For many schools, this week is College Week. As a teacher, I am asked to share my educational journey with my students. This allows many students to see how many different journeys there are to advanced education. My journey is quite a twisty one, and no one seems to have any idea that I had a completely different path worked out before the BIG TWIST during my last year of college.
This is the Educational Journey I shared with my students:
I shared with my students that I really didn't feel too comfortable in high school - I didn't want to share my interests all that much. I didn't know how exactly I could fit in. I loved art, I wanted to be an animator; I had known that since I was 9 years old. When people asked what I was going to major in, and I said "animation", there would be a long awkward pause, followed by "I didn't know you drew."
Yeah, so I didn't tell many people - I don't know how to talk about myself in that way.
Which brings me to the present . . . some of my friends and colleagues know about my illustrations, and that it is my goal to become an author/illustrator. When they comment about the book, or my illustrations, inevitably, someone overhears and says "You draw?" or "I didn't know you drew." And it really brings me back. I have no idea how to respond. I didn't know 20+ years ago, and I still don't know today.
Currently, I have no resolution to this issue - but I'm happy to hear some recommendations.