Big Lue Goes to Grad School

You read that right. I start in three weeks so it's too late to talk me out of it. 

This blog wouldn't be called Awe Geez if I didn't elicit that response from my loved ones on regular occasions. All the thoughts you're having now about my previous excursions in educational institutions are still valid and I assure you the points have been thoroughly considered. I hated everything about school the whole way through and I still never want to go back to that place. 
The difference this time is my free will and my interest in the subject matter. See I never had those things before, thereby ensuring that I, in fact, am not headed back to that place. I chose this. No one to blame but me. Rest assured I've done extensive research on the expectations of the program, chatted with students and professors, and then confirmed my suspicions that it's perfect. 

There is a short answer and a long answer to what I'm studying, because the name of it doesn't tell you much. The short answer is that I'll walk out of there in two years with a Masters in Stickin' it to The Man. The longer answer is that it's a degree program designed for people looking to make positive changes within established systems, most notably ones that are ethically unsound or have "unintended" negative outcomes as a result of their efforts. 

It's a solution-based activism school. No picketing or paint-slingin'.
I'll admit that I mulled and toiled, hemmed and hawed, but with overenthusiastic encouragement from Brett, (the kid loves education) I applied, wrote a real knee-slapper of a personal statement, aced the interview, and was accepted to start this summer.

You won't be surprised to hear that I found out about the program through my farm animal advocating efforts.  I have been joy-filled, heart-broken and inspired since finding these organizations and meeting and scheming with the wonderful people within them. I've also been kind of grumpy too because no one ever told me activism is a real thing and I'd have been on this train ages ago. I probably could have skipped that decade of aimlessness. What's more like me than being gentle and kind and then forcing others to behave properly? I mean it. 
I thought "activist" was a hobbyist label like "tarot card reader" or "jigsaw puzzler." I didn't know people made a living making good changes - except for lawyers and politicians but how dull. That highlights my poor education. 

"What about people who run non-profits? Surely you've heard of them?" I have indeed, but I thought they actually made "no profits." I thought the people who kept them up and running were using their retirement money and government assistance. Also they always seem to be based on some icky medical thing that makes me woozy. How am I almost 32 and no one has ever explained that I could be doing good for the animals and still pay my bills? I'm legitimately mad about this. 

Enough about that. The school is in Maine but I can do all of this program online except for one class that I have to do in-person over two weeks. While I'm in it for the animal advocacy side of things, we will also study human rights, environmental ethics, and some other optional goodies like advocacy writing, solutionary education, creative activism, veganism, etc.

My friends have all been very excited for me, which is lovely, but a few folks have said, "Come on Lue, there's no money in activism." They might be right, but lucky for me I've never been money motivated. I'm way more excited about doing something good.