
A sign that you should slow down, or “stop and consider!” A street sign on West 77th street, Photo Credit: Elliot Blake Hueske.
As a second-semester senior studying psychology and philosophy, I have found myself frequently considering post-graduate options of graduate school as opposed to work. Both disciplines that I am currently studying might seem to be oriented towards careers in academia, research, or other specialized fields that require graduate degrees. For example, psychology students often pursue empirical research in labs or become clinical therapists to help others. Philosophy students might be interested in working towards a PhD with the hopes of perhaps becoming a professor. Yet all of these potential routes have seemed too restrictive for me at this point in my life. I have been conscious of the fact that committing to a graduate program often does not lend itself to multidisciplinary approaches which is an essential facet of my personal and academic life. I have been hesitant to seek graduate programs as I was anxious that obtaining an advanced degree in one area might entail dedicating myself to that particular field for the rest of my professional life. While this is not always the case, the uncertainty and indecision surrounding it is entirely justified. Some people already know that they must attend graduate school to fulfill their professional vision, for example, a career in law or medicine. Yet many of us are still unsure. Furthermore, graduate school might feel like the straightforward choice: continue with higher education because it has worked for you so far. Yet there might be another voice encouraging you to try something new, to challenge yourself, to grow. Continue reading