The up-sides are that I will start with other students and (hopefully) finish in spring of 2010, just three years from now. I\u2019ll also be near Ana, who likewise plans to move to London in the fall. The downside is the sudden crunch on my life here. I had planned to finish my thesis over the fall semester; now it will need to be done in August, just three months from now.<\/p>\n
\nDo I work, work, work, to finish my late papers (3 of them) and write a thesis, while working a lot to save money\/pay off credit card bills over the summer, or do I take it relatively easy, meditate a lot, work a lot to save money still, and prepare for London?<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nArguments for finishing the MA<\/em><\/strong> revolve around the improved job prospects (with certain colleges\/universities where Religious Studies and Philosophy are taught in the same department). I also feel it to be something of an obligation I have to the department, since they have helped fund me; and I think it builds character to finish a difficult (and beneficial) endeavor even when it is clearly not necessary. <\/p>\nThe side of taking it easy seems to have the most to say<\/em><\/strong>. For my own part I\u2019m doubtful I could do it all. Even if it were just the thesis writing, that is a process that usually takes six months; I have three. But three incompletes will each take at least a week, likely more. That cuts off one month. Then there are folks (my parents) who say I should work as much as possible to save money and forget the Philosophy MA. Others, like Ana, suggest I try to have a little fun in what could be my last summer in Montana for a long time. I also can\u2019t help but think that some advance-reading (covering everything<\/em> Dr. Keown has written for instance) <\/em>would be of immense benefit. I would land in London with questions, quotes, arguments ready to make, papers half written \u2013 it would be exciting \u2013 as opposed to showing up ragged from a marathon four-months of writing and researching on topics close to, but outside, the work I\u2019ll do in London.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nHmm\u2026 from all of that it may sound like I am or I should be leaning toward the latter. But honestly, right now I\u2019m leaning toward finishing the MA here.<\/em><\/strong> Even if it means very poor papers and a mediocre thesis, it\u2019s still an MA. Oh, but the other downside of that is that I\u2019ll have to pay another $1000+ tuition\/fees for the summer, ensuring that I won\u2019t<\/em> be out of debt when I step foot in London. Thinking about that seems to push me to the other side. <\/p>\nWe\u2019ll see. Any advice?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nIn line with many of my previous posts, I do want to do what is best for my ability to serve others.<\/em><\/strong> Having that Philosophy MA may open some doors in that direction. Yet if I have a \u2018free\u2019 summer, there is a lot of good work I could do right here, not to mention the advance-reading for London which will make that experience much richer \u2013 again likely opening doors for the future. Perhaps I am simply <\/em>clinging then to the idea (that I\u2019ve held for 2 years now) of having two MAs<\/em><\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n
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