Where I Let You Know My Life Plans (Pt. 2)

February 24, 2016

Where I Let You Know My Life Plans (Pt. 2)

So, about two years ago (UH WHAT?!) I wrote a blog about what I was going to be doing post YAV year and it was titled "Where I Let You Know My Life Plans" (click the title to check out that blog) so naturally, now that some big changes are happening in my life I decided to make this part 2. Mostly because I'm lazy and terrible at making titles...

What are those life plans, you're probably asking yourself. I'm going to tell you, just not quite yet. First, let's take a trip down memory lane so you can better appreciate my life plans part 2.

Second semester of my senior year at Rhodes I had my life pretty well planned out.

Step 1: Graduate

Step 2: Be a YAV for a year

Step 3: Attend Seminary

Step 4: Begin Adult Life (yes, capital A, capital L)

I completed the first two steps, no problems there. But I stalled out on that third step. I've written about it before, but I can't remember where, so I'm gonna rehash all of it.

Step 3 did not happen for a couple of reason. First, I distinctly remember some of my housemates who were applying to seminary started their applications in October/November of my YAV year. I could barely focus on the next five minutes, much less make plans for the next five years, and I was not even close to thinking about leaving New Orleans. Instead of following my original life plan I decided to give New Orleans some more time. Second, by the end of my YAV year I was pretty burned out on living in a structured environment. I was ready to have an income, and at least pretend to be an adult. Also, if I'm being honest, I did not particularly feel called to seminary. By the time summer of 2014 was wrapping up, attending seminary felt like another box to check off. Let me tell you, anytime you are about to get yourself into even more student loan debt, your motivation sure as hell better be more than "I don't know what to do, so I guess I'll do this." And, at the time, that was pretty much my only motivation to look at any kind of masters program (yes, when you attend seminary you get a Masters in Divinity, so it is a masters program ). I tabled seminary, got a couple of jobs in New Orleans and decided to see where things would take me.

And guess what, things took me right back around to seminary. It took about a year, but as I was working at Project Homecoming and for the Presbytery I realized that maybe I really was being called to seminary. I am a pretty stubborn person and my dad has been telling me I was going to work in the church since I was in high school, so I firmly dug my heels in the good 'ol New Orleans soil. Because sometimes you just have to prove a point to your parents. But also, seminary needed to be something I was doing for me, not for others (ish, it's a little more complicated because of the whole God thing, BUT I was not about to go to seminary to fulfill someone's dreams for MY life). Thankfully there were some strategically placed people and conversations this past summer that finally tipped me over the edge.

Here's the pay off for all your patience:

I am attending Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary this fall! I will be pursing their dual degree program, so I will be getting a Masters in Divinity as well as a Masters of Science in Social Work.