To leave or to stay?
After three months of remote school, an unhealthy number of hours on Zoom, and an announcement of another virtual semester in the spring, I have unofficially decided to take an indefinite leave of absence from my graduate school program.
The decision was certainly not easy, and I’m still in the middle of unpacking a full bag of emotions. In classic decision making fashion, I made a pro x con matrix that I will revisit when life inevitably gets difficult during this gap year.
What will I do during this gap?
The world is my oyster. Some considerations for my time “off” include:
- 🦠 Use my healthcare background to work on helping our world recover from the short and long term effects of COVID-19
- 🔮 Partner up with fellow cohort mates who are taking a leave to explore opportunities and/or start something together
- 📚 Level up on skills that I’m interested in — data viz, coding, website design, and more
- 🏫 Conduct research with a professor in preparation for my graduate school thesis
- 🧳 (once it’s safe) Go abroad for a few months to get inspiration and immerse in a new culture
- 🏔 Train for Everest Base Camp (!?!)
How will I evaluate personal happiness and growth?
Twelve months is both long and short. I’ve jotted down a list of decision-making criteria that I will evaluate and re-evaluate periodically to ensure progress and growth.
- How are you feeling?
- Are you upskilling or learning?
- How often are you away from your screen?
- Are you creating something new or different?
- How often are you reflecting on what you have created?
As I try to do in the midst of most big life decisions, I am choosing to remain positive, sticking to my gut, and drinking copious amounts of 🍷. In all seriousness, the conversations I’ve had with peers, professors, mentors, and friends have been enlightening and shown me that I have an incredible support group cheering me on regardless of the decision.
And everything will be okay.
Goodnight,
P
