Summer Job!

[Ahhh! I was suppose to post this on June 15th. But I have a tendency to not finish blog posts in one sitting, so therefore it's posted today. On the other hand, Raw Thoughts, a new category, are unpolished/unedited, usually brief, posts, I write in a one sitting, often dazed, emotional burst, which happens rarely because I don't usually write when I'm in an emotional state. (And if I do, I don't usually share.) That's probably why this post took so long to write; I was pretty excited on the 15th.]

It's official! I have a summer job! Well, I've known I would be working this job for while now but it's official in the sense that I have inked the contracts. I will be working at UMASS Lowell's Design Camp as an Assistant Teacher. I have been upgraded from teacher's assistants to assistant teacher. They're like the same words but in different order and cases. CooL! I am just so exited for this opportunity! I am excited because normally this position is offered to middle school teachers, teachers that have degrees! I have none; I'm still an undergraduate. I feel so fortunate, lucky, honored, to be hired amongst the teachers. And I truly appreciate it! Thank You, Design Camp!

I keep thinking this is the first work contract I've signed but it's not. I've worked before. I tutor part time at MIT/Wellesley's Upward Bound Program while at BU. But I guess I keep thinking this is my first job because it's my first job pertaining to my career. I've always known that in order to be successful in any career you have to start at the bottom. And this job is my stepping stone. But then again it's not my first engineering related job. It's just so weird how I keep thinking this is a first when clearly it's not and something came before it. I was a high school intern, aka teacher's assistant, for Design Camp for three years prior. And now the only thing I can think of that makes this job any more firstly is that it's the first job I will be paid over ten dollars an hour to work. It feels like I've won a scholarship which it kinda is. Because what I will use this money for is of course my college tuition. I'm having the time of my life in college and I believe college is worth every penny because the experience is priceless.

I think there's another reason why this job just makes me so exuberant. Initially, I was not going to be working at Design Camp this summer. Design Camp had a high school internship program but there was no college program. So while the director of Design Camp had tossed around the idea of hiring me and a peer of mine, considering our experience – along with the high school internship, I use to be a camper at Design Camp – it didn't seem likely it was going to happen. I'm just really glad it happened. This job ultimately functions as recreation that will keep me competitive in the engineering field, provide money, and buy me time to think about my engineering career. And I get to work with kids. =]

I think background information on my mental state pre and post job offer is also worth telling.

Entering college, I was a direction-less undecided freshmen fresh-mess. I was in a personal slump. And then I became overwhelmed by my ambitious peers and frustration that I was undecided. Fortunately – there it is again, luck. Thank You – I talked to my writing professor and she helped me a considerate amount, giving me very good advice. One thing for sure is that I became more introspective because of her and I realized yes I was meant to be an engineer but no not the kind medical savvy New England thinks. I'm still figuring out exactly what my engineering path is but I have a feel for what it is . . . Anyways, I decided in order to be a competitive engineer, I needed an internship or some engineering-related job. I can't just spend my summer idling around. I became determined to fix up my resume and put myself on the market. So I head to the CDO (Career Development Office) and get my resume looked over. That night, I was offered the assistant teacher job. I know this is a huge coincidence but I feel it just can't be a coincidence. It can't just be a coincidence that the day I decide to get my act together, I was offered a job. I know it sounds lame, like one of those kids shows: the moral is etc.  But seriously, I think of this as not a faith kind of thing but a this is how luck works kind of thing, believe it as you will. But everything still depends on your effort.

My writing professor, Fantasy Writer Theodora Goss, explains it better: Check It. And Randy Pausch sums it up in a couple of words: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity." Which I believe he quoted like many others from Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger.

Things have just been going very well for me! It's unbelievable. I feel so lucky. And with the high I'm on right now, I feel like I really have a good chance of accomplishing my dreams. I know for a fact there will be hard times and I look forward to every experience. I feel my life will be lucky. =]

Also among the other lucky things that have happend to me, I have also been featured in a brochure. I'm on the centerfold. Yay!! Check it out!

I feel very fortunate. Thank You! *Fingers-Crossed!*