Okay, it's 11:05 PM. That's early for me, but I've been wrangling a team paper all night, I went to bed after 3 AM last night, and I haven't had dinner. I'm tired and my eyes hurt, and that darn paper is 1000 words too long. The heck with it. It will just have to be too long, then. Two more nights and this school stuff is over!
Of course, it won't really be over. There will be the graduation ceremony in March, and the review course everyone says one must take to have a decent chance of passing the CPA exam. There will be all the studying I'll do on my own, including a CPA review book I bought months ago. And even when I pass the exam, I won't be done. There are additional courses and seminars to take to keep up my certification, and periodicals accountants subscribe to, and maybe even a Master's degree or some specialized certification in my future. For an accountant, those University of Phoenix buzz words "lifelong learning" aren't just a good idea. They represent something I will have to do, not just on my own, but formally and on a regular basis.
I don't mind this, really. I like learning stuff, especially on a subject that interests me. Theoretically, that includes accounting. What worries me is that I'm about to go out into the "real world" and play accountant. I don't feel at all ready for this. All my years as a bookkeeper, plus a bunch of As, a B+ and a B in 27 months at University of Phoenix, only give me the basics. Five or ten weeks of writing down auditing procedures don't qualify me to actually perform them, do they? No, not really. I think all this degree does is give me
1) a better version of the piece of paper I failed to get in 1979,
2) enough accounting principles to have a 16% chance of passing the CPA exam,
3) a foot in the door working for a "real" accountant as a sort-of apprentice, and
4) the prerequisites for grad school. And oh, yeah,
5) huge student loans to pay off.
Oh, I'll get through it all. But I've gotta tell ya, I'm more than a little nervous these days. Truth to tell, I haven't been doing a fabulous job at work recently. I've got to clean up my mess there before I can move on. Am I ready for something better? Do I deserve something better?
I don't know, but ready or not, my future fast approaches.
Karen
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5 comments:
Look out world, here comes Karen. LOL You'll do great.
Well just you take it easy and not overdo things. I am sure you will do really well.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/Family
Boy oh boy could I tell you a story about the CPA review course! Its kind of funny and very disturbing at the same time. If it had happened to me I'f definitely write about it! Good luck. I really miss school, rather the learning environment. The thrill of discovery.
Congratulations on finishing! I abondoned college in 1998 and have great respect for someone that sticks with it and finishes! Student loans and more college in the future or no, you at least have all this past you :) I say YES you deserve something better :) Jeff
Woo Hoo! Again, congrats!
V
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