Thursday, October 9, 2014

Jana: the Unexpected Library Student

Today I'm getting personal. I talk about my grad school experience all the time on my personal book blog, but I'm not sure I've mentioned it here! I just started my second year of my journey to obtaining my master's degree in library and information science, and I can't believe at the end of this semester I'll be halfway done with the program! It was a long road to get here--with a lot of self discovery, but I'm so glad I did it!

Almost two years ago I was working a really horrible job in customer service. I sat on the phones for 8 hours a day helping people with their family history work and interpreting their DNA test results to tell them where they came from. You'd think this would be an enriching experience (I know I was expecting that!), but it was the complete opposite. The clients I worked with were some of the rudest, most verbally abusive people I had ever worked with. I was yelled at, patronized, and even threatened with bodily harm on a daily basis. I was on such a short emotional chain that my self worth turned into what these people thought of me. I was told I was one of the best in the company and had people asking for me all the time, yet I still dealt with some of the meanest people on the planet. Not only that, I heard all kinds of terrible arguments between family members, I was yelled at by banks whose clients did not want to pay for our service even though they signed up for them, and I even overheard a cat be brutally attacked by a dog. I am scarred for life. It has been about a year and a half since I quit, and I still hurt over these things. My health deteriorated. I gained weight, I developed some new health problems, I had to have surgery, and I grew very depressed. Something had to change.

Two Christmases ago, my mom and I were sitting in the living room by the tree discussing my life. I had had another bad day at work and I was crying over my bleak future. I had a bachelor's degree in graphic design, and was dang good, but work prospects were few. So I ended up chained to a desk doing a job that required only a high school education. I felt like my life up to this point had been pointless. My mom was listening and commiserating with me as I vented. I refer to it as my mini nervous breakdown. She suggested maybe I needed to further my education to get an additional degree in something that I could make more of a career out of. We started thinking about what I should choose. Art has always been my life, and I had never pictured doing anything else. I had considered education before, bu decided I did not want to go to school for it. Then we thought about my blog and my love of books, and my mom thought library school. It clicked. I got very excited and immediately started investigating schools. I wanted to quit my job, but felt like I needed to stay and raise money for school. Three months later, I got the worst call I've ever had. I hung up and ran off the call floor in tears. I submitted my two week's notice a few days later, and got so sick to my stomach that I ended up being home in bed for the entire two weeks. But a weight had been lifted.

I began applying for schools, but was worried I had not made enough money to afford the program. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I was accepted into my number one choice, AND found out I had just enough money to afford it without having to work. What a blessing! I started the program in August of 2013, and while it's a ton of work, I feel like I am finally doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm still healing from some of the health problems that job brought on, but I have also received some diagnoses and am on some natural remedies that are helping me a lot. I'm happier than I've been in a long time. I also have a cumulative 4.0 in the program right now, which means I have received the highest possible grade in each class I've taken. I'm focusing on children's and young adult services, and hope to be a teen librarian one day. I am still so thankful my mom helped me figure out how to change my life. I'm actually excited about my future now. :)

So, tell me! Have you ever made a huge life-changing decision? Have you ended up in a different place than you pictured yourself ending up in? I know I never expected grad school, but this is the best decision I've ever made.

12 comments:

  1. I understand! I thought that I had finished with university 15 years ago, and here I am, back again. I have worked as a physical therapist for the past 15 years, and I was the person who always said that I was so glad not to be in school any more. And yet a month ago, I moved half-way across the country to start seminary. If all goes well, in 3 years or so, I will be ordained as a minister. Lots of reading to do for school, but not as much time for recreational reading any more.

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  2. I went to library school right after college and finished in 2010. I just started my first full-time librarian job and love it. Good luck with the second half of your studies!

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  3. Though I was a good student I disliked school and wouldn't even consider going on to college. Then years later after dabbling with college classes for years, working as an aide in special ed classes I decided I wanted to be a teacher, quit my job, went to school full time and in 2 years I made it. No one was more surprised by my decision to become a teacher, considering how I felt about school, than I was. But it was a good decision and I loved my years teaching. I get a kick out of old students finding me on Facebook and seeing how they've grown up.

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  4. Congratulations, and welcome to the profession! We still have good and bad days, but overall it's wonderful to know what an impact we can have on our teens every day!

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  5. I am so sorry you had such an awful experience at your previous job. No one should have to deal with being screamed at by strangers on a daily basis. But congrats on getting into your top choice school! That is so awesome!

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  6. Jana, I'm sorry you had such a rough time of it! But I'm so glad you've discovered a field you can really love, and had the courage to pursue that dream. I wish you the best as you finish your degree, and hope you find a position that truly brings you joy!

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  7. I quit a very well-paying job in my chosen profession due to extreme emotional, mental, and physical stress. I took a huge paycut when I left. That was almost exactly 20 years ago and I've been working in a (very different) job for the past 13 years. I've NEVER regretted leaving. Not for a single second. Good for you for taking the leap and doing what you need to do to keep yourself healthy and safe!

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  8. Congrats on your 4.0! That's a great accomplishment! I'm sorry you've been through such a terrible ordeal, but glad to see you're moving forward and wish you the best as a librarian! Thank you for sharing your story.

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  9. I worked in libraries for 5 years. I loved my job, but never could move up even though I applied to several higher up positions. I know this isn't the case for everyone since many of my coworkers were able to get promoted, but it was still disappointing. Then a friend of mine was promoted within an organization that promotes leadership for girls and her position was open. Since my daughter is part of this organization, I was familiar with it already and decided to apply. I never thought I'd get the job, but I did! I've been there a little more than 2 months and I really look forward to it everyday. It is nothing like my old job, but that's probably a good thing.

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  10. Wow, that job sounds absolutely horrible, and I am so, so, so glad you are moving forward and far away from that wretchedness.

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  11. I'm so glad to hear you're in grad school. As a fellow book lover and recent college graduate with no job prospects, it's good to hear that life turns out. It sucks when what you're good at requires a ton of schooling.

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  12. Kudos to you for taking the leap and choosing to do something that you love! I'm currently working in the customer service field too and yes, I've had some pretty rough days but nothing as extreme as that.

    So glad to hear that you are back in school learning awesome stuff! Hope you continue to find joy in your work! :)

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