An Exercise in Assessing the Self

This is the blog post where I tell you my life story. Maybe it’s because this blog is all about me, maybe it’s for a school assignment (hint: it’s the latter). But anyway, here is the “about the author” page of this great and epic internetual novel.

I was born on a rainy Monday in 1986. It was a good year, or so I am told, but I unfortunately was far too young to enjoy the neon-spandexed glory of the 80’s. So I had to settle for building most of my childhood memories in the 90’s, living in the same house from the day I was born until the day I moved out to start university. I grew up playing soccer and violin, eventually adding in flute and a couple of other musical instruments. Some of my other delightful childhood experiences included the following:





I was a true keener in my early years of my schooling, which is another way of saying that I was totally uncool. I wore pink from head to toe, socks over my tights, and my hair in a mushroom cut. I craved attention and obtained it by doing extremely weird things. You could say I was a bit hyperactive but I balanced it out by kicking butt in my classes. Back in those days, I wanted to be a member of several professions including medicine, teaching, and stay-at-home motherhood. Oh the ambitious days of my youth.

By the time I started university in 2005, I had cut medicine and stay-at-home motherhood from my list of career paths. I was really leaning towards teaching because, well, that was the only legit career path I ever thought I really had. I helped teach music in middle school, so naturally I wanted to be a teacher, right? And I was taking English and History in university so of course I wanted to be a teacher, right? Well, it certainly helps if you’re 100% sure and I actually wasn’t, and so towards the end of 3rd year I knew that I wanted something different out of life. I mean if you’re in a career watching over kids five days a week, you better darn well be positive that you are where you want to be, or you are going to be one awful teacher. Like my first-grade teacher who I’m pretty sure took her misery out on me. It could have also been because I preferred to finish my work early and do somersaults on the carpet while the other kids were still scribbling away. Elementary school was a cakewalk.

The decision to abandon teaching left me scared and confused because I literally had no path to walk on after graduation. Real life was approaching quickly and I was so not ready for it. What the heck else was I good at? I started to make a list. Hmmmm well I like to talk. Great. That’s a starting point. I talk a lot. I ramble, even. Assuming you’ve read my other posts, you know that I enjoy a good ramble. This post in itself is another case in point.

Next, I looked back at the things I enjoyed doing when I was a kid. Creative things. Reading, writing, making things up for the whole world to see. I had such a crazy and imaginative mind when I was younger, what happened to all that? I came to the realization that academia more or less stifled my creative spirit. Everything always had to be so formal, so strict, so structured. That’s completely fine if you can thrive in that environment and if you see a worthwhile future in it, but what I really needed was to be able to start doing those creative things again in order to feel fulfilled in my career. That’s how I came to discover Public Relations.

So here I am now at Mohawk College, studying PR and actually enjoying what I am learning for the first time in years. I love coming up with innovative ways to communicate. I love that I can finally bring a little bit of my personality to the table. I’ve learned skills that are actually applicable to a real career path, which is completely different for me. Towards the end of university I felt like I didn't know what I was there for anymore. But now, for the first time I feel like I’m heading in a good direction because I WANT to be going there, not because I don’t know what else to do.

In one year I want to be working as a public relations professional, preferably doing something that involves a lot of writing. Maybe internal/employee communications? PR is such a broad career field, which is kind of daunting at times but usually very exciting since I know I will be able to find a job that suits my skills and interests perfectly.

In three years I hope to be in some sort of leadership role, perhaps running a team or department that deals with communications for a company or government body. It sounds super ambitious for someone who doesn’t have a whole lot of experience eh? Well where I’m hoping to go (Fort McMurray, Alberta, where the wonderful boyfriend lives) I know that there will be a ridiculous amount of opportunity for me to advance in my career quickly.

In five years I would like to be living back in Ontario, or at least thinking of moving back there soon. I’m sure living in northern Alberta will be sweet and all, but I definitely don’t want to be away from my family for my whole life. But by the time I get back to Ontario, I will have a wealth of knowledge to bring with me to my next job.

Finally, in 10 years I want to be a millionaire with a rollercoaster in my backyard and my own personal McDonalds. Lindsay Lohan will be BEGGING me for PR advice on how to break back into movies when you’re 33 but looking like 50. I will be sipping my first martini at 11 am and I will have a bodyguard who follows me everywhere carrying my cat.

Just kidding. In all honesty, all I want is a job that challenges me and sends me different things every day, yet is still stable enough for me to settle down and have a family. As crazy as the PR biz seems to be, I don’t think that is too much to hope for. Full-time motherhood might make an appearance somewhere in there too.

The End.