Invest It Wisely

Maximizing your EV in life

Weekend Reading: Brrrrrrr! Edition

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So last Tuesday I had my test (I don’t know why I said it was on Monday on my last weekend reading), and I’m not sure how I did because I felt like I had to wing it at least half of my way through. When you need to start winging it, that’s not a good sign. It’s also not a good sign when another student storms out in the first half hour — presumably because the test was too difficult for him. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, or because I’m taking a language course and I’ve always found languages to be a more difficult subject, but I feel that school is getting more difficult. I used to get away with not even studying for many of my courses, and I used to be able to handle full-time school with another 25 hrs of work… but not anymore!

I also get the same feeling when I look at problems in the GMAT. Some of the math problems make me go “wtf?”. Once you know/remember how to solve the problem then it’s not so bad, but it makes me feel ashamed when I screw up stuff that high-school kids could probably fly through!

Have any of you decided to continue taking courses part-time or full-time? Am I getting older, or perhaps the work life has softened me up? Work is a challenge, and work can be mentally exhausting, but unlike school where you’re constantly restarting every semester, you can get adapted to your job and you can get very comfortable and competent. Oh, sure, you have deadlines, you have customers, and you have bosses pushing you, but at the same time, you get paid for it, and at the same time, your entire career doesn’t usually hang on the balance of how you happen to perform during a couple of hours on a Saturday morning, during a final exam!

At the same time, I still like the challenge and I still like learning new things. My brain will hurt at the end of the day, but it feels good when I can actually put what I’ve learned into practice. I’d love to hear your thoughts. 🙂

P.S. In case you guys missed it this week, I was interviewed at Money Cactus: Wealth Creation Online: Invest it Wisely Interview. Check it out!

Weekend Reading

Have a great weekend everyone, and I look forward to the first snowfalls coming soon. 🙂
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Comments

  1. Believe me, life is about living in pressure. You can only be mentally tough by accepting it. Take problems for granted, wait for a problem and then tackle.

    Thanks for finding my write worth mentioning.

    • That is a great point. In a way I understand why many older people never actually end up going back to school. One good benefit for me is if I do a Master’s, I’ll have stayed somewhat in that mode so it won’t be as big of an adjustment.

  2. That’s a really interesting point by @SB.
    Last year, I finished graduate school, but I’ve been through with coursework for several years. Honestly, being a self-directed learner rather than having coursework is a whole another beast. I generally found the didactic part of the curriculum, and the tests, to be a lot more comfortable than an anything goes oral or written (or both) exam personally. You may get to learn on your own terms but are also accountable for seemingly everything (not really, but it certainly sometimes feels that way). I think it is good that you are keeping up with the process. Thank you for including me in your round-up! Cheers.

    • Congrats on finishing graduate school! That will be my next step. In my current classes I have a bit of both. The exams test you on what you learned in class (or what was covered in material), while the oral exam is more of a anything-goes sort of thing, so long as it doesn’t supersede what we’ve learned in class.

      For me the tough part is that languages have always been a little tougher for me, so I need to take extra time to really ensure I understand the material. One of these courses is like 2 normal courses. 😉

  3. I’m working full-time at an office job and taking a full load of graduate courses online. It wouldn’t be possible to attend classes if I had to be on location, but I can study the evenings away in my pajamas this way. Yes, it’s busy! But I took 18-22 credits per term as an undergraduate, including hours of rehearsal and performances (theatre/music student), so I feel like the weekly combination of 40 hours of work and 10 hours of commute, along with 10 graduate course credits, is manageable. I think when I start interning (beginning as soon as I’m eligible next summer, I hope) I’ll have to cut back on the classes a little bit.

    It’s challenging to learn new things. I like that, as long as I have a hand in deciding what I’m learning. As you note, one can get accustomed to the workplace: after a while you know just what to do. When I’ve gotten to that state in the past, I’ve cross-trained and moved to another set of responsibilities at the same company, so I think that has helped align me with the changing subjects of each semester. Being able to know a subject well enough to train new hires (or your successor) is a key signal of mastery. When I train others, I learn more about the subject than I could just by doing the work myself, or at the very least, I realize that over time I’ve internalized information or best practices that can be modeled as tips for the trainees.

    • Online learning is great! I find the classes can get tough when you travel there straight after work and haven’t had the chance to eat or rest. We’re not there yet, but I think online will play an increasingly major role in education in the future.

      I also agree in having a hand in deciding what to learn. That’s great that you have been able to move around responsibilities at the company. If it’s something you’re interested in, then it’s a double win. I’ve read somewhere that “teaching is mastering”, and once you’re able to fully digest the material and train new people, then you can be said to be an expert.

      Thanks for the great comment!

  4. Thanks for the mention Kevin!

    Yeah, I’m finding school tough…at 38. Finishing off another undergrad in Health Administration. I used to love school. I love to learn, but on my own topic, time and agenda.

    I’m toying with completing an MBA in another years but with two degrees, and about 10 years of management experience by then, I wonder if I’ll need it?

    • I’m already considered a geezer by my peers and I’m not even into the 30s yet. Kudos to you for sticking it through at 38!

      I’m also considering the MBA, if for nothing else but the challenge and completing a master’s. I don’t really know if I will need it, but I have a straightforward path to go for it, so… it would be something else to strive for!

  6. I have been taking courses part time while working full time for a number of years now. I enjoy the courses to some degree and I do learn some interesting stuff but I also get tired and unmotivated. I try to remind myself that I am investing in my future and that usually works. I just keep the big picture in mind.

    I think you can do whatever you put your mind to and it you stay stubborn enough and don’t give up then eventually you will reach your goal.

    • I need to also do the same, especially when it’s midterm or final crunch time and I am questioning why I am putting myself through this. 😉

      In this case, being a bit stubborn is definitely a good trait to see things through to the end.

  7. It seems to be warming up again! I hope your test results come back in your favor. Maybe that challenge of school is a good thing.

    Thanks for linking to me.