Bmore Mama, MS

Since 2009 seems to be the Year of the Complainer, at least on this blog, I will continue with my negative attitude and tell you one of my biggest pet peeves.

I study a lot at work. Well, not a lot. More like on and off. Last year I spent a lot of time studying for the ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist certification, which was a big deal. More recently, I've been studying a course on how to develop more productive exercise prescriptions for personal trainers. I have no qualms at all about studying for these things during the down time at work because it's my job that requires me to have these certifications. And they only pay for half. So they owe me.

Anyway, people in the fitness center notice me studying, and inevitably ask me if I'm doing schoolwork.

I know that seems like an innocent enough question. But here's my beef with it. I put a lot of time and effort into school. I earned a B.A. then went back on my own accord and completely my M.S. I want credit for that!

If these people are asking me about schoolwork, then they obviously think I'm in the process of completing a degree. Which implies to me that they either think that I don't have one, or that all I have is a BA. Which means that they think that my knowledge in my field would correspond to someone without a degree. Which is insulting to me since I am proud of my education.

I could go crazy with it. At my last job, there was a girl who signed everything Andrea B...., MS. Even personal notes or when she signed off on deliveries. She always had that MS in there. I could be crazy like that, but I'm modest about my MS. The only time I use it is when whatever I'm signing requires me to have it. For example, when I worked in cardiac rehab, the exercise physiologists had to have Masters degrees, so all my paperwork on the floor was signed MS. But at my current job, I don't sign anything MS.

So I guess I can't blame these people entirely for asking if I'm in school when they see me studying, but it still gets to me. I certainly don't want to be seen in the same regard as Blank Stare, education-wise.