Go to Greece or graduate?

[SoonerKate]

I have a dilemma. I really need some outside opinions on this, so if any of y'all would like to offer them, I'd love to hear them.

I have the opportunity to go to Greece this summer for 3 weeks for a screenwriting workshop. It's run by the director of the film program at my school and a screenwriting professor at UCLA. It's a great workshop; people who have done it the last few years have been selling their work left and right. Plus, I've always wanted to go to Greece, and I think it would be incredible to do it right before the Olympics. (Which begin in August; I would be there the first 3 weeks of June.)

Here's the problem: I'm already graduating one semester late because of the Disney College Program. I had planned to make up that semester this summer. I will get credit for screenwriting, but not enough. So if I go, I'll have to stay in school yet another semester, delaying graduation until 2005. I don't particularly want to put off graduating; I'm ready to be done! On the positive side, having the extra semester would allow me to be less stressed this year I'm taking 17 hours this semester, had planned on doing 15 over the summer plus two correspondence courses, which would be 21 hours total, and then another 14 hours in the fall -- with no breaks in-between. (I'm serious when I say I'm ready to be done!)

I plan to go back to work at WDW regardless of when I graduate; preferably starting out on an Advanced Internship the semester after graduation and then trying to find something permanent somewhere within the company. What would you do? I realize it's a great opportunity, and will I be kicking myself years from now if I just stay in school?

 

[peg2001]

Sounds like a unique opportunity. School will still be here when you get back. Might be just the thing to re-charge you to finish your studies.

Good luck!
Peggy

 

[Kallison]

You know when I was young(er), I always used to think some day when I go to Europe or some day when I try acting and somehow some day never comes. So seize the day and go to Greece is my vote. Sounds like an awesome opportunity.

 

[DocRafiki]

Greece, no doubt. You don't regret the CP, right? Heck, I'd rather be in college than the "real world" ANY day.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Go to Greece. School will be there when you get back. Also with the job market lagging it would be a perfect time for you to be in school.

Lori

 

[Serena]

Go, go, go, and take me with you.

 

[IloveDMB]

I say go to Greece. It seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

[skuttle]

Go to Greece! As others have said, it sounds like a once in a lifetime experience and school will always be there. One more semester won't kill ya! I understand just wanting to be finished school (I finally finished all of my schooling in May...I went straight from high school to college to law school so I know how you feel!), but when will you ever have a chance to go to Greece for three weeks? And it sounds like a great career opportunity.

 

[Disney845]

I say go to Greece!! I know all about wanting to be done with school. I was on track to finish my degree (early) in December of 2003, but somewhere back in 2002 I seemed to decide that I needed 2 majors instead of just one so then I pushed myself back a semester...well then I decided that I would rather have a second degree rather than a double major. Ultimately all this means is that I get 2 pieces of paper instead of just one piece that indicates 2 majors. To do this I have to add on an extra 30 credit hours Sometimes I wonder why I did this to myself...I could have been done by now and could currently be in Grad school, instead of pushing my grad school back for even longer!! But honestly, if given the chance for something of this nature which interested me and would help with my career goals I wouldn't even hesitate to do it!!

 

[Wagamama]

i say stay and graduate... but thats just my opinion

 

[mathboy]

There would be no question in my mind --- GO TO GREECE.

 

[Planogirl]

I say go to Greece! I feel that it's wisest to never pass up a good opportunity and you will certainly still have the opportunity to graduate. Plus delaying your schooling for a short time might make being in school more palatable.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Rajah]

No question for me. I'd go to Greece, if it means just pushing off graduation by one semester and allowing you to be less stressed in your last semester, *and* get to experience a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

 

[floridaminnie]

School will be there when you go back. Plus that's a lot to take during the Summer. You'll probably be burnt out after the semester and with no break, no ready for the fall semester. Go to Greece and experience a once in a lifetime event that probably will help you in your career from the sounds of it!

 

[Scratch42]

Go to Greece!

Like the majority have stated, school will be there when you get back but this opportunity may not!

Sieze the Day!

Scratch

 

[The Mystery Machine]

School will wait for you. Greece opportunity will not. I say go to Greece.

 

[tkd lisa]

I actually opened this thread, prepared to say "stay in school", but given what you've described, the field you're entering, and how hard it will be to finish on time, even if you don't go, I'm saying "Go to Greece". Given your career field, taking time out to do things such as this are considered a plus. Now if you were in a hard science major such as engineering, it would say that you weren't serious about your career, and would be a minus, imo.

Good luck!

 

[Wishing on a star]

GO TO GREECE!!!!!

Just think, in a few years now, what will mean more to you.... The wonderful opportunities and benefits and memories that this program in Greece could provide, or a one semester difference in the date on that 'piece of paper'.

GO TO GREECE!!!!!

 

[solotraveler]

No question... GREECE!

I was once in your shoes-- I was only a freshman in college and was offered the opportunity to spend a semester in an intensive creative writing program in Barcelona. Though it meant putting off graduation for a while, I don't regret going for an instant. I can honestly say that it changed almost everything.

I'm a big fan of this idea: you never want to be saddled by the "what ifs" of life. Say you graduated this summer and went on your merry way: how often would you think back to that idea of going to Greece and wonder "what if" or "gosh, I bet that would have been amazing."

By all means, if this feels right, GO!

Solotraveler

 

[robinb]

Originally posted by floridaminnie
School will be there when you go back. Plus that's a lot to take during the Summer. You'll probably be burnt out after the semester and with no break, no ready for the fall semester. Go to Greece and experience a once in a lifetime event that probably will help you in your career from the sounds of it!

ITA. You are taking too many classes in an attempt to "catch up", especially in the summer. I took sumer classes, but I never took a full load. With 21 credits yours summer looks over full. You don't want to get bad grades do you?

If you can afford it, take most of the summer off and take advantage of this great opportunity. Interships like these stand out on your resume far more than pushing fries at Disney.