New opportunities are incredibly exciting. You work hard to get that new position or promotion, but when you’ve finally made it through the trials and are on the starting line, jumping that first hurtle is sometimes a lot harder than you thought it would be. The grass is always greener on the other side, right? Butterflies are fluttering in your stomach. What if I don’t live up to the new boss’ expectations? What if I’m not as good as I thought I was?
I returned to U of L last fall to finish my degree mostly out of boredom. I had been a server for ten years and no matter how much I love to meet new people and talk to them about food and wine, I began to realize that my brain needed some exercise. I used to be the student looking for an “easy A”, but since I’ve been back, I want to soak up as much information as I possibly can to prepare myself for entering the real world. I enjoy pushing myself, and though I miss spending more time with my family and friends, I’d be lying if I said small moments of wanting to pull my hair out weren’t 100 times better than letting complacency set in.
Too bad getting rid of writer’s block isn’t this easy.
When it comes to almost everything, practice makes perfect. I have always enjoyed writing, but much of my life I have either lacked the motivation to commit to writing on a regular basis, or I was afraid that I wasn’t good enough (whatever that means), so I would give up. I’ve taken many writing classes throughout college, literally “forcing” myself to write, because I did have a strong desire to improve. Though I knew I had potential, I wasn’t sure if there was a perfect niche for me.
You wouldn’t think that failing a class would come by the hand of destiny, but I’m beginning to believe that maybe that was the case for me. I hit a rough spot six years ago, questioning what I wanted to do with my life. Unfortunately I failed a few classes before I decided to take a break from college. Obviously, retaking these classes was at the top of my list when I returned to U of L.
Imagine a class centered on strategic communications writing six years ago. Now imagine how much that class would have changed over the course of the last six years while I was on “hiatus.” Many of the concepts I was introduced to in strategic communications writing have changed so drastically in the last ten years since I was a college freshman. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn most of the concepts we touched on if I had graduated on schedule in 2006. The more traditional public relations side of communications has evolved in tandem with our society that is ever becoming more mobile and saturated with social media. I enjoyed my introduction to public relations so much, that I decided to take my remaining 400 level credits in a class completely dedicated to all things social media. PR is becoming more intertwined with social media by the second, so I am grateful that the stars aligned, and I am completing my degree now.
Blogging twice a week this semester has shown me that I can be dedicated to writing– I just had to find the right avenue. No matter how painstaking the process can be at times, one of the most satisfactory feelings I have ever had is spending an inordinate amount of time writing a piece, but when all is said and done, I can sit back and be proud of my work.
Thanks Professor Freberg for showing me the way!
– Amanda
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live... 
So true, many times what we think is something ‘bad’ that happens, could be God’s way of redirecting us, or setting us up for a better plan for our lives… I am so grateful that over the years I have not gotten every thing I wanted or prayed specifically for…. As you pointed out, sometimes simple timing is the key!
🙂