For six years I've had this blog and turned to it when I needed to vent, but since I started college, my need to vent has significantly decreased. Or maybe I was just more egotistical and self-righteous in high school in thinking that people really cared to read what I was thinking. Whatever the reason for the dwindling number of posts, it's nice to know that when the time comes, I can come back and lay it all out there. Which is exactly what I plan on doing right now.
You know, I never actually wrote a blog after graduation. It's been over 18 months since I sat down to write, and I'm looking forward to putting the metaphorical pen to paper and airing how I've been feeling.
Maybe I never wrote about graduation because at the time I was so excited to be done with college. Or maybe it was because writing has fallen by the wayside in my life. Whatever the reason, I'll spend some time and rehash how it felt and where I'm at now, some 20 months later.
I'd say that in the grand scheme of college, graduation day ranks near the top in the "portrayed totally different than how it actually goes." The part where you have a speaker who awakens a fire in your belly and tells you to go forth and set the world on fire? We didn't have that. Our speaker was one of the guys who created the internet, which at face value sounds like just about one of the coolest accomplishments of the last hundred years, but in reality this guy droned on with a monotonous speech that could've come from any "Public Speaking for Dummies" book. Oh and also, the part where 30,000+ students toss their caps in unison? That doesn't happen either. I don't think I could get my family to all smile for a picture together, so how could we expect 30,000 loosely affiliated classmates to spring from their chairs simultaneously and triumphantly toss their caps?
My main point is this, beyond graduation signalling the end of your college career, it really isn't significant. It serves as a line of demarcation between student and grown up, with "grown up" being a loosely defined idea.
After graduation it was nice to have 2 months to relax before starting work. I got to travel to London & Ireland with Ally and so many other close friends. Those ten days were some of the best days of my life. I don't know what it was exactly that I liked so much about London and Ireland, but life there seemed so much more full. It's hard to compare the different cities we visited, but each one of them had their own pace and unique soul. If I had my way, I'd be spending at least 1 year of my life living and working full-time in Europe.
But as relaxing as those two months off were, the first four months of my new job were terrifying. I was okay with getting up early, taking the bus, and even putting in the 40 hours a week. What gave me anxiety was how little there was to do those first four months. I felt like I had been hired into a career with little to no prospects. Thankfully work has picked up since then and almost everyone in the office is loaded with work.
I really wouldn't have survived my first year with GT if it wasn't for my coworkers. I never expected it, but my coworkers are absolutely incredible. The people in the Pittsburgh office make life at GT bearable. They make coming into the office a worthwhile endeavor no matter how frustrating the commute can be. In a little over 18 months with the company, I've made lasting relationships with some truly good people. I think the most surprising part of the office camaraderie is everyone's willingness to buy into office-wide parties and events. From GT softball to decorating our office for the holidays, people take this shit seriously, and it feels good knowing the little things mean a lot to everyone. (Like staying in the office til 8 pm trying to make your desk look like a snow globe.)
Outside the Pittsburgh office, I've yet to find someone at GT that I didn't like working with. I've probably been on engagements with 15-20 other GT resources from all across the country, and the one thing I continually notice is that everyone is willing to help. Maybe I'm drawing from a small sample size, but the interactions I've had with associates, managers, and even partners have been overwhelmingly positive. From driving to D.C. & Baltimore with Brian, to 4 months in Indianapolis with Boyd, to 6 months in Indianapolis with Jake & Paul, I really have nothing to complain about. Life at GT is good. The pay and benefits are great, but the people are far and away what makes work worth it.
Aside from the normal work week, I spent 12 months studying for the CPA Exam. When I graduated, I had little to no interest in taking the exam. I wasn't even sure I had the credits to do so. Thanks to some urging from Pap & others close to me and financing from Mr. Faust, I decided I'd try to take the exam. I can honestly say that the exam humbled me in a way I've never experienced before. I went into the first exam feeling overly confident and left feeling like I got punched in the gut by a bunch of auditing standards. Thankfully, I did better than I thought, and luckily the last three exams followed the same path.
Me before the test: "I'm ready for this. I know as much as I could possibly know."
Me during the test: "Well maybe only knowing half isn't that bad."
Me after the test: "Yup I'm gonna have to pay another $250 to retake that bullshit test."
Me when the scores come out: "HOLY SHIT! Everyone else must've been really dumb!"
On a more serious note, I think that passing the exam is likely my most proud academic accomplishment. Graduating with a high GPA looks cool on a resume, but passing a standardized test on the first go-round when very few people do is a neat feeling. Beyond scoring well on the tests and passing the exam, the part that makes me most proud is how disciplined I had to be to get it done. Traveling to Indianapolis & Wilmington every week for 8 months meant that after when I got back to the hotel after work at 6:30 or 7, I had to eat dinner and study until I went to bed. I gave up a lot of weekends to studying, but now that it's behind me it's easy to say it was worth it. (If the outcome was different, I might not reflect on it so positively.)
So, more or less, that's where I'm at in my life. I'm 18 months into a job that I initially was very skeptical about, I've passed the CPA exam (still need 25 credits to be licensed, though), and I've got the rest of my life to look forward to. I think the next exam I'm going to prepare for it the GMAT or GRE. I've got all this free time after work now, I need something to fill the void in my life.
I want to get an MBA, I'm just having a hard time deciding where I'd like to go to get it. There are about ten schools that offer full-rides to 15% of the MBA students they accept, so realistically chances are small of being one of those 15%, but it seems like one of the best options. There are other schools that offer discounted tuition to members of Beta Gamma Sigma, which is another option. Beyond those two options, you can either go for a regional school with a decent program (RMU or Duquesne) or go for broke (literally) at one of the expensive "renowned" schools.
The good thing is that I'm in no rush. I'm content with my job, and I have the rest of my life to get more degrees. I'm not sure where my career path is headed, but there are plenty of things that peak my interest currently.
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