Is this thing still on? Sorry about that. I've been gone for a little while. I got busy and realized last night that I really missed sharing things here and keeping my mind thinking. Since the world is ending on Friday I thought it would be nice to spend this week posting a few things on my blog.
Naturally, when not blogging for several months, things happen in life. Thanksgiving happened. That was pretty great. I am now involved with a lady-friend whose company I enjoy greatly. I applied to a graduate program. I got to see some friends and miss some friends. I made some new friends. I worked. Its been good.
When good things happen, I tend to get fairly excited about the future. Here are 5 things I'm looking forward to in the coming year.
1). Graduate School:
I've been debating about grad school for quite some time. I can recall talking about grad school when I first started working at my current job 2.5 years ago. Some friends are exhausted about hearing my plans, but they will be happy to know that I finally made a commitment. The application is complete!
Something finally clicked in me that it was time to start the process. I was sitting at work one day tired of organizing an event when I realized I needed something different. I read a blog about cities and had just done something cool in Detroit when I finally decided I needed to pursue urban planning. I have talked about it for years and always wanted to pursue it. Self-doubt has played a huge role in why I haven't pursued it, concentrated mostly in the idea that I have never taken part in anything urban planning related. But, my interests and my passion seem to be a good fit for the field and I crave the opportunity to see progress in places that are old. I'm fueled mostly by Detroit, but ultimately I have a love of cities.
As 2013 gets underway I am looking forward to the opportunities presented in grad school. I want the chance to mingle with others and think about ideas and study concepts. I want to learn again. And I want to challenge myself. Which leads to me being excited about...
2). Preparing for a Challenge:
I often go back and forth about my place in life. On the one hand, I tell myself I'm 25 years old, what could I possibly know? How could I possibly be a contributing member of society? And then I recall people who have done amazing things by the time they were 25 or cavemen who were the wise sages of their time. As I go through life I marvel at the fact that we have such an opportunity to challenge ourselves constantly. I think we are often pressured into finding that perfect career that motivates us, but in reality, we live in a time when it makes more sense to try many things. You either become an expert in something specialized or you go out and try new things.
For me, the only way to stay excited and motivated is to try new things. I get bored easily and that makes things challenging, but I liken it to the confidence gained in school. I always remember being slightly frightened as a freshman in high school, but marching in senior year with a smug confidence that only seniors could have. It was the, been-there, done-that mentality that sets in when you do the same thing for too long. While I've only been at my current job for a few years, I've been doing this job for much longer. Yes, I've learned new things along the way, but the fact remains that I'm bored. 2013 is the year for me to start challenging myself again. Really the last several months have been the start of that, but I look to 2013 as the year that it really takes off.
3). A Clearer Sense of Identity:
Is our generation doomed to take longer to leave the nest? Why does it seem like we have taken much longer to establish our identities? Perhaps it is over-protective parents or maybe it was the economy we were pushed into. Perhaps the world is just a tougher place to be in or maybe it was the onset of social media that allowed us to stay young for much longer. Or maybe we all take the same amount of time to establish ourselves, and my generation has taken the steps to clarify our identity more seriously; that we want to be defined by something other than our jobs and families.
I think these questions are only answered with more time, but I can say that writing personal statements for graduate school and discussing the motivations for pursuing a degree certainly help outline a sense of identity. I don't have it all figured out, but I do know things that motivate me. I see that when I talk about, think about, read about urban planning, I get an excitement in my heart and in my mind and I know I need to pursue it. It helps me to gain a sense of what I want to give back to the world, arguably the hardest question to answer.
4). I Am Going to Meet New People:
I love to meet new people. The past few years have been difficult living on my own in Detroit. I often use this as a crutch to complain and whine about how lonely I am and blah blah blah. The truth is, I am proud of the fact that I have survived on my own and explored some great things about the city. I am proud of the fact that even though no one followed me here, I have made steps to establish myself in the city.
This year I want to do more. I am ready to join a club or organization. Is it a running club? Maybe the community choir? Maybe its a group I don't know about yet or just plain volunteering. Whatever it is, I intend on being a part of something more to gain a new network of people. Old friends will always be a part of my life, but I will not be dominated by their absence. Instead, I plan on meeting new people to open the next chapter of my life.
5). I Am Going to Seattle:
Since middle school I have always wanted to go to Seattle. Seattle has consistently been near the top of my list of places I'd like to move and I have never been there. Along comes my girlfriend whose parents just moved to Seattle. So, I signed up for the Seattle Marathon in June and we are already actively planning our trip there. I am excited beyond my means.
The marathon should be a challenge. It is a hilly course. But, I'm very much looking forward to the sights and sounds of the city. I'm excited to travel to Seattle and visit a city that's been on my list for years. And I'm excited to travel with my girlfriend. So far, we're pretty good travel buddies.
So there you have it! 2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year. If the twists and turns of 2012 are any indication, 2013 will have its share of excitement that I am not anticipating. With any luck, by this time next year I will be elbow-deep in graduate school, completed my race in Seattle, and looking forward to celebrating 2014 with a new network of friends.
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