May brought all sorts of excitement! Seat deposit deadlines rolled around, and Lauren and I made our final selection. We will be attending Lewis & Clark Law School in beautiful Portland, OR starting in August. Wow, does it feel good to have all of that hoop jumping complete.
Even more exciting, my younger brother, Dalton, graduated from the elite Pomona College in Claremont, California with his BA in Astro Physics last weekend! In addition to his incredible academic accomplishments and accolades, he managed to compete in two varsity sports each year during his tenure at Pomona, manage research efforts, and work more than one job...whew. He is now in the process of hunting for work. I have no doubt he will find a wonderful place to spread his wings, but I did try to leave him with a job-search philosophy that I have developed over the course of my own employment. This is what I told him:
You are so incredibly well-rounded and socially adept that you can do ANYTHING you want. It doesn't matter one iota that your degree is within a specific field. Yes, it may help to earn you work in that same field, but more importantly, it highlights your ability to play in the most complicated of sandboxes. Don't corner yourself, though, because of the investment you've made in your field of study. It is no affront to the intellectual progress you've made to pursue work in a different area; in fact, it's precisely the opposite. By reaching into new coves of interest, you expand your already broad set of talents, keep your imagination engaged, and set a foundation for a lifetime of fulfillment instead of burnout. Find a company with a vision that resonates with you, seek out a culture you aspire to be a part of, and make the things that bring you joy nto the things you do to earn a living. Dream so big that you are scared of the dream. Then you know your sights are set correctly. You'll pay some dues, but have fun doing it, and always keep reaching for what YOU want!
I hope he and any other new grads that read this take it to heart. It really is doable. I have fun every day and am so excited to be going back to school. Cheers, class of 2014!