The other day the following tweet popped up in my timeline:
It is completely normal to want to drop out of your PhD in order to start a coffee shop/bakery in a northern Ontario town.
— Ph.Demetri (@PhDemetri) February 26, 2020
Right?
It reminded me of the chance I was given to do a PhD, and which I declined. I’d submitted my MA dissertation, which was twice as long as it was supposed to be. However, I think because it was so comprehensive, and included theoretical constructs that had not been used before, instead of penalising me the powers-that-be asked me to enrol for the PhD programme. (I wrote about the dissertation in my book review about the research question.)
The reason I said “No thank you”, after much rumination, was that I’d had enough of studying by then. I enjoyed doing the MA, but it was a lot of work. Also, I was in a job I’d grown out of, and was focused on seeking promotion and buying my own home. It was time to say “goodbye” to academia.
A Minor Harp, by Terry Freedman
Have I ever regretted my decision? No. I have sometimes thought it would be quite nice to be known as Dr Freedman, and admit to thinking about what might have been when one of my colleagues on the Teaching, Pedagogy and Education Association committee is awarded a doctorate or a professorship. However, in that regard I content myself with my stage name of Dr Tel when playing the blues!
I have to say, though, that recently I’ve been thinking about the joys of doing an MA in Eng Lit. But I’m too busy with work, writing and reading for it to be a viable option.
My takeaway from all this is that people should not be afraid to do what they love, and avoid what they love no longer. Not very profound, I know, but it has worked for me!