[xenithorb]

I agree with you, and I would love to actually have the time to dedicate to such a focus. What ends up happening in reality, however, is the tradeoff between having a roof over your head, and learning. I'm not sure I'm well versed enough yet at being a civilian worker, and still having enough time to dedicate to learning what it is I want to know.

In other words, I look at your post and thing "YES, Great! I would love to do all those things!," when I come back down to reality and realize that I'll need to spend the majority of my time making slightly more than minimum wage to support myself, just to have a place to sleep. While some learning can be accomplished in the downtime, we both know it can't be done as fast or as efficiently as a full-time student's dedication.

[lbo]

Some jobs are better suited to learning than others. Whether it's working at a public library, being a night-shift security guard, or any other job that would allow you access to a computer (having persistent internet isn't even necessary). What you can get away with is different at different jobs. If you're motivated, you'd be amazed how much you can learn on top of having a full time job--often much more than the average full-time student absorbs. Are you leaning more toward redirecting your learning toward something you can pick up more easily or toward giving up on higher education in general?