Okay. I am not going to let this turn into one of those blogs with an epic space in the middle without an update, so I am at least getting something of significance in here for March because well for readers (the few that there are), Febuary was a rather sad month for SteveRogers.info.
Now seems to be the time of figuring out what happens next and working to achieve those happenings. The MCAT is in less than a month and could very well determine the lives of two of my best pre-college friends (No pressure there buddies). Some friends are awaiting the outcomes of graduate school applications. Others, responses to their resumes and cover letters to see if they will be gainfully employed for the next fiscal year. There are those figuring out if they want to take the year off or go straight to graduate school. Then for the year-off-ers, there is the decision of what to do with that year. For the year-on-ers, the question of where to go to graduate school.
When writing that, I actually realized. I am not in horrible shape necessarily. The 5-Year Master’s thing has pretty much secured my life through the Fall of 2007. Therefore, I suppose, I am one of those who is sort of avoiding the real world for a little time longer (albeit, only a semester, but as long as I don’t fuck up, I am already in a graduate program). Right now, immediate toughest decision is figuring out where I am living next year, and pretty much everyone has to figure that out for themselves in some fashion or another.
The other “future plans” situation bopping around in my head is my career. If you have talked to me in the past month, you have likely heard the about Missouri Teacher Certification in some fashion or another. Coming to GW, it was to find out whether I wanted to have a career in the world of politics or if I would rather be a teacher. Febuary was a month where the latter became more appealing. To exemplify the situation, the other night, someone brought up a Senate race in Montana. I honestly had no clue about anything regarding the race. None at all, and I was a little embarassed. In 2004, I could legitimately tell you within a point the spread for Kerry v. Bush in nearly every state. Admitedly, it is only March, and we are discussing a Senate race in Montana. However, I am not keeping tabs on politics like I did for my first two plus years of college. Could it be because it is a midterm year instead of Presidential? Perhaps. However, if I really love this stuff and want to encompass my life around the Novembers of even numbered years, I think I should be a little more enamoured by Election 2006.
I must admit that the outcome of the Truman Application slapped down the current attractiveness level of a political career. It always sucks to be rejected, and I have been a few times this year. However, I think it was a little spoonful of reality that I am not necessarily one of the best. Within myself, and this is not a practice of humility, I know I am limitted and how I am. While these limitations are not the reason for my not being a Truman Scholar, the rejection was more of an explicit message that made me acknowledge my situation. This, combined with a list of more practical reasons (that I have learned about through my internships and actual interactions with those with politcal staffing jobs), has made me question a political career.
Therefore, I have re-examined the teaching route to some extent. I was supposed to meet with an UMSL advisor over spring break, but the appointment was canceled on me. Therefore, now I have to do things over the phone and by e-mail, which I admitedly need to get on. Anyway…with the teacher route, as hubris as this is, probably the biggest detterant to me is my questioning of “am I just settling for this.” The practical reasons for being a teacher are much better than those for a political staffers, however would I necessarily be fulfilled teaching high schoolers about the three branches of government and Andrew Jackson when ninety percent of them honestly could care less. Then, regarding fulfillment, the question I really need answered is: “what do I want out of politics?” Is my answer vain, noble, or something else. I probably do know, the question is am I okay devoting a life to that answer.
This then shapes what I want to do this summer. Should I bite it and commit to the teacher path. Or should I give it one more go with a political job that I haven’t tried yet. That amongst other things will determine my summer situation. So pretty much answers to long term questions could solve the short term problems. However, how often do 22 year olds have the long term answers?
