educational tough love

It's official. I am a Penn State University Continuing Education student.

I've enrolled in my first course towards a Web Graphic Design Certification - Design Principles, ART 5126, to be exact.

I couldn't be happier than a pig in poop.

I decided to go this route after concluding a 3 week-long research project looking for graduate programs that catered to the working career woman (that's me...or the image I try to uphold, anyway), offering night or weekend classes, within the realm of Web Development/Graphic Design. To my dismay, this concept does not exist. Every program I found within the Philadelphia area involved full-time, day classes that would consequently mean I'd have to leave the working world until I completed my degree - and, having the financial obligations I have, this is just not a realistic option.

But how can this be?

What does this say to those of us who have such financial responsibilities with no choice but remain in the workforce, while attempting to further our education? Is this supposed to be telling us we should have made the right decision the first time around? That, as a high school senior, we were supposed to know exactly what we were going to be doing for the rest of our career-driven lives? And, since we missed the opportunity to continue our education while our parents were footin' the bill....well, tough luck? I don't get it.

So my only option seems to be to move forward in the direction that is given to me, which is a certificate program offered by means of evening classes. Who knows? Maybe this certificate can act as a stepping stone to other possible education opportunities, career advancements, or even career changes. Baby steps, I guess. Baby steps.