurant, or would I feel like I need to own the place, and make decisions about the menu, the decor, the hiring and firing?
Would I rather be the bass player in a touring rock band, or would I feel like I need to be out front writing the songs, singing lead, and dealing with the press and the record company?
Would I rather be a master carpenter and practice my trade, or would I feel like I'd be happier running the contracting company, or designing the house?
Would I rather be Tom Sizemore in Saving Private Ryan, or Tom Hanks?
For those of you who've made the decision about which road to take as an "older" student... how did you approach the question, and come up with the answer that was right? How do ya get this question to settle down and become one that can be answered?