Back to school?

I have never been a good student. Most people raise their eyebrows in skepticism when I say this, perhaps because I give off such a nerdy, brainiac, know-it-all air that it's hard to imagine me not being the paragon of academic diligence and excellence. But it's true: while I was never a delinquent student (I got decent grades, was involved in many extracurricular activities, and was liked by most of my teachers), I hated school: doing tedious homework, studying for what I now know to be poorly constructed tests, preparing for graded recitation, writing long papers for subjects I didn't give a hoot about (e.g. Theology), losing sleep cramming for pointlessly overblown projects. I slacked off every chance I got, and never went out of my way to enhance my learning or broaden my intellectual horizons. I couldn't wait to graduate and get a job, and once I did, I enjoyed working more than I ever did studying. I still do.

However, after having escorted Hanks to Beijing and revisiting Peking University, I actually started missing the student life. While I still prefer the liberties and privileges of being a working woman, there's a certain carefree self-absorption that a student is allowed, apart from the load of schoolwork. There's also the fun dynamic among classmates, and time to goof off and act stupid. :p I also started missing my Education MA classes (I had to take 18 units of Educ to get my teaching license), because unlike the major subjects I took in my undergraduate years at Ateneo, I got to put into practice the stuff I learned from my Educ profs.

And then like a sign from above, a few days after my return from Beijing, I received a parcel in the mail from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. I had forgotten I requested for some catalogs from the California-based school on my sister's behalf. As I flipped through the materials they sent, I found myself growing more and more intrigued by the specific courses and comprehensive curricula FIDM offers. Their Merchandise Marketing program especially piques my curiosity, since it seems perfect for my current career path (i.e. helping run our family business). The idea of studying abroad also appeals to me, although when I turned to the page on tuition fees, I almost fainted upon seeing the figures. I know my parents would be willing to invest in my education, especially if it would benefit our business in the long run, but I don't want to be a financial burden to them (as it is I already feel like a spoiled baby sometimes).

As I told Fara and Elyse, I am still turning the idea over in my head and after some time, I'll see if it sticks, and if I am really determined to invest time and effort and my parents' money in furthering my education. For now, I am still content working for the family business... but who knows, in a year or 2, I might be dragging my work-weary 26-year-old butt back to school. ;p