Graduated with my AAS!

Graduated yesterday! It's been a long 2 years, time for a break. I am planning on starting at WGU next year. I am planning on the B.S. -Network Admin degree. In the meantime, I can going to knock out the CIW cert and work on the 640 and 642 exams, time permitting.

Find more posts tagged with

Free for TechExams community: Cybersecurity salary guide

Compare cert salaries and plan your next career move

Button

Comments

nhan.ng

break? what's that?

Psoasman

nhan.ng wrote: »

break? what's that?

Promised my wife. In the last 4 years, I have done my degree and gotten all the certs in my signature. My "real" break is my week off of work, then I'm going to hit the certs and study what I want to.

nhan.ng

the thing i like about WGU is that you study on your own time. Sure you do have to complete 12 units per term but you do get alot, i mean alot of time

higherho

yea never try to let work get involved with your personal life. I think of it like rooms. My one room is for work, another room is my own time, another is my relationship. If you bring any of those together you will see a disaster happen.

Psoasman

higherho wrote: »

yea never try to let work get involved with your personal life. I think of it like rooms. My one room is for work, another room is my own time, another is my relationship. If you bring any of those together you will see a disaster happen.

I'm a little puzzled by what you mean. I do most of my study for certs at work, during downtime. It's almost impossible to keep work out of your personal life, especially when you are in the IT field.

Excellent1

Psoasman wrote: »

Graduated yesterday! It's been a long 2 years, time for a break. I am planning on starting at WGU next year. I am planning on the B.S. -Network Admin degree. In the meantime, I can going to knock out the CIW cert and work on the 640 and 642 exams, time permitting.

Big congratulations, man. One thing I would say is definitely take the time to enjoy this milestone. We're often so caught up in achieving the next one that we don't take the time to really appreciate the achievements in life.

With regards to WGU, I'm sure you'll do great there. From your notes the certs you've acquired and the notes you've posted, it's obvious that you're organized and motivated. Those qualities will serve you well at WGU. Good luck on your future plans.

Dragonranger

Congrats man! Enjoy that break!

Dakinggamer87

Congrats!!

It's an amazing achievement and a great feeling of accomplishment!!

veritas_libertas

Congratz! That is a great feeling

Taking time off for your family is a very good idea. I'm looking forward to being done with my BS from WGU. One more year if everything goes as planned

j_griffith

Psoasman wrote: »

Graduated yesterday! It's been a long 2 years, time for a break. I am planning on starting at WGU next year. I am planning on the B.S. -Network Admin degree. In the meantime, I can going to knock out the CIW cert and work on the 640 and 642 exams, time permitting.

Way to Go! Fair promise to the wife. She has supported you in your goals to help the family. But she also needs you invested in the relationship. Remember to do the career you enjoy, for youself, but also for your loved ones. Those that work at what they enjoy tend to achieve more. Remember we work to enable us to take care of the needs of our family, and not to break the family relationships! No Job is worth the relationships we valued enough to establish. If the job is that demanding, stay with it only long enough to find one that is not. Careers that promote a healthy work life balance are valuable.

Regards!

J.

higherho

Psoasman wrote: »

I'm a little puzzled by what you mean. I do most of my study for certs at work, during downtime. It's almost impossible to keep work out of your personal life, especially when you are in the IT field.

For example, I do not have the downtime at work to study for certs. Of course with the experience I'm getting at work, it helps me through my cert studies and makes them easier so in that I do not need as much time to study at home. When I go home, its best to clear your mind and relax.

In IT it is very important not to stress yourself out and max yourself out everyday (after you leave work and you keep on studying, etc) because what if something happens at work and your just burnt out? Your boss will question weather or not you can handle the work load and possibly think other things. This is why when I come home I take a break from IT and relax for at least 2 to 3 hours because everything I do at work with what I know and what I have to learn needs time to sync in and my brian needs a rest.By doing this I come into work fresh everyday and my performance increases dramatically.

Now about the relationship, If you focus to much on work / studies and ignore your personal life / romantic life its just going to push your family away from you and it can cause mental / denial issues and possibly cause a work issue later in life. You ever hear people say if your home life is good its highly possible that your work life will also be good?

