Third Year Philosophies
During the 2014/2015 SOE picnic, I recall someone asking me what I was interested in studying/pursuing following graduation. I think I muttered something relating to student affairs (although at this point it’s difficult to recall). Two years later, that pursuit has shifted quite a bit. I made a remark last night, while in my first class of my third year, about how my interests as they relate to both the field of higher education (as well as career aspiration) have transformed throughout the years. Given this transformation, my biggest piece of advice for new students, aside from not panicking (because everything will be alright), is to keep an open mind. Have an idea of what you wish to do, but make an earnest attempt to allow the courses you take, the people you meet, and the things you read/write, to steer you in the direction you deem most appropriate and most appealing. The challenge is not narrowing down what interests you as a graduate student, and a burgeoning professional in the field, but rather how you blend the topics and things learned throughout the years into an existing profession (or one starting anew). When many topics interest you, it can be difficult, and at times seem impossible, to tackle the “narrowing down" process. Fingers crossed that this final year culminates into more than mere introspection…
