I was having a talk with one of my old Southwesterner buddy today and her business major self made me aware of an interesting path that was available to me. Perhaps I should reconsider my focus in business administration/management and instead consider trying for a certificate in international business through the CISB program.

It sounds extremely exciting and practical since working internationally has become one of my new long-term career goals. However after researching all the details online, I found that basically everything about this program is pretty rigorous. This is why most people don’t dare take on the course load in the first place. Plus I’d have to apply once more in order to be accepted into this program. Besides the giant slew of classes I’d have to take on in order to even graduate, I’d have to study abroad in whatever country for 6 months = the longest time abroad I would have EVER spent!

All of this is really frightening yet at the same time…I WANT TO GO FOR IT!
I remember that making the choice to go out of state for college was nerve racking enough. I wondered if I could really handle the “weirdness” of actually living away from home, away from the desert that I was so used to my entire life. Yet having done so was the right choice and as I sit here in the present, I look back and see how much I’ve actually grown from that single choice. Could this situation be the same? I really want to challenge myself and strive for something more than just a business degree now that I have moreless achieved it by being accepted into the business school.

Doing something like this would be great in all these aspects but what of the downsides? For one, I’ve been wanting to study in Korea for the longest time, but I don’t know a lick of Korean besides how to read, write, and speak silly conversational brigabrack. Who else would go with me over there and how can I make friends with those who won’t even speak my language? I fear that I’d be sitting in my dorm room all day and weeping due to…being totally isolated on the other side of the ocean. ACH!!! Also when I leave to study abroad, how could I possibly defer my responsibilities here in America? Besides the student organization aspect of it, I’m more worried about how my apartment stuff would be handled! Who would I sublet to? Would I continue to pay rent even though I’m not even living there? Where would I store my stuff? I’m already a junior and when would I possibly have the time to study abroad this year without throwing aside all of these obligations? Is it even feasible to study abroad in a person’s senior year? Will I graduate on time? How could I even hope to graduate with both a marketing and international business degree? It sounds like so much time consumption and an impossible feat. Plus on the parental aspect, I for sure know that my mom will not be supportive and not want her “little boy” going off and doing all these adventurous things so far from home. Everything is a big argument with her which has led me to become afraid of bringing up change at all. It’s always been a case of being financially able but not willing. All these issues and concerns make one word float to the top of my brain: Crap.

Looking on the bright side, I don’t plan on tackling these issues alone before making a final decision. These ideas are still pretty young, and I’m hopefully going to get some advice from the UWBS(UW Business School) undergrad adviser tomorrow. Do they also take vacations during summer? I hope not. There’s still summer quarter. I’d be wise to take note of all these questions I posed to myself on livejournal tonight. Actually, I might as well just print this and read off of it later. There’s still time left up for decisions to be made but the one deadline to look forward to is October 4th. The CISB application is due on this date and will decide whether or not I rise to the dream or remain at the surface. ACH again!!! We shall see…