April 7, 2022
My life changed this year, and I felt it coming.
Last year when I began college, I was disgruntled by school. I wanted to get going, and it felt more like a hindrance than a launch-point.
But because I wasn’t aware of how many options I had, I went anyways.
2020 Freshman
I was a freshman in college August 2020 which meant that I could do college from my house.
That was amazing to me.
College or not, I knew that my life would be shaped by my choices and actions, so I committed to learning.
After having listened to way too many entrepreneur “gurus,” I decided that the best thing to do would be to get a job.
“Who could I either ask for a job, or ask for a recommendation?”
[The best thing is to work within your network. Any job is a good job, but if you can, try to get the best job available to you.]
My First Job
My first job was as a receptionist at a psychology clinic.
I had a friend whose father owned it, and after some consistent inquiry, an interview, and some more questioning, I got the role.
It wasn’t glamorous, but damn it taught me a lot.
I learned about customer service, efficiency, task management, but more than that, I learned about tireless work.
The people at the office worked so hard. Day in and day out, we needed to complete the same repetitive tasks with gusto…and we did.
I listened to podcasts and took courses through my headphones for 5+hours/day.
That was the beginning of my true self discovery and betterment.
6 Month Break
After 4 months, I was tired, but I had successfully worked and saved. It was a personal accomplishment.
I decided to give my notice.
That 6months was huge for my personal growth.
I had taken in so much information while working at the clinic, but I hadn’t had any time to internalize.
Now I did, and I read, wrote, thought, and planned.
I kept on trying to figure out different side hustles, different business opportunities, different career paths that could get me to where I wanted to be faster.
In that time I began a Shopify store and I began designing a website for myself.
Those were flops, but I’m glad I did them.
El Salvador
I went to El Salvador on a mission trip that May.
Before I went, I had a feeling it would change my life, and yet again, the feeling was correct.
It taught me about life and goodness.
While there, I was in touch with true humility. I didn’t have many clothes, there were no mirrors to look at, we were sleeping on hard beds with no air conditioning in the hot summer, and the shower was a hose mounted to the top of the wall.
And yet, it was amazing. I didn’t care about any of that.
I was reminded that the only things that really mattered wer people and love.
And that was a beautiful gift that I needed to receive before I embarked on the rest of my journey.
A Summer to Remember
Sophomore year rolled around, and I couldn’t be online anymore so I decided to get an apartment with my best friend from high school.
Seeking opportunities to work, I had secured an internship at a Commercial Real Estate firm.
It was my first night in my apartment, and the Friday night before I was going to begin my internship, and I was cutting cantaloupe.
I was thinking about a high school friend who had just died, and I was asking myself, “why?”
Then I cut my finger. I cut straight through my tendons, looked at my bone, and said “oh no.”
That night, I got stitches, emailed my Real Estate people, and buckled up for the next few months.
That whole night, I couldn’t stop thinking, “this has purpose, this has purpose, this has purpose.”
Throughout the whole summer, I had nothing to do and no where to be other than my doctor appointments.
I slowed down, looked up, got in touch with my humanity and became conscious of my choices.
I was alive, and happy to be.