The Smartest Stupid Thing That I've Ever Done

If you follow Malnurtured Snay's blog, you know that he is about to graduate from Towson University with an English degree. In fact, he'll be celebrating this accomplishment by attending graduation commando with his tassel tied in a most inappropriate manner. When the dean hands him the diploma on stage, I suggest that he make the sheepskin exchange a quid pro quo proposition, to liven things up.

Regardless, Snay's situation takes me back to 1997 when I was a drunken, chemistry major at TU (back, then it used to be called Towson State). Almost 10 years ago to the week, I was a senior who was about to graduate. I had all all the general university requirements fulfilled and no final exam bore enough weight to flunk me. My only outstanding obligation for graduation, was the completion of a 2 credit independent research class, in which I was enrolled. In fact, I'd done the lab work, which consisted of some type on organic synthesis that escapes me. All I had to do was write the lab report, submit it, and my ticket was punched. The professor was supercool and he liked me, so I probably could have written it in crayon on maxipads and graduated.

I had several acquaintances that had graduated and were out in the "real world". When I contacted them for job leads, I kept hearing the same story: "All I can find is laboratory technician jobs through temporary services--poor pay and no benefits. My 6 month grace period is over, so student loans are killing me." Even though I had "real world" lab experience, I found the same was true. So much so, that I had my temp job lined up for June 1. The idea was that I'd graduate, take a week off, and report to temp hell.

With over 140 credits and only 2 credits away from a BS in chemistry, I pulled the plug. I took all my finals, but never turned in that lab report. The professor gave me an extension and I agreed to it, but I had no intention of doing it. In fact, the day of last final was the last day I stepped foot on Towson University property. As you might imagine all of my friends and family thought I was entirely insane. I had to patiently remind both parents that since they didn't pay for college, they had no right to bitch. I must have heard the word dumbfuck a thousand times that month. Considering that I had $20,000 in student loan debt, no degree, and only an $12/hour lab-flunky job going for me, they might have had a point. Instead, I told myself I knew what I was doing and ignored them--the way I always do.

What I knew was that once I had a bachelor's degree, I couldn't get any loans for a more lucrative degree. In other words, I'd have been stuck living check to check for years, praying to get a job with benefits. However, with no degree I could continue to receive federally subsidized loans. Thus, I hung around Baltimore for the rest of the summer and partied like a god. Once it got cold, I went to my father's hometown in the Midwest and worked for a year, while scoping out the local universities. Finally, I enrolled and completed an engineering degree and I finally finished the chemistry degree, too.

Although I may have accumulated much more student loan debt, I am making close to double what I'd be making if I'd finished the TU degree. I've paid off most of the aforementioned loans and I am in a field that I love. If I choose to be a temp in this field, it's called contracting and it pays well. The bottom line is that quitting Towson University was the smartest thing that I've ever done.

(That's not to say that M. Snay should consider anything of the sort. In fact, if he does, I'll break my long standing Blogger Happy Hour avoidance policy and administer some tough love via tire iron.)