The biggest milestone of my life
It’s like a fairy tale. I met the right school, put in a year of hard work, and now am ready to put on that timeless, traditional gown and stand up in front of everyone. My masters degree and I are ready to start our new life.
Before that happens though, there is a lot to do. There is a very clear formulaic process to preparing to shed the old you and start your new life after reaching the milestone that everyone strives for. First, you commit to one path for the rest of your life (until unemployment do we part, degree). Then, you plan. There are invitations, parties, and identifying which friends get the special titles. Finally, the ceremony. That golden day when all eyes are on you and you prove that you’ve reached that apex of success.
It’s interesting to me to examine the culture of the wedding expectation and the pressures put on women to have not only the perfect wedding day that truly represents them while still following trend and tradition, but to do so from a different perspective- as a single woman who is planning for a very different milestone
I’ve decided to celebrate the completion of Master of Social Work degree like a low-budget wedding (accordingly, as $50,000 in student loan debt is not quite as kind a companion as a human life partner).
