Alright, so I’m a little behind on this blog post. But life’s been a wee bit hectic lately. And, I’m still within the first week of 2011, so really…I’m totally fine.
I have been in Chicago for about 5 days now, and just got internet about a day ago. That, coupled with a new apartment, numerous errands to run, a new city, new classes, etc. has been a lot to handle and thus I’ve fallen behind a bit on my blog.
Anyway, there are two more blogs in addition to this one coming up (maybe three?), hopefully in the next few days (maybe even today?? Hey, I have ambitions!)….
Ok, so as part of the end of 2010 I wanted to take a look back at the year and share some thoughts I had on what’s been going on.
So, the beginning of last year started off a brand new journey for me (much like this year). I moved to Washington, D.C. to begin an internship with the U.S. Department of State. If you want to read some of those blogs, you can find them HERE.
While I was in D.C. I couldn’t wait to leave. There was a blizzard which was fun for the first few days, but eventually the mystique of that wore off when the whole city was shut down and I had nothing to do and nowhere to go. But, of course, the minute I left D.C. I was ready to go back.
My time in D.C. was something I’ll never forget and an experience to….well, actually I am at a loss as to how to describe my time in D.C. On the one hand, I got to work at the State Department, sit in on meetings planning events for the President and Secretary of State, go to events with Sec. Clinton, and visit tons of interesting places in D.C.
On the other hand, if I had known then just how tough the job market was going to be, I probably would have taken that time to apply for full-time positions and really focus my energy there. Or, at the very least, I would have taken a position that paid (the internship didn’t). So I am torn as to if I would consider my internship in D.C. a good decision or not.
After I came back from D.C. I applied to jobs like it was goin’ out of style. In total, I applied to over 200 jobs. That is a lot. I applied and interviewed for jobs in Atlanta, Nashville, Washington state, Denver, Washington D.C. etc. Some of the jobs just weren’t the right fit, some I wasn’t completely qualified for and some just didn’t work out.
In the summer I moved to Denver. “Moved.” Well, I’m sitting in Chicago right now, so it’s pretty obvious how that worked out. The biggest mistake with that journey was saying I was going to move, when really I should have called it a visit. But NO…I drove all my shit across the damn country. And then promptly drove it right back across the country. Whoops.
After arriving to Denver I quickly realized something just felt “off.” It just wasn’t the place for me. I don’t even know how to properly explain it other than it must have been some kind of gut instinct.
Anyway after I got back I reapplied for jobs, continued the same process over again. I had nixed the idea of grad school from the get-go, determining it just wasn’t the right thing for me.
I don’t know if any of you watch “How I Met Your Mother,” but I’m starting to appreciate that show more and more. Basically, the show describes a man’s journey through life, and how random events and circumstances later lead him to meet his wife.
Now, I’m not saying I’m on the journey to meet my husband or anything (although I guess, technically, if I ever get married I am indeed on the journey to meet my husband..but anyway), but I am starting to see how the little disappointments and set backs in life have created my current circumstances.
For instance, that D.C. internship I’m not so sure about? Well a requirement of that internship was that you had to be accepted into a grad school program if you had graduated. Well, up until that point I had no real interest in grad school, but decided to apply just a) for the heck of it, and b) because I was interested in the program. If I hadn’t decided to do that program I never would have applied to grad school.
Also, all of those disappointments and interviews, etc…? Well, obviously, if I had gotten a job I wouldn’t be here right now. I wouldn’t be in grad school. I always thought it was stupid for people to go to grad school just because they couldn’t find a job. And maybe it is. But I’m seeing it differently now. Now, I see these job rejections and the current economy as a way to get me into grad school and a way to get me to Chicago. I truly feel like this is where I’m supposed to be right now, and if it weren’t for the somewhat disastrous events of last year, I know I wouldn’t be here.
At the end of last year I completed a (paid!) internship with a local company in Knoxville and was able to save money for my trip to Chicago. I was able to enjoy Oak Ridge and time with my family before I left, and come to peace (well sort of…I also spent a lot of time stressing) about my impending move.
I had a great, fabulous, amazing (maybe best ever) Christmas with my mom and sister, and loved spending time with my peeps before I left.
So that’s the year in review…it’s really hard to believe it’s been a year since then, because I feel like it was just a few weeks ago I was getting to D.C. Next up, some goals for 2011.
Parting Pictures…some of my favorites from 2010:
From DC:
From July 4th with the family:
From Colorado backyard:
From a UT football game in the Fall:
From Christmas (I don’t care if the exposure is all wrong):
