Jeff's College Plans

Back in January, I sent out an email to my friends and family stating the following:

Many a revelation dawned upon me last night ("many," as in two). The primary realization has to do with what I want to do with my life. For many years, growing up, I always maintained that I wanted to be a marine biologist (at least, whenever someone would ask). I think this has a large part to do with the fact that I loved books and science, and so whenever we would visit the coast and go to a gift shop I would get a book on marine biology (as was the main type in those shops). Whatever. I just mainly looked at the pictures, anyway. My response has changed since then to biologist to zoologist to paleontologist (really, just getting more specific each time). Until last night it dawned on me. A voice from the heavens, as it were. "What do you love to do?" To make a long explanation quite frank, I love to create. I love drawing and writing. I delight in the creation of worlds as well as flora, fauna, and folk to inhabit them, to go forth and multiply (well, okay, that's a little melodramatic).

To these ends I've been saying lately that I want a degree in Biology (maybe a Biology/Geology double major) and maybe a Master's in Paleontology and then grumble something about how I really want to write and draw and stuff like that, but I don't need a degree for that, so I'm just keeping my options open. It dawned on me last night that... --I don't necessarily want to sit in a labratory and conduct numerous experiments and write up detailed lab reports... so why am I dooming myself with it by investing years upon years in degrees about that?

But, I'm not sure that I'm ready to give up the sciences altogether, because I see college as kind of a one-shot deal. Once you start down the path it's hard to turn back. So I think I'm going to try for a Biology/English double major. But we'll see.

And what path led me to such a crossroads of life, to such a dawning realization of my life's passion? I watched Star Wars last night (Get it? "Voice from the heavens."). And I remembered how much I love this sort of thing. Absolutely love it. Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Indiana Jones, The Mummy, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactice (the new one, the old one just about put me to sleep). And mythology ain't that bad, either. But you wanna know what first got me interested in myths nad legends? Monsters. When I was a kid, it just didn't get any cooler than the Hydra (conspicuously absent in moviedom... Harryhausen did one...). But, then, that's the zoologist in me, becoming enthralled with whole new worlds to explore.

END OF TRANSMISSION

Now, after I've had a couple of months to digest, I am still a bit unsure as to what I want to do. I want to write, but I also love paleontology/zoology. It's really the only "big career" that I can think of that I would be enthusiastic in. The only things that put off that I hear about are the paperwork and the fierce politics. I hate competition. But that's another post for another time.

It's like I said, college is pretty much a one shot deal, one in which you have to keep each step of the way in mind AT each step of the way. If you're going to grad school it's good to know what degree you'll get there and where, so that you can make sure your undergrad studies are up the task.

I'm currently thinking about getting tons of scholarships to fund my college life, so that I won't have to get a job (my parents can pay for either school or living expenses, not both). I'm currently trying to get a Transfer Degree from Portland Community College so I can earn lower division classes at a low, low price. Then I'm most probably going to go over to Portland State University to take my upper division classes to acquire my Bachelors in Biology (either General or Organismal). As to what my minor will be if I get one... probably Geology, Environmental Geology, or Writing. This might see me on my way to grad school (this is where it gets really tentative) to perhaps get a Masters in Paleontology. And, really, the only place that I could find that would offer that is the South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology. Which would put me right in the heart of dinosaur country.

Ultimately, though, the question is, do I really want to go through all the trouble of going to grad school? My answer used to be, "Definitely!" Then it changed to maybe. And now, more and more, the answer seems to be creeping back to yes. Because I see things this way: If I want to do anything "big and great," career-wise, I want it to be in a field that fascinates me. And paleontology (along with the biological side of things) does. So if I want to do that, getting a Masters will make that possible. And if, in the end, I discover that I really just want to do something else, like write, illustrate, etc., then that's fine. That option will still be open and there. Because you don't really need a specific degree for that (not positive, but pretty sure). The education I'd need for that would have been picked up along the way, anyway, I'm sure.

So, to summarize my r-ambling thoughts: Paleontology/zoology/whatever requires a relevant degree (at least a Masters). And that's what I'll (probably) try to get. Many other jobs (the one's I think of as alternatives) often simply require "a degree." And what I would love to write about would most probably be related to my field of interest. So it would still be beneficial to get that same degree.

Heaven help me. I'm probly headed to South Dakota...

But, in the meantime, I have to really get going on an essay I have to write about the Navajo (Dineh). And after that... Big scholarship search.

The busting of my buns begins...

Now.