This is what I mean when you prioritize work, studies, and personal life because if you mix any of them in together for a long period of time it can be hurtful in many ways.

Another personal example:

I am studying for my CCNA and microsoft certs. I read about 50% of the CCNA book that I have but at work I been doing a lot of switching / routing stuff (ACLS, STP, switch port security, IOS updates, trunking, DHCP scopes, Firewall updates (not CCNA stuff but still helpful), etc) and while doing this I am learning material that is in the CCNA with experience. This means that I would not need to study the book as much because of the real world exp.

So I have more time to myself / personal life because I do not need to study as hard as I would have if I did not have a job that involves Networking / system administration.

Unforg1ven

nice job m8! Make that AAS worth it!

Xcluziv

Congrats man on the accomplishment!!!

I know the feeling.....feels fantastic to finally finish something you have been wanting and striving hard to attain

hurt311

I'm like one semester away from graduating with an aas in network adm inistrator but i'm not sure were to go from there..

HOW CAN I GET AN EXAMPLE COPY OF THE NETPLUS N10 004

powerfool

higherho wrote: »

yea never try to let work get involved with your personal life. I think of it like rooms. My one room is for work, another room is my own time, another is my relationship. If you bring any of those together you will see a disaster happen.

You forgot the best room of all! Then empty room!

It reminds me of some standup... one of the guys was talking about the differences between a man and a woman's brains. A woman's brain is like a knotted up wad of yarn... you pull on one string and so many other strings are tugged on. A man's brain is like a bunch of neatly organized little boxes where each thing has its own box and they never touch each other; the man's favorite box is the empty one...

powerfool

BTW, congrats!

I promised my wife at least a one-year break after my BS before I started my MBA. The main point was to let my wife get focused on her school that she had been putting off for nine years at that point (considering I finished my BS in just 4.5 years, she can't blame me for it). Anyhow, after three years of waiting and an opportunity for an MS covered mostly by work, I told her I was starting back at school. After completing two semesters, she finally started school. This time, since I am going to school online, she can't use my schooling as an excuse. When people ask what I am going to do after the MS, she always butts in with "take a break" or "be done with school", but she knows that I am going for an MBA as soon as I am done; she knows that she cannot keep me from my goals, else our marriage wouldn't last... it is just the dynamics of our relationship and everyone else has different dynamics. Find out what works for you personally and in your relationship and seek that; it sounds like you probably already have that figured out.

Devilry

Congrats on your A.A.S.!

I am sure its a great feeling.

And good plan with a break, if the lady is happy, everyone is happy.

whatthehell

Congratz on your degree and best of luck!

Psoasman

powerfool wrote: »

BTW, congrats!

I promised my wife at least a one-year break after my BS before I started my MBA. The main point was to let my wife get focused on her school that she had been putting off for nine years at that point (considering I finished my BS in just 4.5 years, she can't blame me for it). Anyhow, after three years of waiting and an opportunity for an MS covered mostly by work, I told her I was starting back at school. After completing two semesters, she finally started school. This time, since I am going to school online, she can't use my schooling as an excuse. When people ask what I am going to do after the MS, she always butts in with "take a break" or "be done with school", but she knows that I am going for an MBA as soon as I am done; she knows that she cannot keep me from my goals, else our marriage wouldn't last... it is just the dynamics of our relationship and everyone else has different dynamics. Find out what works for you personally and in your relationship and seek that; it sounds like you probably already have that figured out.

I have been fortunate to be able to do most of my online and self-study at work, where they are big on continuing your education. I am currently working on getting some certs out the way, so when I start WGU, I can minimize my time there. I promised my wife and further education would be online and I can find time for that.

powerfool

Psoasman wrote: »

I have been fortunate to be able to do most of my online and self-study at work, where they are big on continuing your education. I am currently working on getting some certs out the way, so when I start WGU, I can minimize my time there. I promised my wife and further education would be online and I can find time for that.

Pursuing my MS online has really helped to minimize the stress at home for me. I was going to school four nights a week for my undergrad and my wife probably remembers the stress that it involved. Anything I do going forward will be more flexible than a traditional program. Best wishes.