The Pursuit of a Higher Degree

With bated breath she waited for the light on the wall to turn green. Her fingers hovered over the keys of the keyboard knowing if she dared to press a key before the timer started, she would be immediately disqualified. Her fingers ached and twitched, ready for action.

At 25, Els was finally of the age to pursue a higher degree. She had read documentaries of the times in the past when someone barely out of childhood was able to go into “college” and pursue a degree. After so many years of trillions of dollars in student debt for society overall, the government had stepped in and changed to more stringent requirements for higher degrees. Now one went to school for eight years, starting in kinder and ending in 7th grade. Then it was expected that one would go to work at a trade after their elementary studies.

Now to be eligible for higher education one must show excellence at the trade job they acquired. Then, a brief period must be lived abroad. At one time this meant leaving the country, but as funds become tighter in the nation, the requirement changed to where time abroad just meant outside of the home one was raised in, and away from one’s parent figures. Also, most importantly, one must show means of paying for the degree to be earned. Lastly, one must tell extensively in an interview why they should be allowed in a higher degree program before being accepted.

Els’ plan of payment for the institution all revolved around winning the yearly Vocal contest. One hundred winners, out of the nation, were awarded prize money each year to be used for higher education degrees. If Els did not win this challenge, she would not be allowed to even apply.

Her family was counting on her. All her life she had kept a journal, and in school she excelled in any writing course. She was a writer at heart, and out of her family, she had the best chance at winning the contest. Also, she had younger siblings that would have a better chance at going to institution if she was able to earn a degree. She had to win!

The seconds ticked by slowly. She stared so long and hard at the light, waiting for the change in color that she almost missed when it happened. It took hearing others in the room clacking on keys for a moment before her mind registered that this was it!

She quickly entered her credentials and then clicked on the link which took her to a new window which told her the challenge topic. She knew she had just one hour to not only finish her entry but to also proofread and make the necessary edits. If she had too many errors, her story would immediately be disqualified.

The topic was one that she had practiced and written about recently, while preparing for the contest.

“How would winning this contest change your life?”

She knew she had to write from the heart, but not become a beggar with her answer. She knew she would mention her dream of not only seeing her siblings reach higher degree potential, but also one day watching others under her tutelage spread their wings in the world and take flight. As she was typing out this thought, she bolded that section. It was a little sappy, but she liked the way the words set a visual.

Her dream vocation was to be a higher institution professor. She loved the idea of watching people’s individual lightbulbs turn on as they were able to master a new concept. She already loved helping her younger siblings understand their elementary lessons and reach for new goals. She had been impressed after watching her own mother catch onto a lesson while she had been tutoring her younger sister. Her mother’s eyes lit up with a childlike, youthful hunger. She had afterwards started taking the time to go over her siblings’ home studies with her mom. Her mother’s quick mind and love of new knowledge had awakened a skill in Els that she had not even realized she possessed. To teach children was special, but to teach adults was a true calling.

She looked at the clock to make sure she was still doing good on time. She wrote of watching her mother’s eyes light up at each new challenge and how she wanted to be there when other people learned new ideas. She wrote how the money earned would pay for her degree, allowing her to earn more money, and thus allowing her family to become more self sufficient. She wrote how winning would change her life and thereby send ripples out to those around her as well.

As she was finishing her proofreading, she glanced around her and saw how involved everyone else was in trying to win the challenge. No doubt they all had great plans for winning the prize money and earning a higher degree. She thought for a moment, what would make her stand out amongst all these others who were typing out their stories on the same topic as her?

It came to her, that someone had to read all these entries. No one ever knew truly who judged the competition. Someone had the job though. Someone had to pick who would have the be the winner, knowing that their decision could have the direst consequences if a wrong candidate was chosen. Having a chance at a higher degree could very well mean life or death for one’s family when it came to smaller families with less people to work trade jobs. How hard would that decision be to make each time of year the contest was held?

She decided in that quick moment that she would add to her entry. She still had time after her second proofreading. She wrote as her finishing sentence “Also, if I was chosen as a Vocal Contest Winner I would be willing to help judge next year’s contest, and any and all future contests that come along, as long as I am able.” She then hit the Submit button and hoped for the best.

It would be a month before the winners would be announced. She knew she would have to keep busy with her work at the local bakery to keep her mind occupied. Her and her mother often worked the same shifts but today she had taken the later shift so she would have time to enter the contest. She walked along, hoping that maybe her last sentence might appeal in a way that no one else’s entry would. She could only hope.