Liz Bird, alumna (class of ’11), Tacoma, WA
UPS (well actually, my professors) taught me to question and analyze everything and so I have been thinking a lot about life. Specifically, the stability and prestige of college, of learning, of spending our days writing papers, TALKING, THINKING. I heard a lot of complaining during college, but you know what? College students (especially the students at UPS) have it made. There is a lot of talk about how this time after graduation is “a transition period.” And in a sense, it definitely is, but I think that there is room for argument, at least on a philosophical level. When we talk about a transition, we tend to think of an awkward time, a stagnant time, a time where we aren’t reaaallly living “real” life. Like our real life is behind us, and our real life is in front of us, but right now, well…its just a transition in between. I don’t like thinking of it this way. Life is right now. This is real. Whatever we are doing, whether it is graduate school, working, traveling, planning for the future, couch surfing, or something else, we are succeeding because we are learning and we are on our own path.
I got a job as a Case Manager at Comprehensive Mental Health, where I had my internship for practicum with Jill Nealey-Moore. Well, HR still needs to call me to officially offer me the job…so that would be awkward if something went wrong…but there’s no reason it shouldn’t go through 🙂 They know that I am leaving at the end of the semester, but since they need someone, because I can start right away, and because they know me, they are okay with my limited amount of available time. I am definitely nervous to start my first big girl job, but am excited that it is in a familiar agency with familiar people and familiar clients. I had a babysitting job that I needed to quit to take this job, so if anyone knows someone in Tacoma who wants to babysit Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9am-1pm for a cute 7 month old boy…let me know!!
I also got my business license! I will be a vendor in the SUB this semester selling my earrings, necklaces, and bracelets! I am SO excited to be visible on campus and to sell more of my stuff so that I can make more and buy more beads!!! I love beads…..
My summer was awesome, I lived in Vermont with my boyfriends family for a month and a half and worked as a house-keeper. It wasn’t my favorite thing to do…BUT I also got to go Kayaking, play with my boyfriends nephews, hike, cook, hot tub, drink wine, picnic, explore, and just get to know Vermont and New Hampshire. I also had an internship at a place called West Central Behavioral Health, where I met with participants in their InSHAPE program to interview them about their eating habits and fit forms with the info. I also walked weekly with a couple participants as a support. InSHAPE aims to improve the health behaviors and health status of participants who have mood and thought disorders. I had my own little office, where I would bring clients after meeting them in the waiting room (just like a real adult person!). I really enjoyed working there and both the staff and clients were interesting and great!
Then, I went home for a couple of weeks and was in my friends wedding. It was beautiful and traditional, and I cried SO HARD in front of everyone. The bride said that she could hear me crying…and i was second to last in line behind her….oops haha. Then, I went to family camp with my parents and boyfriend and we had a blast. My boyfriend and I performed Lean on Me at our talent night and we played games, did tie dye, swam, hiked, and took many naps. Then my boyfriend and I drove from the bay area to tacoma over three days and stopped in Mount Shasta City, California, and Yachats, Oregon. I would highly recommend both places, they were small towns and super cute and awesome. I had some struggle days while everyone I knew was doing orientation training and I had no job and little to do…BUT life is coming together!! I have been babysitting and selling jewelry and applying to jobs and studying for the GRE and auditing my class (Narratives of Race with Dextor Gordon) aaannnddd I knew that I would not sit idle for long.
I stayed busy during college and I should expect nothing else from myself as a graduate….