Studying towards an accounting degree has me thinking about money all the damn time. The problem is that I'm not content with accounting value, which is the strict dollar amount that can be put on something. I find myself in the enemy camp most of the time, where I see economic value, which is an imprecise dollar amount based on intrinsic value. I'm thinking that when I finish with this degree in December that I ought to go back for a degree in Economics so I can have epic arguments with myself!
For example, this Summer I squeezed over $6000 out of my savings account for 3 university classes (2 at Auburn University and 1 at CSU). That's the accounting value. But, let's look at the economic value, shall we? 7 days a week, I hit the books by 9 PM, not finishing before 1 AM, usually later, days off are spent 100% studying. If you count my laborious hours of study, if I'd been working a second job, that's over $15,000 labor. Added to the 6k, we're up to 21k per semester.
Let's not forget the cost of all the missed opportunities.
As I've stated before, I trimmed the fat in 2020; I reduced my life to only 3 priorities: #1 work (over 60 hrs per week), #2 dogs (we live and work together, but I insist they get 2 hours undivided attention every day), #3 school (40 hours)... now you see why I only get 4 hours sleep per night.
It's been an experiment to see what would happen if I pushed single-mindedly towards an objective. Scary how well it works. But, this draconian lifestyle isn't sustainable.
So, when I have a chance to benefit financially from my education, I'm pumped. Back in April, a collection agency started calling me about a 3 year old medical bill. I needed to fork over $1200 in 30 days, or they would foul up my credit. I fractured my wrist three years ago, but I have insurance and I pay my overages, so I had no idea what they were barking about. I'm studying Business Law this semester. Armed with a textbook and menopausal spite, I unleashed my wrath on them via social media, Better Business Bureau complaints and a well worded certified letter to their office. I shall frame the letter of apology from the lawyer stating that they are dropping their claim. I'd say this Business Law class is already on it's way to paying for itself.
My Finance class is already being used: I bought an investment property this month.
One mile away, little bit of fixing up and new appliances, she'll be my little nest egg to pay for grad school. That's the Accountant talking. The Economist in me sees the value of being able to offer my family a place to stay in the Winter so they can come spent protracted amounts of time close to me, yet not having to put up with a household of 6 dogs!
The Accountant in me will be disappointed to learn that I've messed up my chances of sashaying into grad school in January. To prove my mettle to the Admissions board at Auburn, I elected to take a graduate level Accounting Analysis class this semester. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I'll be lucky to earn a C by August. 90% of the class are already practicing CPAs. I've never worked a day in an accounting firm, nor am I gifted towards technology. For someone who just learned to copy and paste two years ago, it's a stretch to expect me to write mile long Excel equations; and, gulp, the past two weeks, I've been manipulating databases and pooping out tons of queries and reports. The average accounting firm doesn't yet use the powerful combination of Excel, Access 2019 and Tableau. I feel like I've been handed the keys to a Lamborghini, but I can't get it out of 2nd gear. I'm deeply disappointed that I'm not performing at my expected A+ level, but I do love the class. The professor is hardcore. She is formidable, fiercely intelligent, intimidating. In spite of the fact that this is the class that will sink me, she'll be going down in my history as one of my favorite professors. She provides us with 3 video lectures per week and we must follow along with a second computer to work the examples. Then she dumps on us hours of homework and critical thinking projects. There have been many 3AM study sessions where I break down, tears streaming down my face, when my equations won't work.
A 1hr20 min lecture takes me a minimum of 4 hours to complete with all the rewinding and pausing I must do to keep up. In one video, she apologized for coming to class with a mental fog from not feeling well after having received her covid booster. I WRONGLY thought this would her slow her down to human speed. Did I mention this young professor is from China? My friends, if this is the caliber of talent coming out of China now, we'd all better step up our game or eat their dust. I thought I was regimented, disciplined, organized and had a modicum of intelligence... they take it to the next level.
Before the fiasco of this Summer Analytics class, grad school was asking me to apply early, they were courting me! Now I'm afraid I'll have to retake this class in January 2022, if I want to enter grad school Fall of 2022. I've boohooed about it enough, I'm moving on to see the Economic value of potentially having a life again in 2022. I've missed reading for leisure, working in my garden, going to museums, I haven't watched a movie in almost 2 years, I haven't touched a bolt on my project RamCharger or either camper.
Yeah, I think I'll be ready to SPEND some time on these again!!!
