Four and a half years ago, I left my parent’s home to begin the next big chapter of my life, college. I thought of myself as independent, even though my dad still paid my cell phone and car insurance bills, I had taken out my own loans and was basically putting myself through college.
Little did I know that this new, exciting, transitional time during my life was just that, transitional. I had no idea what was waiting for me at the end of the tunnel when I received my diploma: The Real World!
For a while (during my grace period till I had to begin paying my student loans), I was still in denial about the new world responsibilities and the lack of external structure to my life. As a goal oriented human, the four years I spent in college were fun, exciting, and a great learning experience, but the focus was always getting my diploma.
Immediately after graduating, I re-arranged my house, purged my closet of unncessary items, complied old computer files on an external hard-drive and made various other preparations for post graduate life. Little did I know that upon completing these simple tasks, I would find myself suddenly lost.
I had a job that paid the bills but required little mental output and I lacked of a life plan. I knew I wanted to do something big, I wanted to be the change and make the difference. But I had no idea how.
Over the course of the next 8 months a lot of things happened. I continued to deny what the real world actually entailed, all the while pretending I was becoming an incoporated part of society. Fortunately, I was provided an opportunity to put off finding a career: graduate school. I mostly procrastinated my application but eventually turned in what I thought was an average application to an amazing school. Low and behold, I was accepted. Leaving me three months to say goodbye to Portland, Or.
I moved around a lot as a child, so having a stable place to live was unique and satisfying in Portland. I appreciated that my close friends were close, the city was familiar, and I had made connections with various members of the community.
Excited as I was to turn the page yet again and start a new, I was entering into uncharted territory. I didn’t have an assigned roommate or a sports team to initiate me into the community. I didn’t have a familiar social network and I was unsure what to expect. I did the only plausible thing I could think of…I dove into the real world and the next part of my life. Head First.
This blog is my documentation of my education in the real world: new found responsibilities, networking, higher ed, and everything in between. I will explain my history, share anecdotes, and post projects, articles and websites I find interesting.
This…is me, finding my way.
A Bear In the Real World 