I clearly remember my dad telling me when I was in college and I was way beyond the point at which I was to declare a major that I should always play it safe and have something to "fall back on". I was considering majoring in broadcasting or in print journalism, but Dad felt like I would have a better chance at finding a job as a Public Relations major. So, that's what I did. I now have a degree in public relations, but ended up working in broadcasting. Go figure.
I've always had a talent with writing. My true dream, however, has always to become a writer. Not just a writer who churns out novels in solitude day in and day out, but a writer who travels, lectures, gives workshops and enjoys friendships and adventure.
I have not had that life. I don't know if it's too late to have that life, but I've decided that I'm going to do everything I can to make me live the closest I can to that dream. I've tinkered with that life.....been published, given talks on writing, attended workshops, and...with you...I TEACH writing. I've dipped my toe in the waters, but haven't yet gone swimming.
Yet, every job I've had throughout my life has prepared me for the next one. I have to believe that if I hadn't gotten that degree in PR, I wouldn't know so much about media relations. If I hadn't known so much about media relations, I wouldn't have been offered the job at the TV station. And, if I hadn't had that job at the TV station, I wouldn't be teaching you broadcasting. So, all that said, I don't regret any of paths that my life has taken me down. I love my job as your teacher and I love you... each and every one of you, my students. You give me joy and laughter and are the reason I come to work every day. I'm blessed that this job found me.
So, as we approach the end of the street of this school year, I want to give you a little advice. Not just the seniors, but all of you. Never, ever, ever give up on your dreams. Make sure that everything you do in your career advances you to your ultimate purpose. Find and recognize that which is your gift and immerse yourself in it, develop it and fine tune it so you are the best. BUT.....be okay with the side roads that life takes you down. Everything you do is preparation for what you will ultimately become. Don't get frustrated that your career is not exactly as you'd like it right now, but realize that you'll get there -- more prepared and well-rounded than ever.
So, for the last blog of the year tell me: What is your passion? What are you great at? What skill do you hope to hone and get better at? What do you like to do? Travel? Help people? Make things? Organize things? Counsel people? Lead people? Tinker with machines? Fix things? How will you use your gift in the future in your career? Have you even figured out what your talent is or what you want to do? What path will life take you down?
My passion is social work. I'm great with people (sometimes...) and have had that DFCS kid background. Anywho, I feel like it is my duty to help children in need. After all, they don't have a voice; I will be their voice. So, in essence, I guess I want to "counsel" people and help them. I've also thought about work in the film industry. Maybe one day, I can use both of these choices to further the help I can give these children by making "movies" or documentaries that portray that life and shed more light on that subject.
ReplyDeleteMy passion is writing and helping people. I'm really good at being there for a friend in a time of need, or writing music or poetry, and playing guitar. I hope to get better at my writing skills and my counseling skills. I love to travel and relax; it's something I don't get to do a lot of, therefore I love any chance I get to do it. I want to go to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and become a counselor. My gift of being able to help people with their problems will come into play there and afterwards. I'm hoping life will take me down a very interesting path. My mom always told me to keep my mind focused on what I want to be and I could accomplish it. Now I just have to prove her point right.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie Hunter
i have passion for learning in a sense of me learning by tutorial. Knowledge is powerful and I hope it affects my future. I am great athletically and being organized, thanks to my mother. I hope to get better at my editing and learning about the new software, also I would like to be great at brainstorming ideas for Eagle TV. I like some parts of editing, and I enjoy being involved with productions too. I would rather organize the set. I will try to be more of a leader in the future.
ReplyDeleteEvan Ratliff
My passion is helping people, and law. I want to go to school and get a degree in criminal justice. I want to go to the marines and from there apply and work for the C.I.A or F.B.I and pertect my contry. By doing this I can do what I always alove and also pertect what I love the most the place I call home. USA! I consider this my talent and my passion and I will do it.
ReplyDeleteMarshall Pierre
I never wanted to go to college. I felt education bored me, and my goal is life was to be happy. Who was to say that education leads to happiness? As I grew into myself, learning what my skills were, I changed my mind. I do want to go to college, even just so I can have the beneath my belt. I want to go to an Art Institute for Video Production, and then go to a University for a major in Literature. I found my major skill to be writing, and I plan to use that in my future everyday life as much as possible. I also want to travel. I want to go as far as possible, even if only to come back. I also want to get better at public speaking, because I know how common that is required, and it is a great skill to have. You never know what path you're heading down until you're there, but I'm hoping that if I try and do what makes me happy, then I'm already ahead.
