The hidden perks of grad school

When I was in grad school, I couldn't wait to get out. The learning curve was distressingly steep, everyone seemed to know more than I did, and I was scraping by at just above the poverty line. That's why, after successfully convincing the university that I could graduate without being a total embarrassment, I was thrilled to take a job with a small nongovernmental organization that provides outdoor environmental education and habitat restoration activities to the local community. Just 1 year in the rat race, however, has given me a new perspective. I'm just far enough removed from graduate school to look back fondly on many of the experiences I had and to truly appreciate some of the lessons I learned.