This hits close to home. But hey, don’t beat yourself up for dropping out the first time around. I had some very serious life stuff come up while I was in grad school. I don’t recall quitting was an option I considered, but I wish I would’ve. Instead, I graduated from a program I was not fully present for, with a collection of work I’m not that proud of, and a lot of missed opportunities to collaborate and network. By the time I hit the job market I was not done processing my personal trauma (like my brother’s suicide and a breakup with my partner, or the PTSD diagnosis I had received right before those events for a whole other set of things). I had no idea what I needed, so I just kept doing what I thought I was supposed to do. But knowing when to walk away or take a break is just as important as knowing when to keep working. Maybe drop outs know more than they get credit for.
This hits close to home. But hey, don’t beat yourself up for dropping out the first time around. I had some very serious life stuff come up while I was in grad school. I don’t recall quitting was an option I considered, but I wish I would’ve. Instead, I graduated from a program I was not fully present for, with a collection of work I’m not that proud of, and a lot of missed opportunities to collaborate and network. By the time I hit the job market I was not done processing my personal trauma (like my brother’s suicide and a breakup with my partner, or the PTSD diagnosis I had received right before those events for a whole other set of things). I had no idea what I needed, so I just kept doing what I thought I was supposed to do. But knowing when to walk away or take a break is just as important as knowing when to keep working. Maybe drop outs know more than they get credit for.
Loved reading this take!