Sometimes, it can feel like there just isn’t time to take anything else on. With midterms, papers, course registration, study abroad applications, club meetings and more, I have been putting off my summer plans like the plague. It was a near-monumental effort to simply register for an appointment to meet with CP&R.

I walked into the CP&R office unsure of what I really wanted and already anxious about my summer and beyond.

But I am so glad I did! CP&R is here to help get the ball rolling, and even though I can be a stubborn source of friction, talking with Rachael helped me outline a clear set of next steps to think about the future. Making a LinkedIn, taking a few career assessments, reaching out to contacts I have already built to discuss their paths. Deconstructing the huge question of “what on earth do I want to be doing” into a bunch of smaller, less threatening tasks, made thinking ahead seem instantly more manageable.  

She deconstructed the informational interview (the sound of which make me a little panicked) in a heartbeat. Instead of imagining an informational interview as a huge imposition and drain on a professional’s time, it is an opportunity for them to share their story.

“If someone asked you how you reached Scripps, would it feel like a burden to share your story?”

My immediate answer was of course not, I would love to talk to anyone considering Scripps. Having that lens through which to understand the informational interview made it slightly less scary.

Of course, agreeing to these steps in the cheery comfort of the CP&R office was not the same as actually carrying out every step of the plan. But I jotted the steps down in my planner, knowing they shouldn’t be pushed to the back burner any longer.

I drafted a list of contacts to reach out to, sent an email to a family connection, and let her know I was interested in hearing her story as an English major now in the environmental field. Anxiously, I waited for the email, halfway not wanting a response just in case it came with a response other than the one I was hoping for.  

Thankfully, I woke up the next morning to an enthusiastic email hoping to set up plans for coffee when I return home for winter break. I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Her casual tone and willingness to meet with me made me feel as though, perhaps, I have been a bit over distressed when it comes to the informational interview.

I am so thankful to CP&R for making sure I got the ball rolling. Now, I am building a list of other contacts to reach out to, and making a LinkedIn (just as soon as I have a good portrait). It felt like a momentous task to think about future plans, but it truly takes a slew of little steps. Getting in the habit of making this a part of my routine will be a bit of a challenge, but I know my future self with thank me for it!