striving for balance
/My time in high school
Attended high school in the
1990s
Overall high school experience
8/10
Grades in high school
Mostly A's
Best subjects
English, History / Social Studies
Struggled with...
Math. I just never thought I was good at it so I think I had lower expectations of myself when it came to Math. I fell into that group of young girls who tells themselves its okay that they aren't good at math. Not sure where that came from but it angers me when I admit that.
Favorite extracurricular
Sports / Recreation
Life since high school
Attended college / university at
University of Richmond
Majored in
Major: Business, Concentration in Marketing Minor: Women's Studies
“Getting laid off from my first job out of college as a Marketing Coordinator at a small start up. I didn’t expect it but it was such a blessing in disguise. It drove me to go back to school to get my Masters in Teaching and allowed me to explore a career I really have enjoyed and I feel I am really good at.”
Post-graduate education or training
University of San Francisco, Teaching Credential with a Masters in Teaching Reading
Places lived in US
California, Illinois, Virginia
Places lived outside of US
I lived in England for 6 months during college
Current occupations / past occupations
Marketing Coordinator, Teacher, Parent, Reading Tutor
Industries I've worked in
- Retail Trade
- Finance and Insurance
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (e.g. Law, Accounting, Interior Design, Graphic Design, R&D, PR, Advertising, etc.)
- Educational Services
Did your education prepare you for your career/occupation?
Yes.
Has your education and/or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
Yes. As I shared earlier, I went into business but became a teacher.
A little introspection...
To me, being successful means...
I think success is being generally happy with what you are doing. I don't mean overjoyed happy every minute of every day but I am achieving success when I wake up ready to start the day and go to bed feeling I accomplished something and had time for those I love. I also think success is making that happen while balancing my family/friends and being there for them and enjoying my time with them as much as I can.
My definition of success has changed over time.
Growing up I thought of success as being the most educated I could be and then working the hardest to get the highest paying job or best job title no matter what sacrifices I had to make in my own life. Honestly, I have none of the above things now (except the education piece perhaps) and I feel better about my life then ever.
My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
To be determined...I think I am sort of in the middle of it right now. I quit my teaching position that I loved very much and was in for 10 years to stay home with my 2 kids because I felt I was putting so much more energy into other people's children leaving little for my own. While I knew that being a "Stay at Home Mom" was not what I wanted to do full time forever I needed time to figure it out. I am doing that now. I am on this quest to find balance in my life and I am finding alternative work structures and positions that fulfill my desire to teach and be with kids while also giving me a chance to be with my own children..
My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
I'm not sure I have any regrets at this point as I really try to find the learning moments or growth experiences in most everything I do. However, being a business major in college was a little unnecessary and something I did for others and not myself. I never wanted to go into your typical business environment but I thought it would get me the best job and the most money and my family would be the most proud. I would have done college so differently and would have enjoyed being a student more by taking courses I was actually interested in. I am a teacher now and don't feel that my business background helped me in many ways. I quit the business world after being in marketing for only one year!
An unexpected event that changed my life and how it impacted me
Getting laid off from my first job out of college as a Marketing Coordinator at a small start up. I didn't expect it but it was such a blessing in disguise. It drove me to go back to school to get my Masters in Teaching and allowed me to explore a career I really have enjoyed and I feel I am really good at.
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