Apparently school is forever

I went to my graduate school orientation yesterday - or, I should say, part of it. Although professional studenting is now my job, even I can only sit through so much talk about Information Technology and whatnot. But the thing that caught my attention was something the Dean of Graduate Studies said. That, on average, a PhD student in the humanities finishes his or her program in eight to ten years. Eight. To ten. Years.

That seems like a lot of years. My goal was to tell everyone I was shooting for seven years and be done in five. You know, be done in the early 30s to start making money again so I can buy expensive shirts and sunglasses. Of course, it's not like I'd rather be working for the next eight to ten, as opposed to schooling. But, so much for vacations, or nice dinners, or new clothes, or eating every day or leaving my apartment, ever.