I need some serious advice from you!
This website is great and I am curious to know what advice you'all have.
Those who know me know that I want to go back to Alaska like really bad. I assumed that sinse I quite and gave up my dream that I was cut off forever.
But today, just out of curiousity I called UAF (university of Alaska Fairbanks) and asked them if it would be possible for me to return and finish what I started up there. I went there fore one semester of grad school.
I am in Houston now, hate houston, hate my job. My best friend lives in Indiana, my family is spread all over the country in various places...not in Texas.
Anyway, they said YES! I could fill out a "leave of absence" form and go back almost like I never left.
Well, Alaska is cold in the winter and very dark but I love Alaska. I would be 3000 miles away from the nearest relative.
Should I go back. I really want to, my heart tells me YES, but my mind is saying...wait girl, are you SURE this is what you want?
Please help, I am not sure what to do?
Regret is a terrible thing.....follow your dreams :)
if all signs point to yes, i say do it. this will be 2 years out of what, 80??i know way too many people that live their lives in a "shoulda, coulda, woulda" cloud, and it's a sad sight to see.
Noooo!!! Don't goooo!!! We'll miss you! ??? Oh wait - that's right. You're on the internet. Okay then, I agree, if you play out the worst case scenarios for both going and staying, then the answer seems clear. If you have responsibilities that you're committed to, look for alternatives to fulfilling those, but moving towards getting what makes your soul all aflutter. Good luck!
omg, how is this even a question!? i'm assuming you were studying something that you love if you want to go back. so GO!
Just do it! Not like Nike, but like yourself.
There are very few decisions that are irreversible. I'd say to go. If you hate it, you can change your mind and transfer elsewhere...Hawaii maybe! ;) Good luck!
OMG!! DO it SnowQueen!! you love alaska, just go for. If your heart is telling you yes, then you shouldn't stop it :) really.
I'm with the smart people before me.
Regret is a terrible thing.....follow your dreams :)
Oh yeah!
Go snowqueen, go snowqueen, you can do it, be happy!
Is the grad program something you're still interested in?
Yes, now more than ever.
Since comming back down and quiting before, I have been working here in Houston. I have been exposed to the field and have realized what I want to do is analysis using computers. But to do that I need a PhD. But I am also interested in the arctic hence why UAF is perfect for what I want to do. When I went to UAF before, I didn't really know what I wanted to do.
Now that I put it in those words, it is stupid for me NOT to go. I can't help but feel like that is what I was born for. Sounds wierd, I know.
You people are all a bad influence. Nobody in my family, friends want me to go, want me to be so far away. And it is hard, the winters up there are BRUTAL! But I have been there, know what to expect, know what to by to be prepared. Before everything was a surprise, and everything went on the credit card.
Yes, you are right, I should do it, if they take me back, I am going to go back...if God wants me to go, He will help me.
Thanks everybody, you are all so helpful. A dark cloud that I didn't even know was there is starting to lift from my heart. I had no idea how bad I wanted to go back until I realized that it may be possible, AND practical for me to go.
Make a list of pros and cons.
The first part ask yourself do you really want to go because you need a change of pace if that's it( cause I also know hating someplace could also mean your really bored there)(
or Alaska really makes you happy?
Then make the list of pros and cons what you love about Alaska and hate it.
"When you look through the years and see what you could have been, oh, what you might have been if you had had more time...So when the day comes to settle down, who's to blame if you're not around? You took the long way home..." :)
The way i see it, you only have one choice...
Some of you have some Excellent points that I haven't really considered.
The one where "do I want to go because I am bored here?" thing is truely one to consider, the answer to that is yes. But then there is also the "if I have the chance take it or I will regret it" is another good point.
I have been thinking of it and one other point I may have negleted to mention. I went up there already, did one semester of graduate studies. I need either my master's degree or my PhD for the line of work I already did. If I choose any other university, some of those courses I took probably won't transfer to another university. I already have one semester under my belt with them. That is a perfectly logical, excellent reason to go back there if I do say so myself.
But...will they take me back, I still don't know for sure.
You all are so smart and the best band of people I have ever chatted with!
why did you leave in the first place? is whatever that was still an issue?
if not, go for it!
I agree with the others. Just do it! If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. To, at least, see if it was worth the trouble. If not, you can always come back.
I moved from home (NJ), to be with my boyfriend (now husband). I love him so much to stay where I don't wanna be. But my "home" is in NJ (I live in upstate NY right now). I did it, and wanna go home. But now I have to wait until he retires (2 years ... yay!!!!). But I did it for the experience and the fact that I love him. So I can say, "I've been there, done that."
Follow your heart.
Funny though I left Atlanta years ago and always wanted to move back. My heart tugged me back and I just knew I needed to go back. I visited this past summer and realized the Atlanta I left was no longer there. I'd changed, and Atlanta changed and my heart stopped aching for something I couldn't go back to. So I finally said goodbye to Atlanta.
I was in Alaska as a kid during "The Great Alaskan Earthquake". I'm sure you've heard of it. My parents took some awesome pictures. We did well, our walls cracked but the apartments we lived in stayed upright.
I would definitely go back. You just might want to wait until spring so you can ease back into the cold dark winters. I wish you well. :)
Some of you have some Excellent points that I haven't really considered.
The one where "do I want to go because I am bored here?" thing is truely one to consider, the answer to that is yes. But then there is also the "if I have the chance take it or I will regret it" is another good point.
I have been thinking of it and one other point I may have negleted to mention. I went up there already, did one semester of graduate studies. I need either my master's degree or my PhD for the line of work I already did. If I choose any other university, some of those courses I took probably won't transfer to another university. I already have one semester under my belt with them. That is a perfectly logical, excellent reason to go back there if I do say so myself.
But...will they take me back, I still don't know for sure.
You all are so smart and the best band of people I have ever chatted with!
An opportunity to further your education always take. Regret is a terrible thing like someone said. I'm only saying what I would do.
The part of being bored of what I was trying to say is sometimes it's absolutely true a person can be bored at a place and it's our hell and the other place our heaven.
Now if it's true that you are bored there that's fine and dandy but also we also do it unconsciously at times making one our hell and the other one our heaven. Now if it's the second one what happens when we get to Alaska we are very dissappointed. I just don't want you to be dissapointed in any way.
But i do believe there are some places that makes us more happy but you have to decide it.
Now if it's true that you are bored there that's fine and dandy but also we also do it unconsciously at times making one our hell and the other one our heaven. Now if it's the second one what happens when we get to Alaska we are very dissappointed. I just don't want you to be disappointed in any way.
But i do believe there are some places that makes us more happy but you have to decide it.
Startaurus:
I understand what you are saying, and you are totally right, "the grass is always greener..." But I have already lived in Alaska, only for 6 months, but I was there during the winter, I know what to expect. It isn't heaven. The winters are tough. I am prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder because I am bipolar. But, I wasn't on medication at the time and now I am. Also, since I know what to expect I know what to do about it I will be prepared for the winter and I refuse to let it get me down, but it will be hard. I have one very good friend that I made up there and I am anxious to see her again. I need a PhD to advance my career and do what I want to do, if I don't go to UAF I will go someplace else. I already have one semester under my belt at UAF, and UAF is a darn fine school, one of the best. I am thinking of everything, trust me. It is expensive, and hard. But if I can only just make it through the first winter, then I will be there to stay forever. It is a difficult decision to make. I also have to consider what my family and friends down here have to say. But for some reason, I doubt that they will be surprised, just disappointed. I don't want to hurt my Mom, she will think that I am trying to get away from her. There are a lot of things to think about.
What are you studying snowqueen?
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