Let me set the year and place for you.

The year was 2010 and the place was Houston, Texas. I was 24 years old and had been living in Houston since graduating from Southern University A&M College in the spring 0f 2009. Now originally being from Chicago people often ask why didn’t I go back home after graduation but when you are young and think that winging it will get you somewhere no one can really tell you anything.

By summer 2010 I had tried my hand at B2B sales which was an epic fail. I had worked for a Soror in a hair boutique and that fizzled out after about 4 months. I was struggling to find what my next step would be. The guy that I was dating at the time could see that I was frustrated and suggested that I go to graduate school to pursue a Master’s degree. When he recommended it I foolishly thought that the light bulbs went off in my brain. I said ” Hell it’s not as if I was doing much else. Why not?”

The first task for me was to figure out what I would major in. I was burned out from constantly sending out my resume tape from my Mass Communications undergraduate program and getting no, I mean absolutely NONE,  not even one response. I decided on a Master’s of Education in Educational Administration at Prairie View A&M University and I would do a complete career change to now go into education, higher education specifically. I had done some student teaching in undergrad for community service and during my study abroad. I enjoyed and thought I had a genuine interest in education. I started the program that fall financing this new and extremely expensive master’s program with financial aid.

I truly believed that I was in grad school for the right reasons and would have a real shot at creating a new alternate career in higher education. Sitting in class I would imagine myself working in administration for a major university here in Houston and it would be smooth sailing from there on out. When I would tell people what degree I was back in school for they would automatically say, “Oh so you want to be a teacher or principal, right?” When I first heard those questions I was dumbfounded because I didn’t get why people assumed I wanted to work so closely with children. I wanted to help enhance the classroom experience but in no way did I ever want to be a teacher. Delusional of me to think I could dodge the teaching route, right? Lol. My youth and immaturity didn’t prompt me to research what the typical use of this degree was truly intended for which was to work as a teacher or principal. Sadly, I continued the program with yet again another unclear career path endeavor.

I ended up graduating 2 years later, $50k deeper in student loans, and no prospective job offers. After applying for positions at numerous universities and colleges in Houston, Chicago, Washington D.C., and California I came to the conclusion that strolling into a cushiony position in higher education was much harder that what I assumed. I learned then and there that I had gone to grad school for all of he wrong reasons.

What I didn’t know about higher education jobs was that many university employees come into the positions because they were at first students at the same institution. Once in these cushiony positions university employees may be promoted to different positions but they rarely leave often staying until retirement age. Once I learned this I was devastated and frustrated. What the hell am I going to do with another degree that doesn’t seem as if I will be able to use anytime soon? Three years later post grad school and one fake education position which was really a sales position being under my belt I still have not used this damn degree.

What I should’ve done back then is what I am doing now is to take time to do some honest soul searching to discover what my true talents are and what it is that I am passionate about. Since loosing my job this spring I have had an amazing summer. I’ve produced and directed a short film with my 7th grade teacher, relaunched my YouTube channel, and created this blog to share my voice for other young millennials. It has opened my eyes that I have been running from my creativity and prolonged me finding my niche. So the journey is not necessarily a regretful one I simply wish I could have curved the $50k bill that came along with it, you feel me?

Click here to see my top 3 reasons to not get a master’s degree.

 

-MonaLita💋

 

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