When to call it quits and end obsession with academia?

[jdjd]

I was just wondering when others would call it quits? When is the passion over, and you are hit in the face with reality?

I am a little older student so I have a bit more life experience of what I like and dislike, and I think that factors in with my decision and urgencies to start life.

Here is the deal. I am extremely interested in political philosophy and political theory... Having took awhile off before finishing and concentrating my studies in Political Science and Philosophy in those subfields. I also read it leisurely. I sometimes think studying philosophy actually makes it way more difficult than necessary on what I should do, because it is always in the back of my mind.

But in comes reality and the law of diminishing returns and things that I do not want in life, what makes me happy etc.

I went to an elite school in a cold climate, I am from a tropical climate... This made me completely miserable there, although school was great. So anywhere with a cold climate is absolutely out of the question. I also want to live close enough to drive to my parents, which is in the Southeast, so I would want to live nowhere west of say, Austin, and nowhere farther north of DC. To do this, and still be in academia, would necessitate me to get into a top 20 or so program to have a considerable choice on where I want to teach, otherwise and even though I could get into programs say in the 20-below range, they would be limiting in the future. I suppose my own personal happiness outweighs my interests. I am also not particularly interested in practical applications. I suppose my other option is to go into politics themselves in an active sense and apply my knowledge, but I am in no way interested in some traditional corporate career. So something like law or public administration seems horrifying to me. Took a break and did that a few years and hated it.

Does anybody else put these limitations on yourself, or are you all just starry eyed dreamers?

Did anybody else have to give up their academic pursuits? I do not think I will ever give up my intellectual interests, but I am afraid my allure with a possible academic life might be over.

[Mal83]

I'm not going into academia, at least not at this point in my life, but I don't necessarily think that you're calling it quits or anyone who is no longer a dreamer is either. You've just realized that your other goals, interests, and preferences outweigh the desire to do it. That's the reality of your particular situation. That's not a bad thing, people realize that all of the time. If teaching was your number one mission in life you'd stop at nothing to get there, but maybe it's not...that's ok. I've always considered myself to be a realistic dreamer, when I set my mind to something that's kind of far out there I have to decide if it's actually within reach, if so, I'm going for it. Everyone's reaching limits are different. I've wanted nothing more than to get out to DC and work in International Development for a good 3 or 4 years now, not living in the area made it seems far out there to me, I lived in NJ my whole life, not far, but while I was in the Peace Corps my parents moved to Arizona, I had to stay with them while I got myself back on my feet after returning to the states. I figured I'd have no problem getting a job out there and I'd just pick up and get on a plane...8 months of resumes and cover letters got me one phone interview in DC and 2 interviews at study abroad organization here in Arizona...both resulted in absolute disappointment.

I had to change my plan big time, my desire to do this far outweighed the reality of my situation however. I could have given up or put it on hold to just settle out here (that's not what I'm suggesting you did) and for a bit a I considered it. I decided I needed to go to grad school, the job search was just too hopeless and I was loosing my mind. I decided to look into schools in the area but found very little in what I want to do. I found one school here that had a geography program with an international focus along with a Peace Corps fellowship that basically amounted to a full scholarship, I almost settled on it because it would just be easier to stay here with the support of my parents, not moving across the country, and paying much less for school and living expenses. I even went to visit the school. I left with an OK impression but after a few weeks I had come to my senses. This isn't what I wanted, I didn't want to study geography at all, I wanted ID or at least International Affairs. And mostly I wanted to be in DC. Worst of all, what if I didn't get into the school? What if I didn't get the fellowship and I'd be paying for something that I wasn't sure about? There is nothing in this area of the country for someone who wants what I want. So I had to again switch gears, except this time it was toward what I really wanted all along. I applied to 3 schools in the DC area knowing full well that I'd have to take out major loans to actually go, I was worried because I had borrowed a lot as an undergrad and there's a limit so it's just been a big old crap shoot ever since I started this whole thing...am I going to get in anywhere? Will I get the financial aid I need to actually survive? Well finally a few days ago I found out that I'll be getting all of the financial aid to survive living on my own in the DC area. I made the decision back in July that I would do the grad school thing and it was literally 4 days ago that everything has become reality.

We all have had to make adjustments in our goals and aspirations, it's when you decide there are no more adjustments to make that you realize that the dream is for real....cheesy maybe, but it's true for me.