The off-season of wedding photography is both a gift and a curse to me. It is a gift in that I am able to sleep and rest after all the crazy wedding and travel weekends that happen in the fall, on top of extra family and engagement sessions that inevitably get scheduled when the leaves start to change. Coming into January I was ready for some down-time, ready to work less than 40-60 hours, and ready to enjoy some slow weekends at home.
That lasted about 2 weeks. While I love the idea of being restful, it is not very practical long-term for me. This was my first full off-season being at home during the week, and it wasn't long before I got incredibly antsy to start doing things again. I did have some sessions here and there, and even a January wedding in Washington, D.C., but none of it kept my hands or mind occupied the way I am used to.
So I started to dream. I started to work on some personal projects I have always wanted to tackle. I don't want to share them all right here, but one big dream I've had is going back to school. I've played with the idea of getting my MBA before and even bought a book to start studying for the GMAT, but something about it never felt right, whether the timing or the subject matter, so it turned into nothing.
This winter, though, as I daily read The Economist and started listening to a lot more news and podcasts, I remembered anew how much I love the major I chose in college - International Relations with a Business concentration. I also love learning and miss being in school, as crazy as that sounds. So, after some time thinking about it, I decided to sign up for the GRE and pursue my graduate degree in International Relations!
When I told one friend this, she asked if I was looking for a career switch. Truth be told, I am not. It is true that physically and practically I won't be a wedding photographer forever, and of course I sometimes wonder what I will do afterwards. If I had to guess, this might be a 15-year plan, but I have no plans to stop doing what I love right now! All of this has stemmed from a lot of down time in the winter and remembering how much I love foreign relations and international politics.
So last month I took the GRE and this fall I will be attending Old Dominion University pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations. I know this will equate to a lot of school work, writing, reading, and possibly some late nights, but I think I'm up for the challenge! I can't wait to learn more and see where this road takes me.
Happy Monday, friends!
