Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive Dissonance is the concept in which there are two thought pattens that do not coincide and yet one is working to replace a dysfunctional one with a more functional one. Such as a juvenile offender moving towards a life without crime: there is a dissonance between the thoughts he once had and the ones he needs to have to reform.

So I'm experiencing that. I have 12 days left and once again my college/university days will be behind me. I'm ambivalent. But I'm also having a bit of trouble figuring out why people talk as if getting a Masters is sort of an exclusive club. I understand that it takes work to achieve this level of education, but really, they talk about it as if it's like the honor roll. I've never been smart enough or able enough to actually be listed on any sort of honor roll!

Grad School (let's specify my Masters), my Master's Program, felt easier than college. If you look at my grades, you would agree with me. I graduated college with a 2.89GPA and as it sits, one semester shy of completion, my Masters GPA is 3.12 (I am expecting two A's, one C+, and a B I think this semester so it should go up a bit). And to boot, I have also achieved the Dean's List one semester. How does that happen? I hardly seemed to break a sweat most semesters (we'll all not count Fall Semester 2009...we're just thankful that is over) and I actually did ALL my reading except the reserves for Systematic Theology 1 and 3. I also read at least one extra book (one not counted in anyway for my Masters), generally speaking a novel but some non-fictions, a semester for the past three or four terms (I read two this semester: Screwtape Letters and The Count of Monte Cristo).

Its not to say that I'm not proud of myself or anything like that but many of my fb-friends have expressed how proud of me they are and although I'm extremely grateful to have friends that encourage the crap out of me (thanks Denae, you were probably the one that got me through that Fall Semester...remember the 12 papers, 12 reading assignments, 1 presentation, 3 -or 4- exams, one final project, and 30 days to do it?) I'm just not sure all the pomp-and-circumstance is not overkill. I just want to say, it didn't take that much work. I, for the first time in my life, not only breezed through school, I also thoroughly enjoyed it and don't want it to stop.

So for all of my wonderful cheerleaders out there: THANK YOU SO MUCH!! In 12 days, I graduate and my free advice stops. (Sorry, my prof told me that was a liability.)