I cannot believe how fast this semester (or this year!) has gone by… This time last year, I was stressing about my Research Design in Psychology final, packing up my double in GJW, and trying to enjoy my last week with the seniors. I was going home to St. Louis, MO to continue on my path towards being a zookeeper, and I was excited to see the monkeys and lemurs I had missed so much. This year is a little different. I’m still stressing about my finals, but less so, since I loved all my classes. I haven’t even considered packing yet, which is definitely going to cause problems. I’m still trying to make the most of the time left with our amazing seniors, but I know my friendships extend beyond just our campus. And the big one… For the first time ever, I’m not going home to St. Louis, MO and I won’t spend this summer in my khaki uniform creating enrichment for primates. I’m moving to San Francisco and I’m working at a tech company. I guess that’s kind of different.

I don’t think the khaki shorts and tan shirt stained with bleach will cut it in downtown San Francisco this summer…

I loved when I was asked in interviews, “So, you’ve worked in a zoo for three years. Now you want to work in Human Resources at our start-up?” I’m not sure why my enthusiastic, “Yes!” was always met with shock. This path seemed natural. I realized though I loved zookeeping, I couldn’t do it my whole life. After talking with some friends I realized I wanted to be a Pocket Scrippsie, and I looked for places I could make a difference. However, getting a job at those places was the tough part.

I’ve been applying for internships since October 2013. I finally accepted an internship in March 2014. It was a long time and a lot of work. But I don’t regret a second of it. All of that work brought me to where I am. Now, I know a lot about tech companies. I’ve learned so much about cover letter and resume writing. I’ve experienced the painful waiting period when all of the applications are turned in and then you wait and hope to hear back.

Somehow, all of that work made it feel even better when I made it. I did it. I’m still amazed that it happened. When I started applying people told me, “Don’t worry. You’ll get something.” “Give it time, you’ll find something.” “Of course you’ll find something!” I honestly didn’t believe them. Nothing indicated that this dream I came up with on a whim could actually happen.

But it did.

So to anyone who is reading this and has a similarly impossible dream, I say: GO FOR IT. If not now, then when? Right now is when we can take chances and try new things and find our path. PUT IN THE EFFORT, it’s worth it. I sent out twenty-one applications, and heard back from six. Don’t let that get you down. You have an amazing community supporting you. I know I couldn’t have done it without constant encouragement from fellow Scrippsies, professors, and of course, everyone at CP&R. So TALK TO PEOPLE and ASK FOR HELP. ASK QUESTIONS and DO NOT ASK FOR PERMISSION. You have every right to try for that dream, no matter how unattainable it might seem. You might not get it, but you’ll have met great people, learned a lot, and you might even find a job better suited for you. It never hurts to try.

I’m trading my khaki shorts for dark-wash-jeans and my hose for a laptop. I’m working inside at a desk rather than climbing exhibits and washing dishes. At the beginning of the year my resume said Primate House Intern, Advocate, and Peer Mentor, by this time next year it will say HR/Operations Intern, Advocates Leadership, and Career Consultant. And who knows? It might have another job title I haven’t anticipated yet. But I can tell you that all the work that went into getting these jobs was unquestionably worth it.

If I can go from cleaning exhibits and feeding animals in St. Louis, MO to designing trainings and working on organizational development in San Francisco, CA, those unimaginable dreams must be worthwhile

Go for it. This is the time, because we’re Scrippsies. And, as always, we do what we want.