ReplyDeleteI've learned alot in your class and i would like to start off saying thank you for teaching me about broadcasting. What im good at is helping others and get things done as it need to be done. When i leave south cobb i will go on to school for criminal justice just because i love helpin others find out detials and put work together to find out the problem(s).
ReplyDelete-kemberlee pierre
As I begin to imagine my future I soon realize that I don't have a certain to the point dream, but I do have things I want to do but I don't have as you say "a BIG PICTURE" I really don't know. Yet, I have many things that I want to do in life and I'm accomplishing them everyday. Then, again I can't feel like I can have a normal life, filled with dreams and friends I just really wish that I had a reason a Purpose. I'm tired of going aimlessly about my life, I wanted to do something about it...
ReplyDeleteI have great communication skills,and I would like to help others work on theirs. I want to achieve this by becoming a couples counselor. This skill will help me in my future because it will allow me to help others find there problems and solve them .I find that I have a passion for this simply because I love to talk. Asking a simple question like how was your day or can I help you with anything,can change a persons mood,and will allow the to open up and talk to you. And that is what i would like to do for a living.
ReplyDeleteLaurian Lackey
i love to play basketball, i also like to fix things. so, when i get older i either want to play pro ball or work in a field where i can take charge by fixing things. by the end of this year i hope to be better at working in needed times because i am easily distacted. i like to help people because i feel as if you have a willing hand to help someone why not do it because you might need it one day. in the future when i work i will use all the things i know how to do to start an agency hopefully to help people get off the street or to even help people do better for themselves. as of now god has the right path for me to take i just have to figure out how to get there without taking any detours.
ReplyDeleteIm a little confused , I want to major in Public Relations to but I always wanted to be a Criminal Justice major. I love investigating, I would be a detective but it requires to be a police officer for a certain amount of years and thats not me at all! but I would definitely be a investigator. But I love the Mass Communications area in college ann I definitely want to go in that direction because I enjoy it. Of course when Im in college I will be more decided on what my career will be. If I have enough money I will definitely go back to college after my first degree and work on my second degree. But I know I have 2 passions which are Criminal Justice and the Mass Communication areas!
ReplyDeleteMy passion is entertaining people! Im a people person and i love working with others. In studying at fashion school i plan to become a fashion public relations specialist. Interacting with the media and being able to work with different appareal is great to me! However im not a 100% sure that this is my special talent. I would also love to act but who knows what the future holds for me. Im sure it will be a successful one. Thank you for the advice Mrs. Watson.
ReplyDelete:)
Sincerly, Diamond Cornelious
My passion is writing. You could say I'm the opposite in a way, Mrs. Watson. I couldn't think of a lovely life than to stay at home writing stories all day. It relaxes me and brings me joy. But, as amazing as that sounds, I'd also like to have a backup plan, ya know, something to get me by until my writing plan works out. My backup plan is Astronomy. I've always been into it ever since I was little.
ReplyDeleteHeaven Leigh Johns.
My passion is music. Not an hour goes by and I dont think about my horn or some form of music. Because of my deep passion for music I've decided to major in music at Ga State. This will be a great opportunity for me and it will not be just a job it will truly be a career that I love. Of course I want to get better at playing the trumpet but I really want to hone in on my new found craft which is sound engineering and music mixing. Some day I hope to work for a huge Tv network such as CNN or Turner as their head sound guy. I can't wait to start my career and my life as an adult.
ReplyDeleteArtis Staton
Let's try this again?
ReplyDeleteI want to go to college for video production, and editting. Preferably, an art institute that specializes in that. Afterwards, I'd really hope I could go to a University for a literature major. I have a passion for reading and writing, and can see that as a great job for me. My dream job, however, is to do photography for National Geographic. One of the skills I'd love to improve would be public speaking. I have such a hard time at it, and i know that mastering it is essential to many jobs. Traveling would be amazing, too.
I will use my gift to help people in life to make things easier for all people. Everyone has a gift to share with the world and thats what I plan to do. I plan to share any and everything I can to help others because that's how life should be.
ReplyDelete-Zeiquaan White
My passion is to make things that entertain people, or entertaining people period. I want to make people happy, sad, angry, and evoke all kinds of emotions through story telling. I constantly see stories play out in my head or mini movie scenes that can easily turn into mega movie blockbusters. This is a new concept to me that I want to pursue this as a career; however these ideas have always been inside my head. To be able to now voice these ideas on paper (web paper)feels like a great release. Mrs. Watson, I see that we will be in constant contact after this is over because you have created a little BVP monster.
ReplyDelete