Getting to maybe
First thing you should know about me is that my blog is appropriately named. But I didn’t start this blog to tell you about why my life is in a constant state of chaos, but rather, to tell you about my academic and professional career path because I might be able to provide you a guide for what to (or not) do.
First things first. I am a joint-degree student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). Why? Because I want to help people, and lawyers have a very special skill set. Why GSPIA? Because I wanted to surround myself with the “feel-good” types that go there, while simultaneously obtaining another professional degree. Ok, now you are caught up.
What I am about to say is going to sound like I am bragging, but I am not (ok, maybe a little bit!). Last year, I paid about half tuition. This year, I did not pay any tuition. Next year, I will not pay any tuition and will receive an $18,000 living stipend. With a little bit of luck and hard work, I hope that I will not pay tuition during my last year of school, either. Last year, I traveled to Nicaragua to work for a non-profit, all expenses paid, including the cost of living. This year, I am working at my dream job, a non-profit legal aid clinic. And I’m getting paid. And this brings me to the point of this blog.
I was not simply handed all of the amazing opportunities listed above. I have been working my ass off (see: constant state of chaos). I am not a straight A student–not even close. Law students never talk about their grades, but I will when the situation is appropriate. I’ll tell you that I did not do very well my first year, and I almost quit because they scare you into thinking you can’t ever get a job if you are not in the top 10% of the class. Well, fine. I’ll bust my ass working and see what that gets me.
How did I get all these amazing opportunities when my grades were not great?
Rule 1: Apply to every single, and I mean EVERY SINGLE, scholarship/grant/fellowship opportunity your career services office sends you. Of course, make sure you qualify first. But then, go! Do it! Don’t sit around thinking you probably won’t get it. Everyone else is thinking that, too, you know.
Rule 2: You don’t always have to listen to what your career services office says. I know, I know, that sounds ridiculous after Rule 1, but sometimes it is appropriate not to listen. At Pitt Law, they really want graduates to work at big firms. They want graduates to hold a legal career after graduation. Well, I don’t know that I necessarily want either of those things. So, I get help from them when it’s appropriate and ignore them when it’s not.
Rule 3: Network. You know this one already. I don’t care. Really actually network. And I don’t mean just “meet” people. I mean really get to know them. Currently, I work at Community Justice Project, Joe Mama’s, the Center for Latin American Studies, JURIST.org, I tutor Spanish, I work on the Pitt Policy Journal, and I am a regular contributor to the Ridgeway Center Regional Watchlists. Some of my jobs are for money. Over half of them are not. This is because when you work hard, your hard work will get noticed. You will build relationships with your employers that will last longer than the job. I have been at Joe Mama’s, first as a waitress and now as a manager, for nearly seven years. And do you know what I realized today? My time at Joe Mama’s helped me get my first non-profit job in Pittsburgh because a fellow server knew someone there. AND that job helped me get my current job at Community Justice Project. I know–mind blown.
Rule 4: Actually do something you think you’ll like because if you are busting your ass this hard for something you hate…well, you’re going to hate your life and yourself. Out of all the jobs that I listed above, only two of them are “necessary” for me. But I enjoy each and every one of them. So, I continue to be busy because, despite the fact that I often have too much going on at one time, I enjoy what I do.
Rule 5: This is sort of along the same lines as Rule 4. Let yourself have some fun. Find that balance between work and relaxation. I know it sounds like I could not possibly have time to relax, but somehow I manage it. It might only be an hour at the end of the night, but I own that hour. Push yourself to your limit and then stop. But if you take that indulgence, you really have to earn it.
Rule 6: This one should go without saying, but I don’t think it does. Whatever you do, whatever career you end up pursuing, however successful you become, etc etc, please do not be a jerk. This is along the same lines as Rule 3. Sure, yes, sometimes jerks never get their comeuppance. But I like to believe in a little thing called karma. Be nice, be kind, be generous, be thoughtful, and I guarantee that somewhere along the way, you will be rewarded for it. It’s a tough world out there for us soon-to-be or already grads. But we don’t gain anything by hurting our peers in the process of trying to get ahead.
Well, this was my introduction post to my blog. I will try to update it weekly or at least every other week. Next, I will tell you a little bit about my internship and the process I went through to secure it, including how an application should look, what you should say in a cover letter, etc. I am not an expert by any means, but I have learned some tips from other professionals along the way that have helped me immensely. And I know not everyone has the good fortune of coming across a good mentor.
And with that, I am off to enjoy a cocktail to end this very busy day. Thanks for reading!
