700 Miles From Home

Today marks six months since I ventured away from home in search of myself. I left my hometown and drove 700+ miles north four days after graduation to understand a world greater than myself. And… I don’t regret it at all.

If there’s anything I’ve learned these past six months, it is this: Work hard for what you want, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

Work hard for what you want… I feel as if this goes without saying. But I’ve learned to take advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow.

I was immensely blessed to attain a job in the same field that I studied immediately after graduation. The first three months on my job, I stayed later than a lot of people. By nature, I’m a curious person so this should come as no surprise. I wanted to know more about what my job entailed so I could produce the best work possible. I told myself, “The least you can do in this new position is stay later to make sense of everything. Figure this out” Yes, I had support and guidance from my supervisor and peers. But in order to truly get a grasp of everything, I had to review company marketing materials, notable projects, history about my new city, etc. By working later, I developed a camaraderie with my coworkers.

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. 

The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” 

-Mark Twain

He’s right. He’s completely right. The world owes you nothing. When I first arrived to the city, I wanted to do everything on my own. My line of reasoning went something like this: I have a salary, therefore I am mature enough to understand and figure out whatever comes my way. I can handle this, and so much more… RIGHT?  WRONG.

After I missed a major deadline, I realized I can’t know everything and possibly be expected to do everything. This was the hardest part about transitioning from college to the real world. The fear of not knowing. I feared not knowing how to perform my basic job duties. I feared not knowing my way around the city. I feared messing up and losing my job. Will they keep me? Will I be forced to move back to Tennessee? After I missed my deadline, I had to deal with the embarrassment of telling my supervisors and directors. The new girl messed up after four months. Who hired her again? 

In college, I’ve always been the person who has everything together. There’s always an idea and a plan for whatever needs to be done. I always get my work done in time, and receive high grades. The deadline was my fault because I didn’t recognize the value of teamwork. No man is an island, and I shouldn’t continue to think that I’m an exception to this. We all win together, and we all lose together.

Hard work gets you in the game, but team work wins the championship. Get over yourself and your pride, and let others help.

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