Going back to school?
Being childless and what you might charitably call free-spirited, or less charitably call self indulgent, I’ve nipped around various careers as I mentioned in my last blog. Often the interesting places, career wise, end up being pretty tumultuous places too. Either low pay or low job security or both. I seem to have amassed a whole bunch of skills, climbed to managerial level in a few diciplins, and yet I find that once again my chosen industry is collapsing around me and I prepare for the big metaphysical shrug and sigh and working out what to do next.
Really though? No, not this time. It’s just not a dance I feel like doing. I’m of the view that I’d like to properly settle down and dig myself into a good career that can make use of my skills in some area I find interesting. I’m pretty sure that’s something to do with International development/relations/politics relating to China. I don’t kid myself though, I don’t really have those skills to walk into some job. Hah, I want to work in some area I don’t really know that much about? I must be bonkers!
There is a sort of method to the madness though… I’ve banged on at some length about the difficulties I’m finding with pursuing Chinese as someone who works on a part-time, self-learning basis sort of thing…. the solution was always something like University. Well, there’s just not many other options. I had set myself up for a pretty gruelling couple of years enrolling in the TAFE part-time course at RMIT in addition to working full time. The only reason I’d subject myself to that is if really did need that nice full time high paying job. The thing is, I don’t think I do…
The ducks have sort of lined up pretty quickly. Work stuff is coming to a head to the point I’m not sure there’s a job for me and quite frankly I’m tired of feeling like that’s somehow my fault, which is a familiar frustrating feeling having been here before. Financially we’re okay, personally I mean. I can afford to pack it in and go to Uni. I mean, it would mean cutting back. A lot. Not many people are this lucky though and I’m pretty confident of my ability to pull in some wonga too, a happy side effect of being that jack-of-all-trades. As for course fees, they’re pretty cheap. I made significantly more share trading last year than what a degree course costs.
These ducks, though, couldn’t they have lined up a bit sooner? It’s now the 25th of goddamn November and a couple of days ago I had NO idea how the hell you apply and I can tell you I’m still not that sure. Australian University web sites, and the VTAC system etc, are what you might call… eccentric in usability terms. All sorts of deadlines have slipped by already but I think it’s still doable. Not at the Uni I’d really like to go to, but thems the breaks. Three or four years of learning very cool stuff, some overseas placement work, nice varied getting about to campus, doing some odd jobs for wonga, and studying out in the back yard with the parrots to keep me company. I reckon I’m mentally prepared for that, no not just that. I’m positively looking forward to it.
38 years old and student scum again. It’s going to be weird. Just as well I like weird eh?
