Dr. No

A discussion about PhDs arose today. The part where you have to take statistics drove me off almost immediately, but it did make me stop and consider what the purpose of getting one would be for a librarian. Sure, you could teach, but you can do that with a Masters. And I certainly don't want to teach.

I mean really, what makes it worth all of the time and sweat and tears and god knows what else to get PhD after your name? I'm finding it hard to understand what, beyond a true specialization in an specific area of library science, one gets out of the doctoral experience. I'd be divorced and have a full head of grey hair and be jobless.

I guess I'm not a true academic.

Fortunately this is not currently my inner struggle, although I understand it. I had the same experience before I decided to get my Masters, with all of the "what ifs" stretching out ahead of me. Of course, it's already proven to be a valuable degree and I'd go back and do it again in a minute. I'm not sure I'd feel the same way about a PhD.

What I'm saying is that my quarter life crisis came out quite well. Maybe the PhD will be my mid-life crisis. That means I needn't worry about it for another 20 years.

Whew.