Well, for those of you who are my loyal readers, you know that I am going back to college in the fall for my Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing. At 31 years old. I have been out of college (and teaching college) for 6 years. So, after being inspired by Michelle over at http://doesthishysterectomymakemelookfat.com I am going to talk about the 10 best things about going back to college in your 30’s versus your 20’s.

The 10 best things about going back to college in your 30’s (versus your 20’s)

1. Then:Barton’s Vodka and Boone’s wine was perfectly acceptable.Now: Barton’s Vodka makes me wanna cry. Boxed wine is still sometimes a necessity.
2. Then:My classes rarely started before 9:30am, and even then it was painful and I was heavily caffeinated.Now: I wake up without an alarm clock at 5:30am, rarely drink caffeine (other then tea), and Art Theory at 8am on Friday mornings doesn’t scare me. Well, other then the Art Theory…
3. Then: I painted with oil, drew with charcoal, it is what was expected—-and expensive.Now: I learned that using “non-traditional” media (read: cheap) makes me ‘experimental’.
4. Then:I sufficiently pickled my liver.Now: My liver is still sufficiently pickled. It takes me much longer to recover from a proper pickling.
5. Then:I used to walk around the department in my bare feet and everyone thought I was a lunatic.Now: I will do the same, they will think the same. I will not care.
6. Then:I enjoyed school and worked my ass off.Now: I will appreciate it more now, I will work harder now. I’ve been out for too long, tried too long to get back in to waste this chance.
7. Then:I lived at home with my parents. I had a PINK bedroom…Now: I have a studio apartment. It’s purple…
8. Then:I used to sing to show tunes and 80’s music in my studio.Now: I will more then likely sing much louder and to Florence and the Machine, Adele, Regina Spektor, and other chicks with guitars. And occasionally showtunes.
9. Then:All my dishes were made of plastic. Save for two plates and two bowls. A toddler could have bent my ‘silverware’ with their pinkies.Now: I am the proud owner of a matching four-piece set of Pfaltzgraff dishes and honest to goodness nice silverware.
10. Then:I tired really really hard to make people like me, to have those quintessential college relationships (not easy when you’re a commuter) and often time compromised who I was in order to fit in.Now: I am awesome. You should want to be my friend. Don’t want to? I don’t really care.
11. ‎Then: I took classes because they either fulfilled a distribution requirement or were vaugely interesting
    NOW: I take classes because they’re interesting and further my mad skills.