Sunday, March 14, 2010

My Story

I had to write a reflection paper for my grad school class today and told a little bit of my story since the last 12 years. Thought i'd share here since i'm in a sharing mood...

My story is not that different from many others. When my brothers and I were very young, my parents decided that they wanted a better life for us. For many families this sometimes means that one parent will switch careers, or maybe one will stay home to raise the kids. It could mean going to church more or spending more time at the dinner table. For us it meant that my parents would sell all of their belongings and only pack the clothes that could fit into four suit cases and move us from Cape Towne, South Africa to Columbus, Ohio USA. At age four this only seemed like a big adventure; and really how much could a child imagine all of the changes that would take place throughout their life based on this move?
Fast forward to junior year of high school and all the excitement that comes with not only picking a college, but deciding on a career. Now considering the insight that I’ve gained since being a teenager, I’ve come to realize that as adults it’s a complete disservice to try and ask a high schooler what they want to do for the rest of their lives and expect them to not only know without any uncertainty, but then to also carry that out without fail.

I always knew that I wanted to be a Journalist. I had all the soft skills: consistent ability to talk to anyone about anything, the desire to write papers, essays, poems and anything else people would read, and I should mention my “top notch” investigative skills. To this day research and background information are essential to me before I embark on anything. I’ve got to know the four W’s: Why, What, When and Where no matter the situation big or small. This thirst for knowledge has served me well, but also causes me to grossly over think so many minute details.

So back to picking a school. I wanted to be in a big city. I wanted a student body with a diverse population. I wanted the opportunity to follow my dreams and not have anyone around who would tell me those dreams were an impossibility. I chose a school in Suburban Chicago. About 45 minutes from “the Loop.” Perfect I thought. I couldn’t have been more wrong. That first year of school was probably one of the worst years of my life. Significant family problems took their toll on me both physically and mentally and eventually would prohibit me from returning for a second year. I was crushed. I had just started finding my niche and also really discovering who I was as a person, that wasn’t defined from being an immigrant or being an athlete or being “fill in the blank here.”

Through no deliberate choice of my own I ended up having to skip a year and a half of my education. What would have been my sophomore and first half of my junior year of college I spent working. I should have mentioned that one of my God giving talents is determination. I was determined that no matter how long it took, I would get back to school. That my dreams weren’t dead they were only on hold. In January of 2001, I packed my bags ready to start over at yet another suburban Chicago school as a 21 year old freshman. Not an ideal situation, but I did it! This time I chose to switch directions a bit (since none of my previous credits counted) I chose the Advertising/Public Relations route. A little more creative, but still right up my ally. The family problems continued as well as another unwelcome roadblock – anxiety attacks. Still I finished my degree in Interdisciplinary Communications and Business Management.

I started at Nationwide in 2006, about a year and half after I graduated from college and moved back to Columbus. I took my then job as a “stepping stone” position. To learn about the company and build my skills as a professional. I’ve always seen myself as someone not limited by their circumstance, or victimized by their past circumstances, but as a someone who can use all those stories and experiences to encourage others and be an example of what hard work and determination can lead to.

These classes at Marketing U have given me the opportunity to not only enhance my knowledge of Marketing, but tap back into all the things I love about the discipline. Some of the classes have not been as easy as others and this one definitely tackled the analytical side of my brain versus the creative side which is always churning away.

· I learned that my voice is still strong and valued even when I perceive it to be at a disadvantage.
· I learned that my experience in the work place can still be of use even though it is not specific to the subject matter at hand.
· I learned that despite having a million things going on, it’s possible to focus on just one at a time.

One of my favorite poems by Robert Frost ends with:”I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” This is my story. The road less traveled by. It’s the opportunity that this class has continued to give me. I will always be grateful for what I have learned in these last weeks and the knowledge that will last me a lifetime.

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