Two Years After Graduating

Reflecting about how far I have come from graduating in the spring of 08' got me feeling grateful, proud, and accomplished. I have blogged about my graduation experience already but remembering how the job market & economy took a huge hit for the worse is something I will never forget. Going to New York as everything was unveiling was an incredible experience -It was September 14th and remember going out to a 6am breakfast and reading the headline of the Fresno Bee saying Bank of America bought Merril Lynch.  That was the moment I realized that things were about to get really bad.  September 15th, I took my first steps in New York City in the midst of chaos.  I was immersed in it all, with eyes wide open.  It was so intriguing and I was along for the ride!  I was already curious about the city so this spiced things up even more.  Knowing that New York is a powerful city, I realized that if the United States is in trouble then New York would be one of the first places to show the effects, and it was.  Downtown Manhattan was shot.  Late night shows mocked the financial district and execs along with Sarah Palin. Everything that I witnessed will always be in memory. It was a turning point in America and in my life as a young adult and recent graduate.

Now that it is Spring 10', I am proud to say that I am a graduate student and have a great job doing what I went to school for.  This makes me very appreciative because not everyone gets a job in their field of interest.  Let alone, not everyone chooses the right career for themselves.  I believe, without hesitation, from the declaration of my major that I chose the right one.  I am extremely content that I am at the beginning of my career and am confident that I will grow and led a healthy career.  I am thankful.

I will say that education is not the only key to success. Determination, passion and motivation are extremely important.  If you have these things, I firmly believe that you can do anything. Education will help get you there but sometimes I feel like a degree is over rated.  Experience is pertinent and if you already have the connections then you can jump right in to a field.  I am not devaluing education.  I just believe that a big part of higher education is for the purpose of an intellectual pursuit. I love learning and enjoy the master program that I am in and am an advocate of education but what I have realized that educations is not the only thing you need to be successful that it can be the smallest fraction of the whole package.  Don't get me wrong, I would never take back my college experience, I'm just saying that I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket.

I have realized that going for my masters is an intellectual pursuit. Yes, it can further my career but I am not banking on it.  I enjoy the knowledge and soak it all in and will pass it down to generations.  That is what I love about learning, you can turn it around and use it in many ways. Being clever is suspenseful.

I know what I want to do, what I like to do and what I am good at. Knowing these things will drive me in the right direction.  Motivation and passion is the gas that will get me there.