9:51 AM

the future of learning

It's time for Jo to go back to school. I always swore to myself that I'd keep learning even after graduating - gotta keep the old noggin sharp, you know.

My dilemma now lies in which courses to take, and whether to take them for personal interest or career purposes. Not that I'm not interested in the career-focused classes, I'm just more interested in learning more about, say, cooking and Japanese than I am about perfecting interview techniques. I have this problem of stumbling around, sounding extremely awkward when I have to ask uncomfortable questions. And then I fail at persisting in finding those answers when people don't give me what I want.

I need to take courses because I don't have the motivation and/or discipline to do it on my own. And sometimes, you need an instructor to give you some guidance. Books just don't do it for me.

So here are my options! what say you, fellow reader(s)?

  • Photography seminar - $200 (1 wknd)
  • Cooking seminar - $150 (1 day)
  • Japanese - $300 (full term)
  • Mandarin - $300 (full term)
  • Web design - $500 (full term)
  • Interview skills - $500 (full term)
The cooking seminar may seem foolish, but keep in mind that I had to rely on others to cook for me all through my schooling career with the exception of 2nd year when I ate instant noodles everyday. Yes, I can even fail at making Kraft Dinner. True story.

4 comments:

Eric said...

from the courses you have there it looks like one of your language classes might be a good combination of fun and career. Maybe one of those?

It's true, you can fail at making kraft dinner. one time, Jo tried to make KD at my house and BAM. herpes.

Justine said...

All of them! Of course, you probably already know this: they are useless if you just attend them. You gotta practice your Japanese/Mandarin/cooking nearly daily. THEN, in terms of investment and results, you will see it. After those classes, go to places that speak just Mandarin, just Japanese, or cook for yourself every day! Even if it's the same meals!!

Unknown said...

More school is for suckers! Wandering aimlessly through life is the way to go. Trust.

But if you must, here are the Guru's recommendations (which of course is undoubtedly the right choices):

Photography class: No. Just get better at pchop and you can turn all your terrible photo's into professional masterpieceful art! It's what all the pro's are doing now anyways.

Cooking: Pass. Just work hard at finding that really rich dude with a maid and butler. You'll never have to cook ever again.

Japanese/Mandarin: Like one other commenter suggested, these classes are useless unless you practice them all the time. So I'd say pass on the classes, but actually move to Japan for a year and then another stint in China. This way you'll ensure your full adoption of the linguistic talents that you seek. D'accord?

Web Design: No need. The world of technology is moving so fast that by the time you finish the course, the web will be able to telekinetically bond with your cerebral cortex and everything you imagine will be transcribed into HTML for you...or by then it will be XXXHTML, because the obvious futuristic theme is to add X's to everything. Plus the internet will be all pron by then anyways.

Interview skills: Again, no need. Just stay at your current 9-5 job, forget about your hopes, dreams and aspirations, then you'll never need to have an interview again.

I just saved you $1950. You can thank me later.

PS. Epic Fail = You = --><--

Anonymous said...

Combine some of them! Learn Japanese cooking and ..... Mandarin photography?