A few weeks ago, I went to the Lazarus Center (Bringing your career back from the dead since March 2012!), also known as the Career Development Office. (It's named after an alum, not the Biblical Lazarus, but I still can't hear the name without thinking of one or two snarky quips.) The Lazarus Center sends hella emails that nobody actually reads about how to ace an interview/score an internship/arise from the mailroom, and since I have a keen desire to succeed, I made an appointment with an advisor to discuss my Future. He turned out to be unbelievably kind and supportive, gave me a ton of really valuable advice, and directed me to some very helpful people. It was a really great experience!
Today, I went to another super-helpful resource that I had not previously given much thought: the Jacobson Center. The Jacobson Center helps with writing assignments: you make an appointment, upload your essay a few days in advance, then go in to get feedback from someone other than your professor. I admit, I didn't go of my own accord; my Bio professor assigned us a case study paper and one of the essay requirements was a visit to the Jacobson Center. There's a person who specializes in science writing, but she was swamped, so I just made an appointment with someone who was available when I was. He was a very pleasant man; though he admitted to being out of his element, he gave me some very helpful advice. I know how to properly use footnotes now! (My high school insisted on MLA and parenthetical citations regardless of the subject, so I'm shaky on other citation styles.) Because my paper was only a page long, our appointment was pretty snappy, but I feel good knowing that my argument is logical and coherent and that the joke I made at the end is amusing.
I wonder what my next adventure will be. Maybe I'll go to the Center for Work & Life. I'm not 100% sure what they do, but I could explore.... still, that might have to be an adventure for next semester. The year is rapidly coming to a close (why yes, that is extraordinarily nerve-wracking! Thank you for asking!) and I'm trying to crack down and focus on what's right in front of me.
Showing posts with label life plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life plan. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Year in Review
On Boxing Day I made a big decision: I am not going abroad in my junior year. With this new development in mind, today I revised my life plan and it is now much more manageable. Still not looking forward to taking physics, but hopefully it will improve the way I look at movement and the human body rather than make me tear my hair out. Over the past few days, all I've thought about is the future, so I think I'll take a break and spend a moment considering the past.
All things considered, my year has been good but not great. I declared my major, figured out what direction I wanted my life to take, choreographed a piece by myself that really came together, and was a kitchen manager for a brief period. This semester, I learned more about movement than I have in years in the strangest ways. I learned that listening to your body and moving the way it's pushing you to move opens up untapped treasures of knowledge: an unconventional thought, but it's the truth. Declaring as dance major has done me good, and will do me good, and I say, "God bless it!"
I've also experienced a lot of stress and pain. Half of my Smith friends went on medical leave this year, I lost an extraordinary cat, and I learned that the life of a baker is less about people extolling the virtues of your flaky pie crust and more about rolling dough alone in the kitchen while your friends have a dance party without you. I've felt hurt and betrayed. I've felt lonely and lost and angry, but I can always find solace in God and a good dance class.
TRIGGER WARNING: SOPPILY RELIGIOUS. I was very slipshod this semester; I didn't go to Mass nearly as often as I should have and I still haven't been to confession. Of course, at camp, I couldn't go to Mass, which led me to realize that I feel more comfortable when I know that there's a Catholic church near wherever I'm living. I need to know that I can get to a church when I need to, and I have to attend Mass regularly so I know automatically where to turn. The most difficult times for me are the times when there is nothing I can do to change a situation, and those are the times when I need to remember that God is always there.
I'm very lucky to have good friends and good people in my life. I have friends I can count on, who made me a birthday cake with a swan on it, who watched Legend of Korra with me, beatbox like champs, were guinea pigs for choreography even though they don't know how to dance. I've even made some new friends this semester! I will never stop being grateful for these crazy beautiful people who bring color and texture and life-sized mannequins into my world.
I won't be sorry to see this year end, but I look forward to becoming a better, smarter, kinder, stronger person than I am now. I'm going to win at 2013.
All things considered, my year has been good but not great. I declared my major, figured out what direction I wanted my life to take, choreographed a piece by myself that really came together, and was a kitchen manager for a brief period. This semester, I learned more about movement than I have in years in the strangest ways. I learned that listening to your body and moving the way it's pushing you to move opens up untapped treasures of knowledge: an unconventional thought, but it's the truth. Declaring as dance major has done me good, and will do me good, and I say, "God bless it!"
I've also experienced a lot of stress and pain. Half of my Smith friends went on medical leave this year, I lost an extraordinary cat, and I learned that the life of a baker is less about people extolling the virtues of your flaky pie crust and more about rolling dough alone in the kitchen while your friends have a dance party without you. I've felt hurt and betrayed. I've felt lonely and lost and angry, but I can always find solace in God and a good dance class.
TRIGGER WARNING: SOPPILY RELIGIOUS. I was very slipshod this semester; I didn't go to Mass nearly as often as I should have and I still haven't been to confession. Of course, at camp, I couldn't go to Mass, which led me to realize that I feel more comfortable when I know that there's a Catholic church near wherever I'm living. I need to know that I can get to a church when I need to, and I have to attend Mass regularly so I know automatically where to turn. The most difficult times for me are the times when there is nothing I can do to change a situation, and those are the times when I need to remember that God is always there.
