Nov
Graduation
Filed Under (Personal) by elusivone on 16-11-2008
In just under a month, I will graduate from The University of Texas at Arlington with my undergraduate degree from the College of Liberal Arts. I chose a degree that many people consider “light”, and although I agree that it is so, especially at UTA, it is a topic I am interested in continuing to pursue as a graduate student. I am just happy that I am finally finishing my Bachelor’s degree, and that I will be more suited to find employment outside my previous career path. No, a BA is never guarantee that a job will be hovering on the horizon, but I will feel more apt to acquire a position, somwhere.
I will be the first of my generation across my family to achieve this, which is another thing to consider in my list of accomplishments. My father is the only one in his family to have not only graduated college, but to have sought and successfully completed both a Master’s and a PhD. The only other person in our family to have completed a degree is my Uncle Russ; however, he is a relation by marriage, which makes my degree even more meaningful to my family.
And now I have a dilemma: should I legally change my name back to my maiden name so that my degree will represent who I am and where I came from, or does it even really matter? Though I have been divorced three years, I decided to keep my ex-husband’s name for two reasons: 1) It was easier, and 2) It is sort of a cool name, from which I feel I garner more attention/remain in people’s memory better. But as I approach graduation, I am not really certain just “who” I really am. I have recently decided that there is a third reason I have not changed my name back: I do not feel my maiden name fits me, and it holds some bad memories (in sixth grade a fellow unpopular student made himself a hair more popular by rhyming my last name with an animal known for its large girth; something I was also representative of).
The decision has not come as yet. And, it is a conversation that will continue to play in my mind for not only the coming weeks, but well into my new life.
I am happy to be graduating, though. It has not been a difficult ride, and UTA is certainly not a very challenging school — at least not for me — but it is a huge accomplishment, regardless.
Now, if anyone knows of a job, let me know.
