As a Senior Finance major at Stockton University, and now entering my fourth year of college at three different schools, one would think that I definitely have it all figured out by now. The truth is, I still don't and that is completely okay. From the minute I entered high school, I was always being told by everyone that it was imperative to have a plan. I was told that I must know what college I wanted to attend. I was told I needed to figure out a major to study. And I was told I needed to start figuring out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. What they don't tell you is, you have time to figure it out. I have always felt pressure to figure out exactly what I wanted to do and I'm sure many of my peers can attest to this. Throughout my first couple years of college, I truly had no idea what I wanted to do and started to feel stressed and anxious about the future. I took a wide array of courses hoping to find something I enjoyed. Finally, when I arrived at Stockton, I found a passion for Finance and after now that I am close to finishing my degree, I can happily say I am now excited for my future.
In my future profession, whatever it may be, my main goal is to enjoy what I do and really apply everything I learned in the day to day operations of my profession. Along with this, I would love to learn more and more every day I am working. One of my passions is learning new information, I truly believe that this is one of the more important aspects of life. When it comes to settling into a profession, one of the things I would strongly dislike is if there is no room for personal growth. I believe that improving myself everyday would not only benefit myself but also immensely benefit the company who employs me.
Throughout the very interesting chapter two of The Connected Educator, the brilliant author Nussbaum-Beach discusses different ideas of professional development and I feel as if each can be related to current major. First off, is local community, basically meaning face-to-face connection with different people. Being a Finance major, face-to-face interactions are something that will always be incredibly important, regardless of the job I have. No matter what position I hold, local community will without a doubt be a large portion of my job.
Another topic in which I feel can be related to my field is the idea of personal learning networks. This idea basically talks about listening and observing the views and opinions of other people. In many of the classes I am currently in for Finance, professors often tell us to always listen and learn from different sources. A lot of times we tend to have a bias from our beliefs and unfortunately block ourselves from considering anything else. After reading this section of the chapter, I can say this idea will unquestionably help me grow as individual and in my profession.
As previously mentioned, it took me a while to figure out an idea of what I wanted to do in life. It took some time and took a lot of personal reflection to find something that I felt passionate about and felt comfortable doing. After reading this chapter and relating my own experience and own intended field, I can truly say I feel confident in the path I chose. I also feel like the majority of topics discussed can without a doubt help me in the future.
Works Cited
Nussbaum-Beach, Sheryl, and Lani Ritter. Hall. The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age. Solution Tree Press, 2012.
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteIt was really refreshing reading your post because it was completely relatable and true. It is so hard to figure out what you want to do in life, especially at such a young age. Also, having everyone around you trying to put their two cents in makes it even more difficult. I'm happy for you that you found a interest in finance and I hope it goes well. It is nice to read that you realize the benefits of personal learning networks and you see that it will benefit your career.
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteReading your blog submission was really refreshing. I enjoyed it because, I can completely relate to it! I also thought I had my life planned out when I left High School. Life can take you down some crazy journeys. Sometimes life throws a curveball at you and it is okay to not always know what to do next. Just enjoy the journey.
Hi Peter!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great blog post! Not only did you successfully relate the content of the chapter to how you would be able to use it in your professional life, you told your captivating and relatable story. I totally agree with you in that I would not want a job where there is no room for personal growth. It is important to have the ability to keep learning, and doing so from face-to-face interactions and online line networks are equally important.
Hello Peter,
ReplyDeleteYour post was amazing and really gave me reassurance that it is okay to not know exactly what you want to do with your future yet. I feel this is a problem every you adult worries too much on and your post really shows that it is quite normal to feel that way. It is very motivating that your priorities are still focused on you and your well being, instead of some people who's goal may be to just make a lot of money and happiness is not a priority when it 100% should be. Really great job and I hope you achieve your life goals.