I'm very lucky to have good friends and good people in my life. I have friends I can count on, who made me a birthday cake with a swan on it, who watched Legend of Korra with me, beatbox like champs, were guinea pigs for choreography even though they don't know how to dance. I've even made some new friends this semester! I will never stop being grateful for these crazy beautiful people who bring color and texture and life-sized mannequins into my world.
I won't be sorry to see this year end, but I look forward to becoming a better, smarter, kinder, stronger person than I am now. I'm going to win at 2013.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Scheduling my life
I've kinda-sorta registered for all my classes for spring semester! And they are as follows:
Organic Chemistry
Cell Biology
Dance in the New Millennium (300-level)
Dance in the Community
Ballet IV
I'm especially excited for Dance in the Community, because we'll get to perform for people and teach dance workshops! It'll be amazing! I was planning on taking Statistics, but I think that'll have to happen over the summer while I do my PRAXIS. I'm sure it'll be easier than taking Bio over the summer. This is more of a balance between science and dance, plus I'll take care of one of my 300 level requirements.
As usual, an evening of tweaking my schedule turned into obsessing over graduate school. (Yessssss.) BU actually seems like it's trying to seduce me, with its 99.5% graduation rate and 100% of its student body finding jobs within 6 months after graduation. I would love to stay in Massachusetts, and I'd especially love to stay in Boston. I like the idea of moving to a city and discovering it for myself. Caroline lived in Boston a few summers ago and my mom went there for undergrad, but I've only been twice and I'd love to explore and learn about it. I think it would be an excellent place to hide in my apartment and study, but I guess pretty much any city is suited for those purposes.
Organic Chemistry
Cell Biology
Dance in the New Millennium (300-level)
Dance in the Community
Ballet IV
I'm especially excited for Dance in the Community, because we'll get to perform for people and teach dance workshops! It'll be amazing! I was planning on taking Statistics, but I think that'll have to happen over the summer while I do my PRAXIS. I'm sure it'll be easier than taking Bio over the summer. This is more of a balance between science and dance, plus I'll take care of one of my 300 level requirements.
As usual, an evening of tweaking my schedule turned into obsessing over graduate school. (Yessssss.) BU actually seems like it's trying to seduce me, with its 99.5% graduation rate and 100% of its student body finding jobs within 6 months after graduation. I would love to stay in Massachusetts, and I'd especially love to stay in Boston. I like the idea of moving to a city and discovering it for myself. Caroline lived in Boston a few summers ago and my mom went there for undergrad, but I've only been twice and I'd love to explore and learn about it. I think it would be an excellent place to hide in my apartment and study, but I guess pretty much any city is suited for those purposes.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Life plan UPDATE!
Spring schedule: completed! I'll be taking Organic Chemistry, Statistics, Cell Bio, and Ballet IV (finally!). It'll be heavy, but I won't have to take a class over the summer with Bio out of the way. I can focus on working with a physical therapist and maybe even get a weekend job. How crazy is it that I know where I'd want to apply? I have pretty kickass credentials on account of being a kitchen manager at 18, so I'd have a decent shot working the grills somewhere, and I know just which places hire for the summer. I will be successful through sheer force of will.
17 credits and a ballet class to boot. It feels really good to be so driven again.
17 credits and a ballet class to boot. It feels really good to be so driven again.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Rigid schedule
I am a very Type-A person, and I can prove it! I have a life plan: on my parents' refrigerator, there is a chart that maps every remaining semester of college (and summers) and the classes I need to take if I want to apply to physical therapy programs. Guess what? None of these classes are associated with the dance major! Tra la la. This semester, I have embarked on my life plan by taking Chemistry. Next semester, I'll be taking Chem II and Statistics. This summer, I'll do my PRAXIS at a physical therapy clinic and take Cell Biology. It feels good to have things planned out.
However, life is messy, and things get stuck in the creek sometimes. This week I decided that I had to drop a work shift. Rather, my mother told me that my schedule is insane and I should drop a work shift. Of course, she was right, but I stressed out over it anyway.
To put this in perspective, my Wednesday schedule is as follows:
11:00-12:10--> Chemistry
12:10-12:30--> Eat lunch en route to the Quad
12:30-5:15--> Work
5:30-6:00--> Dinner
6:15--> Take bus to Hampshire
7:00-9:00--> Class screening
9:10--> Bus home
9:30--> Arrive home, start homework
Yes, I have a late start to my day, but it's still crazy and I don't ever have time to eat. This change will be for the best. Now all I have to do is plan my spring schedule!
However, life is messy, and things get stuck in the creek sometimes. This week I decided that I had to drop a work shift. Rather, my mother told me that my schedule is insane and I should drop a work shift. Of course, she was right, but I stressed out over it anyway.
To put this in perspective, my Wednesday schedule is as follows:
11:00-12:10--> Chemistry
12:10-12:30--> Eat lunch en route to the Quad
12:30-5:15--> Work
5:30-6:00--> Dinner
6:15--> Take bus to Hampshire
7:00-9:00--> Class screening
9:10--> Bus home
9:30--> Arrive home, start homework
Yes, I have a late start to my day, but it's still crazy and I don't ever have time to eat. This change will be for the best. Now all I have to do is plan my spring schedule!
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