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Kidstuff, High School & College
Kidstuff
What did I want to be when I grew up? A comedian, an international spy, a famous artist, a business tycoon with interests around the globe, a journalist, a fashion designer, a forest ranger, a psychologist, a foreign language interpreter at the United Nations, a famous writer, a teacher and tons more! IN FACT, while I've not been any one of these specifically I have incorporated many of these career qualities into my career and personal life . . .well, maybe not so much the international spy! As for famous . . . I've got plenty of time in my life, and I've got PLANS!
Growing up I did the usual: built forts, dressed up, and tried to make the cat like clothes . . . tried to make the cat like to swim, skateboarded, loved music. I was a Girl Scout off and on – I belonged to a very cool troop thru my Junior year in high school and became a First Class Girl Scout. I was on swim team every summer. I was my elementary school's unofficial resident artist and I drew murals and did all kinds of special things around art. I even won a summer scholarship to a special class that was held at Arizona State University, and that was very cool. My family always tent–camped for our vacations across the Western U.S. and Mexico on the beach. I loved it and still do. I especially enjoy hiking, "bagging peaks" in the Sierras.
What does relate directly to my careers is that I enjoyed entertaining people, being funny, and creating things. I organized musicals in our backyard & sold tickets to attend . . . I was usually the star (since it was my idea!).
High School
Being an entrepreneur has been a theme in my youth, and adulthood. My dad exposed me to the entrepreneurial spirit early, and I worked for his small start–up mail–order company after school – and loved it. I was involved with two Junior Achievement companies and was President of one. It was a fun learning and social experience and vital to my work in Sales and in creating MyCoolCareer.com. Summer waitressing wasn't for me . . . I was better at being the customer. I swam competitively every summer.
In school I was involved in the Hiking Club, began my life long love of the French language, and got my first real boyfriend. I discovered in my Junior year "College Composition" class that I had a gift for writing, and ran for a position on the Student Council and lost. It was fun just running!
But I graduated from college without any direction except that I was going to college. I could have used MyCoolCareer.
College
I had my college partially financed thru Work/Study programs and I performed clerical jobs and shelved books at the library. I found that I enjoyed the detail of clerical work and it helped. The most important thing I found out about myself was that I was an excellent student when I was busy. In fact I got better grades when I was swamped. There's a saying: If you want something to get done, give it to a busy person. I also TA'd (was a Teaching Assistant) my Senior year in the chemistry lab and that was fun.
I kept loyally WAITING for the "What I'm Meant To Be" revelation, but it didn't happen. I should have asked for self–assessment help but didn't know to ask. I changed my major several times: from English to Romance Languages to Business to Fashion/Textiles. I ultimately went into the Fashion program because my best friend, Linda, was in it. It was a fine course of study, but there ARE better reasons for choosing one. I know that there were other majors that would have been a better fit for me. I just didn't know what, I didn't self–assess and so it took me a while to find a career that was satisfying for me.
I joined a sorority in college, Chi Omega, and it was an excellent personal growth and self–esteem building time for me. I made friends with, and learned how to live with, a crazy and terrific assortment of young women. It was fun and challenging, and important for me. I was Greek Week Chairman for the Chi Os one year, and teamed with our fraternity partner, we won Greek Week that year! The coolest thing that happened was that I was voted Outstanding Graduating Senior by my house of 100 young women, and that still means a great deal to me.
I graduated with a B.S. in Textiles from the University of Arizona in Tucson, with a specialization in Clothing and Interior Design for Disabled Persons.
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