Hi folks, long time lurker, first time poster. I have a few options on what I can do with my spare time this upcoming year, and I would like input on which option is most likely to set me up for success.
Option 1: Currently I'm a programmer for a fairly prestigious film festival. This is a side gig that pays me $1500, but when broken down hourly I'm making less than minimum wage. I'm afraid to calculate how much less. Comes with some cool perks, I'm passionate about it and have volunteered with the festival several years, and I get to meet cool/influential people that could possibly help me in my field (non-profit/arts world).
Option 2: I work for a university and could get a free MPA. School isn't that hard for me, but I'm sure this would take up a fair amount of time as I want to finish in under 2 years. Apparently the program is not too challenging. Hopefully this would lead to higher pay in the future, but do Master's degrees actually mean that much of a pay raise anymore?
Option 3: Working on side projects that I haven't had time to because I typically have worked several jobs. Now that I have my stable university job, I could focus on starting my blog or freelance writing, which I have done successfully in the past.
What do you think will set me up best for future success? Should I attempt all 3 at once? I'm in my late twenties and have moderate (no longer boundless) energy and usually work at least 45 hrs a week.