When I went from Bates Academy into Renaissance High School, my teachers, in order to prepare me for this next chapter, taught me not to write outside of the lines, not to scratch out words, and that missing assignments would be detrimental to my overall class grade.

When I went from Renaissance/ROHS into Denison University, my teachers, in order to prepare me for this next chapter, taught me to read efficiently, become a a stellar test-taker (because one bad test can ruin my entire semester grade), and that writing was essential to the overall success of a humanities student in the university setting.

When it was time to matriculate from Denison University into (cue dramatic music) THE REAL WORLD, I received little job-specific information.

So, equipped with the lessons I had learned throughout my 4-year coursework in Black Studies/History/Spanish and that etiquette lesson held by the President and his wife, I went out on a limb and applied for jobs.

My first job, of course, is with Cornerstone Charter Schools. Working in education. And grants. And a host of other exciting items.

What my small liberal arts college did for me was prepare me to think autonomously, ask questions, learn lessons, take constructive criticism constructively, and how to write well. It did not explicitly prepare me for the fast paced world of nonprofit work (haha) and the “do it without being asked” part of a job. In college, a professor asked for an assignment and I obliged. Period. That has been the major adjustment for me; taking initiative and producing unsolicited, high quality work while still completing the tasks that are essential to my job description.

Let Me Explain: I’m having fun. Fun learning, fun doing, fun progressing. I’m so glad that I was equipped for certain aspects of “real world life” because the lessons that I have yet to learn/ am still learning… well, lets just say this is a lot more fun than I could have ever imagined!

Moving from HS to College

Moving from College to “the Real World”