Entry Level Living

As I have indicated before, I love my college experience mainly because of what it exposed me to and the kind of woman it has allowed me to become. My life has been enriched immensely because of the mentors and friends that I met and I wouldnt trade the last four years for anything. However, there is a growing demand for more concrete examples of the importance of college. In the end, people are asking, “Is college necessary for us to become competent and competitive citizens?”

When it comes to job related skills you never learn how to do a job until you actually do it. No amount of schooling can show you how to become a lawyer, doctor, teacher, or any other profession until you are on site getting your hands dirty. But school has rarely been about tangible skills—it has been about capital; acquiring the networks, credentials, and mannerisms necessary to give you a foot in the door. People (not just employers) use it as a screening mechanism to assess intelligence. This practice is done with good reason: while two-thirds of all jobs require a college degree, a little more than a quarter of those who start school actually finishes, making a college degree seem that much more impressive.

At the same time, I can think of no other place where skill development is easier than in college. My alma mater practically threw money at us to secure internships, start clubs, and implement programs (locally, nationally, and abroad). The job I landed in New York never once asked for my transcript; rather they asked me about experiences where I was in the lead, where I had to take control of an issue, or where I was creative and innovative when addressing a problem. I had amazing experiences in college because I took my college’s money (and networks) and got my hands dirty as much as I could. Unlike the “real world” where failing projects and programs cost tons of money and time, in college the consequences are less dramatic making it an ideal place to cultivate leadership through trial and error.

College seems useless because the emphasis is on the content, rather than the process and the application of knowledge. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with theory, for example. However, requiring me to memorize a theory and recite it in a way that is pleasing to the professor is pointless. Why not take that theory and require that I apply it through an internship at a local organization? Or have me critique a theory using data and field work? And if the goal is to have me develop important skills such as critical thinking, then historical events must be examined next to current events to assess patterns and thus making knowledge more relevant.

At the end of the day, the world is changing and colleges must redefine their role in it as we as a nation struggle to redefine the importance of education overall. On the one hand, we view education as the “great equalizer”; yet if this is true the exorbitant prices of a college education must be addressed. If college is crucial for a successful future, then the discussions need to focus on retention, not just recruitment. There seems to be resistance and a desire to stick to older notions of the importance of the academy, like knowledge for the sake of knowledge or college being a place of comradery and fun. The former are important yet must work well with a sense preparation for the world that lay ahead.

I don’t know if the universe is trying to tell me something or if I’ve been on the internet more than usual, but in the past few weeks I have been overwhelmed by the number of articles telling me the importance of being healthy. Not just in terms of prevention of illness and alleviating physical and mental pain, but also in terms of boosting my brain power and chances of professional success. After almost five years of hanging around grungy college students (and graduates who refuse to let the college years ago) who rarely talked about weight and gorged on pizza and hoagies, I am facing the fact that I need to get my weight in order.

Perhaps this is the right time. Not only am I about to take a job with enormous responsibilities and potential, but also since I am moving in two weeks, I haven’t been food shopping and am left with all of the healthy crap I buy to feel good about myself. All of the cakes and cookies are gone and I will have to finish off the veggies and wheat products before it’s time for me to move back to NYC. So I already have a head start.

I’ll admit it; I’m not too excited about this. I know, I know—I need to have a positive attitude and change my relationship towards food and exercise to achieve my weight loss goals. Luckily for me the weather is warm and my habits seem to change on their own: it’s too hot to cook heavy meals, there are more fruits and veggies to choose from, and I love walking around in this awesome weather. Ideally, this behavior would be a 365-days-a-year kind of thing, but right now, since I lean towards healthy living during the summer months, I’ll try to be more conscious of it and start making it “normal” behavior so that it becomes second nature.  On the up side, my motivation is mainly health related. I actually think Im incredibly beautiful But I’ve gained weight to the point of slight discomfort and would like to get down to a size and weight that’s most comfortable for me.

I can already tell this will be a difficult journey. Aside from the fact that I am a food lover who not only eats for fun (how can you not in New York?) but also cooks huge meals to show my love for others, I’m not really surrounded by people with healthy eating habits. Sure I can eat healthy when alone or at home cooking, but what will I do when co-workers want to grab a burger and fries? Or when a friend has a party with not a piece of fruit in sight? These are certainly not major obstacles but they highlight how eating habits are often shaped by peers.

I think the first thing I will do is look up filling but healthy recipes and healthy alternatives to comfort foods (although there are some foods, like fried chicken, which truly have no alternative). I’m aware that the weight loss equation is rather simple: eat less, move more. However, I need to be a little more diligent in figuring out what to eat and how to move in a way that fits my lifestyle, body type, and comfort level. So a little research is in order.

What does that mean for this blog? Well for one, this will not become a weight loss blog. I don’t like those or the idea of telling folks what I ate that day and how I’m feeling about it. However I did feel compelled to share this with my readers so I can be held accountable. No I don’t expect folks to email me reminding me to exercise. Rather, once I make it public that I am trying to do something it’s kind of like making a promise.

