Whether you’ve always planned to return to (or start) your college studies at some point in your life, or you never really imagined or thought you’d ever pursue an undergrad or master’s-level degree until just recently, time is going to continue on anyway – with or without you (finally) pursuing that lifelong or brand new dream. If you’re still vacillating between starting school this season or putting it off for yet another year, here are some “gut-telling” signals that it’s time to go back to college sooner rather than later.
1. Your kids don’t want to go to college.
Every parent prays and hopes that their children don’t make the same mistakes they’ve made and are able to achieve more success ~ personally, professionally, spiritually, physically, financially, and academically ~ than they’ve achieved. You want your kids to excel, to be happy, and to be able to earn their living at a profession about which they are truly passionate and at which they are talented. In most scenarios, a college degree will help them to accomplish those goals quicker and easier. While they may not “need” an actual degree to bring their musical talents to life or become a renowned artist, that college degree in their back pocket will certainly give them more life experience and unique opportunities while building their confidence. There is no better way to teach a child – whether a minor, a teen, or a young adult – than by being a lead-by-example parent. So, if your kids are:
- telling you they see no rhyme or reason to attend college because, after all, you haven’t, you know it’s time to go back to college.
2. You (still) hate your job.
If you hate your job – for whatever reasons (your boss is a micro-manager, your colleagues are lazy, you don’t get credit for all the work you do, your paycheck is ludicrous, it costs you more to pay for childcare than you earn, it’s too far to drive every day, or there’s no room for advancement), don’t quit…at least not until you first find out through your employer’s HR Department if they offer any kind of college reimbursement.
The fact is, many employers will pay up to 100% of an employee’s undergrad or graduate-level pursuits, but they just don’t advertise it. If your employer will pay for a big portion of your academic studies, consider staying at your current job at least long enough to have them pick up a good portion of the bill. Be sure to read the fine print regarding their college reimbursement policy, however, and check to see if you have to choose a certain major that is related to your current job and/or if you have to promise to stay with the company for “x” amount of years for every year of schooling they pay for. (Sometimes, if an employee quits after earning his/her degree, the company makes the former employee pay them back). Even if your employer doesn’t offer some compensation towards your academic pursuits, if you:
- dread Sunday nights,
- find yourself complaining about your job to anyone who will listen, and
- “live” for Fridays, you know it’s time to go back to college.
3. You’re feeling like a hamster on a hamster wheel.
If every day feels like you’re stuck in Groundhog Day like Bill Murray, it’s time to do something about it. Wishing on dandelions, birthday candles, or the first star you see up in that night sky isn’t going to get you out of your rut. Wherever you go, there you are. So don’t think moving across the country, buying a new vehicle or pair of shoes, or a taking a trip to the local spa is going to make a lasting difference in your melancholy Mondays. You have to do something more profound — more lasting – more impactful on your life and on the lives of those around you. Starting that college degree will instantly improve and change:
- your perspective on your current life circumstances,
- how you look at the future,
- how others look at you, and
- the influence you will have on those around you.
If you feel like you are:
- simply going through the motions in life, and
- not really living the life you had imagined, you know it’s time to go back to college.
The days, weeks, months, and seasons of this year are going to come and go like they always do; you can either look back at them, wonder where the time went, and wish you would have started college this year, or you can look ahead and know that by this time next year, you will have several college courses completed toward your degree. Either way, you know it’s time to go back to college.
From 8 Reasons to Go Back to College as an Adult to How to Choose an Online Degree Program to Tips to Balance Work, Family, and Going Back to School, Averett University Graduate & Professional Studies is here to help you succeed in both your professional life and your academic life (which, when combined, will help to make your personal life everything you had hoped and dreamed). You may also like How to Deal With a Bad Boss or 9 Habits of Highly-Organized People.
Next, we’ll cover three more signals for “You Know It’s Time to Go Back to College When…”. Until next time, explore our online degree programs ~ all specifically designed for the busy lifestyles of adults.
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