"High" education

by Esmeralda001 55 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Esmeralda001

  Thanks for sharing your experience, guys :-).

  @sloppyforMcfloppy

  good point!

  @A.proclaimer

  I totally can relate. I'm CONSTANTLY asked when am going to finish with med school. To be honnest It kind of gets on my nerves. Alala (sigh)

  I get mixed reactions from the brothers and sisters. some members encourage me to push my education as far as I can. I remember one time a sister came to me and told me to keep going despite what Other members might say. She said that most elders in her congregation had either a degree in accounting or in law (she was whisppering... Lol... :-p) Of course I came across members who are anti-university. Sometimes they'll "throw shade" at me through the comments they make during the WT study. I usually just ignore it and move on... There is one particular lady who hates me for this though. She makes sure to keep track of my progression by constantly asking my study instructor How am doing At school. One time, I confessed to my study conductor that med school was very draining and that I felt overwhelmed. Well I should have kept this to myself because, for some reason, she shared the information with the other lady. The sister then came to me giggling and asked how I was doing at school. I kid you not!!!! It's funny because the same women who try to discourage young people from investing in my education are usually married to relatively wealthy brothers who have degrees. I can sort of understand why they don't see the necessity of getting an education.
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  Heaven

  Yes, I went to College and pursued a career. I'm not sure how to answer your 'was it easy' question. I am fairly intelligent and was able to pass with high honours and acquire work afterwards. I have worked hard but I would never recommend NOT pursuing higher education and a career or one's dream. I can't imagine not working.

  Even when I retire, I figure I'll be working at something. I would say that I recommend one remain flexible and adaptive as change is THE one constant in life. The role I perform now at the company I work for is not the role I was hired to do. And I am sure I will have to take on a different role in the near future.

  When my bro and I were planning our education after high school, our Mom tried to dissuade us from going citing we would not need careers due to Armageddon's imminence (this was 7-8 years after 1975). Neither one of us listened to her.
  

  I can tell you this. I would have regretted not going to College. That is 100% for sure.
  
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  Esmeralda001

  @Heaven.

  Thank you for your answer :-).

  by "was it easy", I meant, "was it easy for you to be an active member while going to school? " Were you reprouved are publically marked for your choice?
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  hoser

  Mrs hoser went to college last year. She did very well and finished too of the class. Her parents were not impressed though. Apparently Jws are not supposed to better themselves financially. It didn't help that she lived in a dorm on campus.
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  sowhatnow

  Tho I have no advanced education , I always remember how my mom would react when she found out someone was 'a dentist, a teacher, a nurse, an accountant, ect. She would be so impressed, and say to me, oh, did you know, so n so is a [whatever] like they were some special breed of jw, lol, she was so impressed, and there were others like that Im sure, the mention the persons profession, in conversation, as if to brag,lol, but at the same time, there were those who would say, 'oh those who go to college, they fall out of the truth, so we dont recommend going to a 4 yr college, if you must, get a quick associates degree on line. Then there were those who spoke very negatively, saying things like, 'oh they think they are so special, well its nice they have money to send their kids to school'

  There is a lot of suggestion where I live, to go to a trade school. I recall a D. O. at a two day assembly, actually poked fun at people who went to college and took advertising, culinary arts, business management, and music, during his talk. like you were gay or something,lol I thought what an ass.
  

  Then Id find out somehow just how many people go at least for their associates, [must be in secret,lol] and Im surprised, because these people that would do that, you would never guess they were for it!
  

  So In a large way, there was a mixed message for me growing up , because though my mom acted like people with 'titles' were awesome, lol, at the same time if someone went to college and left shed call them weak and apostate,lol.

  
  
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  ToesUp

  Esmeralda

  "There is one particular lady who hates me for this though."

  She doesn't really hate you, she's jealous. In reality she would love to do what you are doing. If she's married to a well off man, then she doesn't understand your plight.

  My advice...go for it and do well. That is what get's to them and that's how you "stick it to them." lol
  
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  ToesUp

  Oh, one more thing. Don't tell ANYONE how hard and draining school is. The JW's just seem to thrive on other peoples misery. Just tell them everything is going fine or great. They want to be all up in your business. Don't fall for it.

  If you want to share how hard your studies are, come on here and vent. Most on here have been where you are and you will receive more encouragement that you will at the Kingdom Hall.
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  oppostate

  I studied with JW's while at college getting my BA. I also did get "High" as a lot of college students do while in college. It was tough academic work but I loved the challenges.

  During summer breaks I worked with brothers who had businesses washing windows, shampooing carpets, cleaning/polishing supermarket floors, painting, etc. I asked myself if I could drop out of college and own my own business of that sort that so many brothers were into.

  My parents (non-JW) dissuaded me from that notion, and urged me to finish my schooling and then decide. Best advice I could have gotten about making this life's decision.

  After graduation I tried cleaning jobs, sales jobs, and then teaching. I stuck with teaching and got my Masters in Ed. Then my Doctorate's Degree. I'm still teaching and shudder at what my life would have been today if I had dropped out of college to clean windows and supermarket floors for little pay and no health insurance or retirement plan.

  The only ones I know who did well with their own cleaning businesses are those who hired other witnesses to work for them. They've taken early retirement, and have moved away from New England to North Carolina and Florida where they own their own homes to "auxiliary pioneer" where the need is greater, thanks to the sacrifice of those they'd hired for years at minimum wages without benefits.
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  ToesUp

  We have several in our family that are now into their late 60's. They are still working hard physically. They have no retirement and are paying the high cost of medical insurance due to being self employed. These were the ones that were told (via JW literature) back in 1969 that they would not need education because the end was sooo close. These ones chose to pioneer. Are they resentful? Yes they are. We hear it all of the time. They are now encouraging us to get our children educated so they can support themselves.

  What really stands out with the Governing Body is how they discourage ones from higher education and then in the next breath they are asking for anyone with degrees (lawyers, accountants, medical, engineering, construction, etc) to volunteer on construction projects, etc. Come on...this is the highest form of hypocrisy there is!

  The explanation we have received on this one is. If it is for "kingdom interests" then the higher education is ok. In other words, if it can benefit ($$$$) the WT, it is ok to do. That mindset seems to be a pattern. If it benefits the org it's ok. Really?

  HYPOCRITES!!!!
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  sir82

  I went to college in the 80's, during the previous period when higher education was stridently demonized.

  I got away with it because I lived at home (attended a nearby campus), attended nearly all the meetings, and auxiliary pioneered sometimes in the summer.

  No one gave me any $#!+ but then again, no one, well, mostly no one, ever asked how my studies were going.

  There were a few who were "on my side". At graduation, a handful of folks quietly gave me congratulations, or even a graduation gift.

  But for the most part, it was kind of a "don't ask, don't tell" situation.