Sharon from Schaumburg With An Appreciation.

I was a returning adult (I am now 31) undergrad student two years ago. After pissing away my twenties (I have since been seven years sober), returning to finish college had been a dream of mine for years, even though I never thought it would be financially feasible. Eventually, I picked myself up by my bootstraps somehow (I hate that idiom, but it serves its purposes from time to time) and was grateful enough to return to college, older and wiser and less willing to piss away my own money, to procure a degree in English. And I did.

I stumbled upon your page during my last year of undergrad, basically because I was looking for some guidance: I wanted to get a PhD in English and teach. I wanted (want) to be just like those professors who seem to be a veritable fountain of knowledge: wise, intellectual, published, cited, well-read, brilliant.

Thank goodness I found your page. As a two-year lurker, I can tell you that what you folks do and are doing, rather selflessly and often without thanks, made a difference in my life. I guess I want to emphasize that even if it's only to me, what you do does matter. I love the level of critical discourse that one finds in academia. I like that I have been taught to think. I like that most of my professors cared enough about their discipline and their students to challenge and engage them. I like that I serendipitously found the right fit for me. I will never forget the college professor who on the verge of retirement, took the time to monitor my senior honors' English thesis (some flava: I got to talk about Don Draper (from Mad Men), John Updike, and John Cheever for 60 pages - gasp! what a dream! I digress.) I will never forget my archaeology professor, who taught me that even things outside of my academic proclivities not only serve vital purpose, but also serve to make me a well-rounded human being. I mean, were it up to me, I would have taken classes in English my entire undergrad career, but I'm glad college forced me to learn about stuff I didn't want to learn. Because it's necessary.

I am glad that you all have unwittingly give me advice: I decided against returning to grad school for an English PhD. Not only does the future for humanities in academia seem rather bleak for the average grad student, but to be honest with myself (finally), I'm probably not talented enough anyway.

I have since found a job in social work, working for a mental health agency. I am able to use what I have learned in college, my own life experiences, to serve as a positive example of recovery to those with extreme mental illness and substance abuse issues. I have a Bachelor's Degree in English for chrissakes! I don't know how I managed to get hired with PTO and full benefits, especially within six months of graduation. I am nothing short of permanently grateful.

I've decided to return to school for an MSW, because living on 30 grand a year won't always be feasible, but I won't ever regret the trajectory my life has taken over the last few years (although many had told me that returning to school for a degree in English in this economy at 30 years old is nothing short of stupidly myopic). Whatever, screw them. I got lucky.

Thanks for all you've done and all you continue to do. I look up to you all and wish you nothing but the best. I will continue to lurk every day.