For some, grad school has the mystique of summer sleep-away camp: Your friends who have gone have loved it, but you're scared it's too expensive or that you'll feel homesick. Why can't the universe make these life decisions for you? Well maybe it already has.
Here are 15 signs that the universe might be sending to tell you to go to grad school.
1. You Just Found Out Your Brilliant iPhone App Idea Already Exists.
Silicon Valley would have been yours!
2. You're Being Stalked By "University of Phoenix, Online" Ads.
Run! They're following you!
3. Your Last Job Interview Accidentally Morphed Into An Impromptu Therapy Session.
You didn't get the gig, but you got a lot off your chest.
4. People Keep Sending You Articles About "Peter Pan Syndrome."
You're not immature, you're just filled with childlike wonder.
5. You Keep Trying To Engage Your Barista About The Sociological Implications Of The Internet Café ...
... but all he serves you is over-caffeinated hostility.
6. All The Jobs You Want Are "Master's-Degree Preferred."
You're like:
Four years of higher education ain't anything to sneeze at, thanks.
7. Or If You Actually Have A Job, The Work Is Totally Mindless.
So it's not even that satisfying when you do well.
8. You Have A Lot Of Pent-Up Creative Energy, And It's Coming Out In Weird Ways.
And your roommate's kind of starting to worry.
9. You've Even Started Doing Your Nephew's Math Homework, Just To Feel Alive.
10. Your Old Student ID Finally Stopped Working.
You grew out your beard, and now you can’t get away with using that old ID for discounts at the movies, museums or the Apple store.
11. Your Parents Won't Let You Stall Any Longer.
They kinda want you to move out. Like, now.
And they're officially not being subtle.
12. You Were Going To Run Away And Find Yourself, But Life Got In The Way.
You would have fled to some exotic place where nobody knew your name ...
... but you just never seemed to make it that far. It was either the wrong day to start a trip ...
... or Mother Nature had different plans.
13. You Keep Accidentally Humble-Bragging About Your College Thesis.
A good doctorate program will kick the smug out of ya'.
14. Your Band Just Broke Up.
Everybody's either engaged or has a real job. Your dreams of playing at Lollapalooza have been destroyed by destination weddings and upper-level management gigs.
15. You Have An Unquenchable Thirst For Knowledge And Are Eager To Immerse Yourself In A Thriving Community Where Creativity, Curiosity And Intellectual Flexibility Are Valued Above All Else.
Is it destiny or did we just start your application essay for you? As our favorite motivational speaker once said:
Now go forth and conquer the GRE! And may the odds of scholarship funding be ever in your favor.
