20something profile: Jenna
This post was written by Jenna, who has degrees in marketing and graphic design:
I’ve always been pretty good at anything I’ve attempted, except for the time I tried to play softball. Luckily, I never had my heart set on becoming a professional softball player, but I also never had my heart set on much of anything in particular.
When the time came to enroll in a college program, I was clueless. I picked my major solely on which booth at the college convention looked the most interesting.
The next two years in Graphic Design were fun, and believe it or not, a lot of work. I learned more about self-motivation and endurance than I did Photoshop or typography. Upon graduation, the economy was quickly declining, and I realized that I’d never make a living on my art.
Still clueless to what I wanted to do with my life, I enrolled in the business program. I figured that was a nice, broad category. Surely there must be something out there meant for me. I majored in marketing because I thought it’d make the most sense with my graphic design background.
I really intended on working for an advertising agency one day, conceptualizing ideas for the next big Coca-Cola ad. That’d make me successful. However, once I graduated, I realized that the majority of immediate positions available to a freshly graduated marketing major are in sales. I’m an introvert. Selling isn’t quite my ‘thing.’
Luckily, I landed a job in the accounting department of a local company. It is paying my bills and allowing me to live a decently comfortable life for my age. It’s just…comfortable. Don’t get me wrong: In this economy, I am EXTREMELY lucky to have such an amazing job. I thank the stars above every day for the opportunity I have been given. However, it doesn’t do anything for my creative needs.
I still search daily for what I really want out of life, and when I start brainstorming, I come up with a million different ideas. The common denominator between all of those ideas is that I want to work for myself. I want to start something from scratch and build it into greatness. I don’t want to make millions; I want to make a difference to someone or something. I want to be successful based on my definition of success.
For now, I am taking life as it comes. It hasn’t steered me wrong thus far. I don’t see the value in continuing a formal education, but I am constantly educating myself on various subjects and bouncing business ideas off of my friends and family. I know my thought process is all over the place, but one day it will all come together and make sense.
One day, I will be doing what I love for a living. I just keep pushing forward because I know that one day I’ll arrive in exactly the right place at the right time. I have faith, because without faith, we have nothing.
For more of my writing, please visit: www.powerinpearls.com. My blog is a celebration of women and serves as a platform to inspire and unite women of all ages, races, social statuses, etc.
Posted on October 21, 2013, in 20something profile and tagged advice, careers, employment, entrepreneur, graduates, graphic design, marketing, twenties. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
Ok these 20something profiles just got me,and to jenna I have to ask- how did you persevere in getting 2 degrees? Wow that’s awesome and to wanting to work for yourself,now that is just the best I wish to do the same after sch but am in a course that well doesn’t have much wiggle room,you are either in or out! Well that’s it I am definitely stopping by your blog!