On The Blog Title..

by Christin

I’ve never really blogged before, so getting into this whole deal is new to me.  But I love writing, so I figured a blog entry would be the perfect way to plow through my Friday afternoon fatigue (side note: I obviously wrote most of this blog on Friday afternoon).  I know if I write a whole book on here Jake will make fun of me, so I’ll try not to get off track! 

Over the past month or so we had been dragging our feet about getting this blog up and running…mostly due to the fact that we couldn’t come up with a good blog name.  I was trying to think of something clever, fun, and alliterative that rhymed with “career”, “adventure”, or “journey”, but when Jake suggested the current title, I thought it perfectly described what we do here at the CPDC as well as the state of my own life.  It also serves as the perfect topic for my first blog entry EVER!

The age old question of “what should I do with my life?” is something I still continually ask myself, even as a graduate student and intern in the Career and Professional Development Center, of all places.  I’m sure you are thinking, shouldn’t she at least have some idea of what she wants to do with her life?  I do.  Sometimes.  Depending on the day and my current situation.  I’m incredibly fickle, so there are some days when I’m sure about my life and have a clear direction and other days where I haven’t a clue.

There was a time when I sincerely wished an email that told me what I should do with my life, and how I should do it, would show up in my inbox.  But over the past few years I have found, and continue to find, that the career journey is infinitely as important as the destination.  The confusion, the indecision, and the apprehension toward decisions about one’s future are all normal feelings to have.  I would venture to say not having all the answers is even good.  It forces you to be introspective, to try new things, and to step outside of your comfort zone. 

I know this has been incredibly true in my own life.  The risk-taking, new experiences, and feelings of being uncomfortable have all led to my own self-discovery, particularly in figuring out my own calling.  I am finally starting to figure out what exactly “I should do with my life”, and every experience I have had, both good and bad, had helped me to do this.

I know I risk sounding cliché, but life is a journey, and one’s career path is no different.  Everyone is at a different point on the map, and takes a different route to get to their destination.  And now time for my CPDC related shameless plug…There’s a reason that one of our office’s many resources on career exploration is called TartanGPS.  It helps you focus on your own career exploration through the lens of a journey, and it meets you where you are.  So be okay with where you are, and trust this whole process!

As you reflect on your own journey, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about mine as I continually seek to discover “what I should do with my life”.