~ 12/6/2024: Another one! I am not sure why I never posted this one as I do feel like the timeline and journey to obtaining my graduate degree was a huge part of my late 20's. Please enjoy another from my Graveyard of Drafts Series. This one was from October 2023, with some updates as of December 2024 sprinkled in. Enjoy! ~
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Hello friends! I thought I would give a bit of a life update as so much has happened since COVID, and of course life continues on.
There have been so many changes that have occurred since my last school update/post. Since my last update I have:
- Been promoted...twice now!
- Applied, went back, and GRADUATED from Grad School.
- Went through a breakup, lived my best single life, and have happily found a new beau.
- Moved out... then moved back home.
- Got another in-house promotion!
Lots to go over, so let's dive in!
I almost don't know where to start, but I will say this...Imposter Syndrome absolutely sucks. Looking back at my original post-grad life blog from 2018, it is so funny how life tends to just work itself out and I honestly wish I looked back on that blog post more, especially during those trying times where I started to doubt myself. It still stands true... It's okay to be scared, but always remember that everything will be okay. I feel like I always have to remind myself of these words because it is so easy to start doubting yourself and your capabilities. We are all just trying to get through the day sometimes! With that being said, let's start off with my Grad School experience!
Why I chose to go back to school
Getting into Grad School
A year into working at my company, I was eligible to apply for the University Partnership Program. There were other options that they offered as well, such as a tuition assistance program, where they would assist in paying out tuition and other expenses at a college/university of your choosing. I opted to not do that program because I would have to put forth the money myself, then my company would reimburse me. I, at the time, could not afford to do so and had bills to pay already! So, the University Partnership Program just made more sense. They would pay out at a capped amount every year and as long as you stayed under that amount and kept up the grades, they would pay for your tuition. I believe there was only one year where I had to pay some additional monies due to me going over the credit limit for that year, which was subtracted from one of my paychecks. The company had a few Universities that they worked with, and I applied to Rosemont College because of their Healthcare Administration program. I also did not need to take the GRE to apply, which I loved!
Grad School Experience
I could have written a book with the sheer number of papers I had to do weekly! My program was completely virtual/online, which I loved as I was working full-time, and I was able to work around my schedule. Because the program was very niche in the Healthcare Administration realm, a lot of the classes later down the road felt like repeats of the ones I had already taken. I also opted to do the certificate in Leadership Studies as well! The classes were not too difficult, but it was a lot of time and dedication to writing numerous papers weekly, and because of each of the courses being accelerated, time was of the essence. All-in-all it was a great program because I really got to cater it around my needs as it was completely virtual, even before the pandemic.
Post Grad Life
I am happy to say that I am still with the same company I was with, just promoted to a different department. Because they invested in me, and because I love the company culture as well as the connections I've made here, I decided to stay with them. I was living on my own in Northeast Philly for a bit but of course, as we know, COVID hit, and it felt like a waste of money, so I opted to move back home. The untimely passing of my dear Yeay, my grandmother, was also a catalyst in this decision. I was calling, texting, facetiming my family every day and they eventually just told me to pack my bags and come on home lol. I went through a breakup, but I also found my cat Tuna during that time, and he honestly helped me through it. I love my cat so much and don't know what I would do without him! I went a year being single, dated, and now happy to say that I found my person. I am excited to see what the future holds for me! 
