"Don't Assume Anything" (Part 4 of 4)

This is part four of a four part series that chronicles three major tenets of my personal (non-academic) experience. I've developed three new primary mantras. First, “Do it, for you, because you want to.” The second--I’ve learned it’s best to say, “I don’t know,” when referring to my future if I really don't. Finally, I’ve learned that assuming anything is probably the number one error that students can make. So the last is, “Don’t assume anything.”

This entry clarifies the third tenet. “Don’t assume anything.”

My mom and friends were right when they said I wouldn’t know unless I tried. There are so many opportunities of which I could have taken advantage. I was sure that I’d enjoy the experience in DC, but I didn’t think that I’d become this completely new person taking back personalities, inspirations, and impressions that I will not forget from the “big” city.

I learned a lot about myself. I didn’t think that I was such a good dancer until the crowds at Rock and Roll Hotel, Apex, Town, JR’s and DC9 told me so. However, I guess the biggest revelation about myself is...well, I’ll just tell you a story. (I’m sort of teary eyed—jk!) This is the last one.

Monday and Tuesday (April 28th-29th) was the national high school poetry recitation competition with upwards of $80,000 dollars of scholarships at stake. This competition, Poetry Out Loud (http://www.poetryoutloud.org/news/nationalfinals.html) was held at the George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium. I was there for most of the day running errands and assisting with the National Endowment for the Arts media table. It was really interesting to see these kids from all over the nation (50 states and 2 jurisdictions) compete. It wasn’t so much that I was interested in who won, but I was freakin’ inspired to go stick my face in a poetry anthology.

Later than night, I met friends from my Johns Hopkins class. Of course I look up to these folks who will be graduating from the graduate Government program. We talked about all kinds of stuff, from our challenges with academic lives entering our personal lives, etc. This was a couple of hours before my night class with them. In class each student then presented his or her research about the nonprofit world per our assignment to either design our own nonprofit organization or to research an existing one.

I got home that night (left the house at 8:00 AM, home at 10:00 PM) and just felt completely exhausted. The last thing I wanted to do was sit at the computer and flesh out more thoughts. I wanted to be thoughtless. But, I couldn’t. Although I was tired and just completely not in the mood for any more cerebral activity, I felt compelled to talk to my roommate about the course of the day. I said, “Andrew, I know what I’d like to do for the rest of my life.” It was sort of odd because he’s so quiet and I’m totally not. I run into the apartment, like I used to do the music studies department, and would be hyped to tell anyone who would listen about my day so far. I, too, listen well.

That day was extremely exhausting, yes, but I was interested in every aspect of the day. I enjoyed helping with the students in the competition. I felt inspired by their passion with what they were doing. Well, I guess I’d be passionate about potentially winning $20,000 from just reciting a few stanzas as well. Shoot, get me a poem and let me try. Okay?

I also enjoyed talking about the challenges in academia and listening to lectures by colleagues in this class. I found all of this really, really interesting.

“I want to teach,” Andrew heard me say. Of course the generic questions came afterwards.

“What subject do you want to teach?”
“What age level?”
“Why?”

I didn’t have polished answers exactly. I did, however, know that I was listening to myself and well...I didn’t assume the worst about teaching. I just knew I wanted to teach.

I will return to the University of Memphis a completely different person. If nothing else, the internship allowed me to listen to my interests and get a sense of what it’s like to exist in a 9-5:30 world. It’s different from school--completely different. You get up in the morning and know about what you’re going to do from day to day. If I can help students navigate through these times of transition and attempt to shed a light on what they will face in the world’s workforce, then I will gladly take on the challenge. I’ve just got some specifics to work out.

Have a conviction and run towards it with open arms.

I challenge you.