Life Is Not An Emergency

     Last Thursday night the MCIS Graduate Student Association hosted a talk with Tim Pernetti, the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University.
     Although Pernetti's talk made a slew of amazing points, his talk focused on the importance of communication and the building of relationships throughout one's career and one's life in general.
     Pernetti also mentioned something that really struck me. In a moment of somewhat craziness at a point in his earlier life, his wife sent him a text saying, "Life is not an emergency." Pernetti said he saved that text in that phone for as long as he kept it, and tried to look at it everyday (even though he wasn't sure what she meant by it).
     Even if Pernetti wasn't sure what his wife meant by it ... I know what I can take away from it ... So get ready for a longggg entry!
   
     I have been acting as if I need to have everything figured out right now. I came out of college hoping for a career in journalism ... But it was the year of the ultimate suckage. 2009. My fellow graduates and I grew up thinking we would leave with all the opportunity in the world that our amazing institution offered us then the world threw us a major curve ball. I applied for hundreds of jobs. Got tons of rejection letters. Got three interviews. One offer but then life threw me another major curve ball in the form of illness (but that's a whole different story). Long story short, a year went by without any luck. I ended up working at NJ Books in New Brunswick.
     After a while, I decided I would go back to for graduate school - something I had always considered but didn't know where or when. I applied to several programs and got accepted to four programs. In the end it came down to Rutgers and Villanova. I visited Villanova and although I liked it, and the program looked really great ... I didn't have it in my heart to leave the place that offered me so many opportunities, and gave me so many memories, and helped cultivate relationships that will last a lifetime ... So I went with Rutgers.

     Last semester, after taking some classes on Communication and thinking about my past experiences at Rutgers as an undergraduate, I have realized where my passions lie and what I want to really do with my life. Although journalism is still a love of mine, as is writing (hence this blog), I realized that I love working with students. I started substitute teaching, and although I love being in the classroom, I really love working with college students. I did it all through my undergraduate years and want to do it continuously ...
     But now people are telling me I picked the wrong Master's program. They are telling me I should have mastered in Student Affairs, and maybe they have a point. But, on the other hand, I looked into a couple of those programs ... and looked into those classes, and I honestly didn't think it was worth it ... "Introduction to Working With Students" ... Done. "Student Leadership" ... Done. "Psychology of Learning." ... Done. (I was a Psych minor!) ... Seriously! Who needs a piece of paper they worked a year-and-a-half, two years for telling them they have the ability to work with students when I have four years experience doing it?!
    I worked with the Off-Campus Students' Association for three and a half years, two of those as their treasurer and community service representative and one as their vice-president. I spent that time mentoring off-campus and commuter students and planning events for them and I enjoyed every minute of it. I met some of my best friends through that organization. I saw couples meet and marry through that organization. It was one of the best experiences I had in college. I also was involved with New Student Orientation. I served as an Orientation Leader for a year and as an Orientation Team Leader for another year. That had to be the one of the best things I ever did at Rutgers. I was able to meet amazing people, but also realized that working with new students was one of the most rewarding experiences and one of the most fun experiences ever. I loved planning the orientation and enacting the plans afterward. I loved helping the students and parents understand the workings of this large institution and telling them why I loved it. In a way it was like marketing. As an Orientation Team Leader, I loved leading my team of OL's and helping them help the new students. That was just as rewarding.

Off-Campus Students' Association Annual Halloween Party, 2007

     In addition to those two amazing programs, I also got involved with Greek Life on campus. I met an amazing woman in one of my classes junior year who asked me to come out to a recruitment event at Alpha Chi Omega. I got a bid that night (went through formal recruitment) decided AXO was the place for me, and the rest is history! I am still an active alumni and I love going back to help the chapter and mentor the younger girls there. I want to see the chapter be the best it can be and grow to their best potential.

Alpha Chi Omega, Dance Marathon 2010

     Those were not the only activities I was involved with as an undergrad. I also wrote for The Daily Targum and was a member of Circle K International, and Rutgers Big Buddy. I loved visiting my Little Buddy, Jose, at the elementary school.
     I think it's clear that I have a firm foundation working with students and even though people are consistently telling me I am in the wrong program ... and telling me that I should stick with journalism ... And even though I have applied for dozens of jobs at Rutgers and have failed miserably at several interviews (I have a phobia of those things!) ... and have gotten a couple of rejection letters ... and have gotten a dozen people ignore my resume ... and have people tell me I am too overqualified for some jobs ... and have some people tell me I am too under-qualified for other jobs ... I realized that "Life is not an emergency."
     And, one day, I don't know how ... But I will get a job working in this field. I may have to start out small. Maybe at a community college. Maybe sweeping floors at Rutgers (I'm apparently overqualified ... But shouldn't I decide that?!) But one day, I will make it. Maybe not now. Maybe not tomorrow or next week or next year. But one day ... I will work in this field with students because that's what I want to do and that's what I am passionate about and that's what my heart is set on. But right now ... I'm just going to slow down and take it easy and worry about making it to the end of the semester and worry about tomorrow when it gets here. Because that just makes like a whole lot easier.

"Wake up in the morning, get to living my life, making sure that I'm all that I can be ... So now I'm slowing it down and I'm looking around and I'm lovin' this town and I'm doing all right, Ain't worried about nothin' except for the man I wanna be ..." (Roll With Me - Montgomery Gentry)