I started back at school last January and graduate this May. I feel as
though it can't come soon enough! My grades have been awesome. I got a 4.0 my
first semester back. Once summer classes were over and I was only working, I
found myself searching for things to do. I started reading those few weeks in
between classes. My favorite was The Hunger Games trilogy (I highly recommend
it). I realized that it was the first thing I had done for myself in months. I
was so concerned with doing well in school and maintaining a full-time job that
I was miserable. I had lost myself in my busy schedule and felt like a robot. I
cut back at work from full-time to part-time.
I was surfing the internet one day and it dawned on me. I had a little more
free time and wanted to do something that I loved, but I wanted it to be
beneficial. So, I looked up counseling centers in the area. I came across FOCUS
Counseling & Training, Inc. in Woodstock. I e-mailed the owner and asked if
they were looking for volunteers. I explained my circumstance--a psychology
major approaching graduation and looking for any field-related experience.
Within a week, I heard from Janice, the office manager. The center was looking
for a volunteer to help with filing client paperwork. The only catch was that I
would have to get fingerprinted for a cost of $52. I didn't expect that,
especially with cutting back at work, but it was worth it to me to go ahead and
get fingerprinted.
I started volunteering in August and it has been a wonderful experience.
Because I've been fingerprinted, I'm allowed to read the client paperwork and
follow their therapy notes as I file them. I've also been answering the phone
and signing-in clients. I've had the opportunity to talk to the therapists of
the agency and they've given me some good advice about grad school.
On Monday, Beth, the owner, pulled me into her office along with Janice.
She said she wanted to talk to me about something. Beth wanted for me to
continue volunteering, but wanted to pay me for 5 hours every week. I gladly
accepted! I would much rather be working in the field of my choice (&
degree) than at my retail job. This way I could do both. Well, I got a phone
call this morning from Janice. She said she sent me an e-mail, but was too
excited so she called me. Beth and Tammi, the financial manager, wanted to bring
me on for more than 5 hours a week. They wanted to hire me for 15 hours every
week to continue helping Janice and Tammi wanted to train me in something else.
What great news! I'm very excited. I will have to cut back more hours at my
other job, but it's worth it. Beth has also offered me a job upon graduation! I
don't know the details of it yet, but she is very persistent and mentions it
every time I see her.
Hard work really pays off. I may be a late bloomer or take longer than most
to finish college, but I truly believe this was the right path for me. 2 years
ago, my heart wasn't in it. I would've never considered volunteering in the
psychology field. I needed to get out into the real world to realize I don't
want to work retail the rest of my life. I realized a lot during that time and
it got my butt in gear. Look at me now! I am very blessed. God has opened so
many doors for me. He does the same for all of us. We just have to walk through
them.
Keep those open doors coming.
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