Don't make me shush you...

As is my standard practice at the outset of each semester, I printed my DARS to determine just how close I am to graduating. Except, I forgot to do it last semester. And the one before that. Hmm... perhaps I should state that is my ideal standard practice.

But I digress.

In addition to my DARS, I ran an unmet audit and read it first. It made my day. Why? Because I only need 30 hours until I graduate. 30 HOURS. That is 10 classes. If I quit my job and did nothing else for two semesters, that would put me graduating in December of this year. However, quitting my job and giving up my life are not options. Therefore, I'm looking at graduating in spring of 2012. When I am 35. That seems so far away but I take comfort in the fact that I could be 35 with a degree, or 35 without a degree. I'll take with a degree.

And all this lead me to the realization that I need to start thinking seriously about grad school. If I stay on task, I will be starting library school the fall of 2012. Which means I need to get busy and decide where I want to go. Of course, the iSchool at University of Washington is my first choice; has been from day one. However, if I continue my career at ASU, I will receive free tuition to the library science program at University of Arizona and be able to complete the program remotely. (And I just realized that at both schools I would be a Wildcat. Coincidence?)

Without a doubt, UofA is a more cost-efficient option. But, oh how I dream of the Pacific Northwest. This yearning led me to research grant and scholarship options. After all, I have a 3.6 GPA...there has to be something out there for me. Not so much. Seems as if the only aid available is to minority, under served, underprivileged populations. So basically because I'm Caucasian with a modest income and no children, I do not qualify for diddly. Yes, this is very opinionated. Yes, I believe that the aforementioned demographic groups should receive aid. But whatever happened to good ole fashioned scholarships for those students who excel in academics?

Maybe I should just apply to both and see what happens. The real point of this post is that grad school is only 2.5 years away. And becoming a full-fledged shusher (a.k.a. librarian) is only 4.5 years away.

And that makes me happy.