Le Futuuuurreee... Dun dun duunnnn!!!!

I haven't been blogging, and it is quite honestly because I have been on overload mode. I have this terrible habit of biting off more than I can chew and I had to let something go! And that something was this blog, I'm very sorry. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Now I'm back (for today, I'm not making any promises for here on out), to tell you about my life. Try not to get to excited... Because I'm excited enough for the all of us!!

I have been really struggling to figure out what in the name of all that is delicious I am going to do with my life. I decided my major because I knew I wanted to work with non-profit organizations that work with orphans institutionalized internationally. I didn't even know if that was a real thing! I wasn't sure if it was a possibility or if I was pursuing something that was unattainable.

And then recently, all these opportunities and changes have been popping up! My school is opening up a program in the fall that is called The Academy, which will, if I'm accepted, make me super competitive when applying for graduate school because I'll be taking graduate level classes as an undergrad. "But do I want to go to graduate school?" I asked myself. Who knows! "Is the Academy even going to prepare me to go into what I want to go into?" "Do I really want to put up with the research that is involved with The Academy? You know you hate research..." I told myself. I also learned about another program that is being started here that will allow me to graduate with my Child Life Specialist Certificate. What is that you may ask? Basically, a Child Life Specialist works in hospitals as an advocate between kids and doctors, making sure that they get everything that they need, are comfortable and understanding what is going on and making the surgery or treatment experience go over as smooth and un-traumatic (is that even a word?) as possible. What is so exciting about that possibility is that I can go right into the work force with my undergrad rather than going on to get a master's like I thought I was going to have to do, no matter what career I went into. "But do I want to work in hospitals?" I asked myself. I don't know. Or do I want to major in Human Development and Minor in Psychology with the possibility of going on to get my Master's in Child Psychology and then work with kids with mental disabilities? That was another possibility for a while.

So. Many. Choices. I had no idea where I was going, what I wanted to do, if I was even going to be able to do what I wanted to do. Quite honestly, I just want a family. I've never wanted a career, I've never wanted to work. But here I am, trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life, as if my future family isn't in the picture. It's hard for me! At the same time, I want to do everything. I want to do the Academy, the CLS Certificate, my minor and work three jobs! Ain't nobody got time for that! And yet, I sit here trying to figure out how I can fit it all in with my schedule.

But guys. I've finally figured it out.

I'm going to pursue the Child Life Specialist option. I am going to do the Academy as well, if I can get in. I'm going to intern at the hospital to see if that is the environment that I really want to be in and get my name out there and make some friends. I am going to try to TA and work for another professor of mine to network and make as many friends within the department as I can to get references and whatnot because it is all about who you know. I will also be paired with one of my professors to do some research and hopefully get my work published in a journal (which means I need to figure out something to research...). I will graduate with the Graduate level classes under my belt and I will go right into my career as a Specialist. After a couple years, I will go back to school (potentially) to get my Master's in Human Development, so I can move up the ladder of success in my profession. Somewhere in there I will have a family I'm hoping... If so, when my kids are all grown up and moved out, I will have the experience and the education that would be required to work with non-profit organizations and do what I have wanted to do all along. It's a long term plan, but I am super stoked about it all! I hope it works!!

What's even better: you know how I was saying that I didn't know if an organization even existed that did what I wanted to do with orphans? Well, yesterday I found them. It's called One Heart Bulgaria, and they are PERFECT. They do everything that I wanted to do. And, what's even better, is that they have an internship program! I can INTERN WITH THEM!! Which is necessary for me to graduate anyway! I am so freaking excited right now.

Everything seems to be falling into place. I am going to be able to do everything that I want to do, and I don't have to justify any of it because it all has a purpose! It is going to be a lot of work, and I am still trying to figure out the schedule of it all. It pushes back my graduation by a bit... Without any of the extra stuff and just doing the classes for my major, I could graduate next summer... But you know what, I'm not in the big of a hurry to get out of this place, and if it means that I can graduate with that many more doors open to me than if I didn't pursue this course, then it is worth it to me. Who knows where I am going to end up, or what I'm going to be doing, but this way I can leave here knowing there is nothing more I could have done to prepare myself for the adventures ahead.

Bring it on, world. Bring it on.