I will provide an update here or there about how I’m doing and, most importantly, how I’m being treated. I can’t wait until my mom passes me a big plate of fried chicken and greens and I say no because the chicken is twice battered, deep fried and the greens have salt and pork in them (mmmmmmmmmm….). Once I told her I didn’t want bacon for breakfast and she asked if I no longer ate pork and if I’m changing my life. Seriously. Food is a big deal in the Jones family. Not eating soul food is offensive and often leads to an interrogation. This will add some humor to the process, I’m sure.

Here we go–Sunday, June 1st, 2008. The journey begins!

Today was my organization’s final showcase.  At the end of each semester, the art produced by the students is displayed to the public.  Due to budget constraints we only had one class this semester, film production.  The students produced great work and it was a fun laid back event.

However, the highlight was when staff and my students signed a goodbye card and gave me a small parting gift to thank me for my hard work in the past year.  Reading the card, I almost cried.  It is wonderful to be appreciated, especially by my students.

At the end a few students came up to me to say goodbye.  I plan on writing each of them a letter telling them what they taught me and my contact information.  Moments like this make me realize why I got involved in education in the first place and how moving from direct service (in the form of teaching) to indirect service (in the form of development) will be a much harder transition than I thought. Yet I make the transition with the same love and passion for students and education and believe that I best serve young people by strengthening the programs that serve them.

A week ago I attended the 2008 graduation of my alma mater. At the ceremony I realized that I am a full year out of school and began to reflect on what this year has been. In a nutshell it has been disappointing. This isn’t merely because I am adjusting to the rules of work and the responsibilities of being an adult. I struggled with my first year out of college because I missed who I was allowed to be while I was in college.

I miss being challenged intellectually as opposed to being challenged simply because of my age. I miss being able to get money to do anything that I wanted on the condition that I learned something and that I share what I’ve learned with others. I miss reading all day and being surrounded by people who shared my interests. I miss being able to walk a few feet over and grabbing friends for a late night run to wawa or for a movie. I miss the support from professors and the high expectations many of them and staff members set for me.

The biggest struggle has been finding supportive people with my interests. The reality is that in many ways the “real world” sucks. I knew this coming into my college from one of the worst neighborhoods in NYC and I have realized this even more since graduating. It sucks mainly because people are stuck on getting by, getting through the day, getting what they need and going to bed. I’m starving for people with vision, with hope, and great strength of character.

It is exactly this characteristic–one of great hope and vision– that defines my college experience. I was fortunate in that many of my friends were active and critical. I tend to shy away from people who have no passion, who simply take things as they are, and are terribly uncritical. What a boring way to live, in my opinion. Nothing moves you? Stirs you? Gets you thinking? You dont have a vision for yourself? You just really wake up, work, eat, and go to bed….

I don’t want that kind of life. This desire prompted me to non-profits in order to make a difference but I have come to realize that the non profit world, which has garnered a reputation for being active and passionate, is really turning out to be full of turnovers, frustration, and dwindling amounts of motivation. Not to mention, ignorant self serving folks abound who really just want to pat themselves on the back for a job well done instead of actually being concerned with making change.

In many ways, in the past year I’ve been bored. Terribly, terribly, bored. If I’m not meeting people who seem quite content to live isolated from the world, then I’m meeting people who seem proud to be “set in their ways.” I’m thinking, gee you are 30, you have, if you play your cards right, at least another 40 years and you are already “set in your ways?” 40 more years of possibilities and already you’re done? There is of course a difference between stability and conviction versus being stubborn and closed minded. Too many people fall into the latter.

To make matters worse, I have people encouraging me not to care. Oh, Allison, they say, focus on yourself and forget the rest. I listen, nod politely, and walk away confused. The biggest barrier to, say, the eradication of poverty, doesn’t seem to be the big heads in the white house or the corporate offices. It’s the people in front of me who not only seem not to care but look at me funny for caring too much. I know, the nerve of me. Reading, thinking, talking, and walking; trying to at the very least leave my community better than the way I inherited it.

Then I look to church. I grew up in a very religious family and it is (subconsciously at least) impossible for me not to think about God. I look to Jesus, not the savior but the rebel. Not just a congregation of followers–a congregation of abolitionists, underground schools, and activists. I seek a spirituality that doesn’t just give me peace in a time of chaos but one that emboldens me to MAKE peace.

I’m 22 and am concerned with possibilities of my future and the world around me. Where can I meet some more people like that?

Good News:

1. I got an apartment! 2 bedroom in Queens sharing it with an awesome young woman. I love it!

2. My internship was scheduled to end June 26th but I managed to have it pushed back to June 12th–giving me more time to move and get ready for my new job that starts in July.

Bad News:

1. Since I only have 3 weeks left, there are so many loose ends to tie up and so much work that is suddenly on my plate.

2. I’m siiiiiiiiiiick. Headaches galore–sign of stress and dehydration which means I really need to take better care of myself. Im feeling nauseous just writing this.

It’s weird how being sick takes away from any good news. It took the strength of God to get me out of bed this morning. While Im not coughing and sneezing, I prefer that to these massive headaches which are borderline debilitating!