life | Beyond the Elms

I’m sure at one point or another, we have all heard this phrase,”the world is your oyster.” To those not too familiar with shellfish or the metaphor, let’s dig deep into the land of endless unknown possibilities that lie ahead of us after our collegiate journey.

Best believe it! Photo via Cutest Blog

While growing up, you often hear other kids say, “I want to be the President” or “I want to be a firefighter,” and even “I want to be an astronaut.” Kids with their delightful sense of innocence don’t limit their career opportunities. They dream with their eyes open, thinking of professions that excite them and make them happy.

Now as we grow up, we tend to shed those beliefs and even subject them to criticism, claiming that they are overly optimistic and land in the territory of impossible childhood dreams. But I think there is a lot to be said about an imaginative, creative, and hopeful childlike perspective to career searching.

Now on the other side of the coin, I agree that in the current job market and in every job market one must be practical. Jobs aren’t going to find themselves and you must be efficient, strategic, and persistent in pursuing your ideal work environment. But should this mature and “adult like” strategy cost us our simple childhood dream-like-perspective? Well… simply put, no. We can actually learn about our current selves from our past selves.

Throughout the years, I have heard many stories from different mentors in my life including internship advisers, professors, and my boss that what you study in college and pursue in an undergraduate world of academia is not a buy-all end-all product. Why limit the possibilities of our potential career path when we know this little unpredictable thing called life somehow always gets in the way?

You make plans, they change, and as a result you follow the curve ball that gets thrown at you. So listen up folks, don’t take yourselves too seriously. Be focused, deliberate, practical, and strategic while in college. By all means have a 2 year plan or heck have a 6 year plan and try to stick to it. Be intentional when picking a major. Think, “what kinds of opportunities could this track lead me down? Is this realistic for the life that I have envisioned for myself? Does this provide meaning and satisfaction in my life? Does this make me happy?”

But when life picks you up, drops you down, and puts you in an unfamiliar position. Ya get back up and you go with the flow; you’ve got no other choice. So channel that inner child within you and keep dreaming, because who knows maybe that one dream writing job is waiting for you but you’re too busy complaining about your current job to even notice. After all imagination is key, don’t believe me, well you must believe my dear friend Albert.

You can’t argue with the one the only Albert Einstein! Photo via Picture Quotes

Now “you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one!” So as we move forward, let’s not only imagine all the people living life in peace but also all the people loving their jobs because they trusted themselves and their dreams enough to get them there!

Imagine. Photo via John Lennon Facts

Peace out folks,

Isabella

Life can be messy. Especially during midterms and the stress of college life. Fortunately, I am able to call myself a very organized and productive person, so my mess didn’t amount to too much. While I came into college very well prepared, there are still a few tricks that I’ve learned from my first year here so far.

First, I always make sure to get things done pretty quickly after they’re assigned. If I am assigned a paper on Monday that is due on Friday, I will start working on it that day. While I won’t necessarily sit down and write it all at once, it is easier to space it out and get it done. I also then don’t have to stress about it on the day that it is due.

Also, I’ve gotten very good at scheduling out my time. I give myself an hour to do something and tell myself to finish it within that period, and I usually will. You have to set aside all distractions and use time to focus yourself. That way you won’t have any wasted time!

It is also important to prioritize what you are going to spend time on. While there may have been a few Core readings that didn’t happen (oops…), it’s because my writing paper was due the next day and was much more important to finish. And that’s ok! As long as you make an effort to learn what you missed, and catch up on the information later, it’s best to get done what you need to.

Surprisingly, I have not yet been overly distracted by Netflix. Though it’s hard to refrain from watching the millions of hours of TV and movies, use it sparingly to provide yourself with a well-earned break. And definitely make sure that you take breaks and give yourself some time to breathe.

I have also found my little corner in the butt of Clark that keeps me focused on my work and where I won’t be distracted. It’s good to have a place that signifies work and motivates you!

As with college, all of these skills are applicable to many other aspects of life. Overall, I try to accept life with open arms instead of running after it trying to catch up. While each person has their own ideas that work for them, it’s definitely better to be on top than to suffer from being run over by life.

Beyond the Elms

Exploring Careers with Scripps Students

Tag Archives: life

The World is Your Oyster

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