How Long I Have Been On My Journey







Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Quick update!

So, I have received my official letter stating that I have been accepted into grad school. #excited!!!!! So I cannot wait until I start that in January. I will begin my journey into counseling/psychology ASAP. I have learned that I do not have to do any interning with it, so I am much more excited about it, because internships prolong school. I am ready to become more and more educated. I have also received word that I need to send my graduate score off to this school, so I am going to get on the ball with that, lol. I am going to have to send my transcript to this community college in which I am taking additional classes from so that I can continue my education in the health profession. So, I am going to get all of this squared away soon. Hurricane Isaac has stopped me in my tracks, so I have found myself writing this blog to update everyone on what is going. I have not found a job in my field, but I have returned to my job back the school. I am a student worker, assisting children with tutoring and after school activities. Yay, children, not! But it is a job, so I have no complaints. I only get paid once a month, so I am going to start saving money because, ONE - I want to start christmas shopping early; TWO - I want to vist my boyfriend in a few months; THREE - I want to start making yearly payments towards my student loans. I have other things that I would like, a new hood dryer and hair products and clothes and shoes, but I am going to hold off so that I can pay for what I really need.  OH! Also, I am going to have to pay for community college classes out of the pocket plus gas. So, yea. I do not feel productive because I am not in school this semester. I do not feel like a student. I do not feel like me because I am always reading and studying and learning. Well, I have decided to use this free time to do three things hopefully: ONE - to work full time so that I can put on my resume that I have officially worked full time on my resume, TWO - to do some type of volunteer work somewhere, THREE - to learn Spanish. Ok, about learning spanish; I have decided to make my resume stand out by using this entire semester to learn Spanish. I feel like by putting this on my resume by December, I will stand out when applying to jobs because I will be bilingual. The thought came to me when I had to take my father to a doctor's appointment. There were two people in the waiting room who did not feel comfortable talking about their issues in English because they did not feel like they could elaborate well in English. So a Spanish speaking nurse was brought out to the waiting room and assisted the ailing men with well-detailing their issues and all. I thought to myself, "Wouldn't I stand out on an application and resume by saying that I can speak English?" So here I am, I am a week into my lessons and I feel like I am doing a great job. Think about your futures. Ask yourself, "How can I stand out?" Maybe you already have what you need. I don't, lol.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Job Fair and GREAT NEWS!!!

Well, I went to a job fair today. LOL! That is my summary of the entire day. It wasn't this off the wall event. It was actually very structured. You will see why I laughed in a minute. The story starts off with me waking up EXTRA EARLY, not one of my strong points. Well, I make it to the career center where the job fair is held. The job fair only consisted of one mental behavior company. I signed in and sat down. When it started, we had orientation. Ok, the orientation was awesome....UNTIL we got to the part about how much each position paid. So, the main position I applied for was the first one he describes....$8.55 an hour. I had to laugh. There was no way that I could drive all of that distance for eight dollars. Not to mention that they job I would have would be the most dangerous and risky position. Yea, I am not ready for that.  I am not trying to be picky at all. But what was extremely funny was that the national starting pay was double that. Yea, that was not going to work for me. But luck would have it that I have applied for countless other positions for this company. So, it was at that instant that I was now interested in my next possible highest paying position. Everyone who was there received an interview. I was like number eight. Once I sat down for my interview, I was nowhere near nervous like I thought I would be. I was first interviewed by a man who sort of broke the ice for the main interviewing process. Next, a woman interviewed me. Here is where it gets extremely funny to me. First, she told me that my resume told her that I did not know what I want to do with my life because I had jobs all the place. I have had 5 jobs in six years: tutoring, RA, cashier, internship and student working. I did not understand how she would get that crap from my resume that I did not have an idea what I wanted to do with my life. Next, she told me that I was underqualified for the position because I did not have any entry level experience. Ok, see this is what gets to me. How in the world am I suppose to obtain 3-5 years of entry level experience when I have spent five years in school trying to achieve a degree so that I can get a better paying job? It is like people were born with years of experience and that they forgot the struggle of achieving an entry level position. She also told me that I did not qualify for the position because my competition automatically blew me out of the water due to experience; however, not as much education as me. She ended the interview by saying exactly this, "So, this is what you are going to do: You are going to leave here today with no job. You need to get yourself together as far as some type of job experience and some specific volunteer work. Go back online, read the job descriptions carefully and call me when you feel like you got it together." I smiled, shook her hand and left. LOL! There was no reason to be mad. Some of the things she said were semi-correct. I do need to work on achieving the job that I really want to do, which that was not it. I took it as a lesson; if I really wanted that job, I would have been way more disappointed. I am just disappointed that my resume supposedly says negative things about me. But I cannot please everyone. I am grateful for the opportunity where I was dismissed like that. I know that sounds crazy, but rejections helps me to gain a thicker skin because I do not like being  rejected. So it is a personal challenge to myself. Also, it makes me look at what I am trying to accomplish in life a little harder; I want a job in the medical field, and I should try to aim for that than just anything.

On the way back from the job fair, I was on the phone with my boyfriend and telling him about my hilarious experince. As I was talking, I received an email alert on my phone. Upon reading it, I realized that the email was from the new university that I have recently applied to. They wrote me to tell me that I have been ACCEPTED into grad school!!! Yippee!!! Life is awesome. I am so grateful for the opportunity to say that I am a grad student. I do not start until January, but somewhere on record it says that Alexis will be attending graduate school. Words cannot express how happy I am. When I returned home, I received a letter from the first university that I attended which said that I have officially been turned down for grad school there. Doors were closing on me, but I am thankful that other doors have opened for me.

I have decided not to interview for the insurance company position on Thursday. I received an email stating that I can return back to my old job right here five minutes from home. My first goal is work this position so that I can official put on my resume that I have worked a full time job for anyone who has a problem with my resume in the future lol.

GRATEFUL!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Things are Looking WAY Up

At the moment, I am so happy to say that I have turned pretty much everything that I need to have my grad school application reviewed. I am so excited because I am ready to get my life on the appropiate path. It feels weird that I am not in school this semester. I feel like I am about to lose my mind. Also, my mom is on my back about how she has to have an input in everything I do. o_O Where does this crap come from? I am 24 years old and my mom is calling herself telling me what I should do. Ugh!!! I know I need to be finding me somewhere to go soon. I thought I would be happy at home, but I have did nothing but regretted the fact that I did not save any money to stay out of the house. So,  I am here trying to pick up the pieces so that I can lead the life that I want and that God has in stow for me.

But I am not going to write about frustration. I am writing about the ups that I have been encountering. One, I had an interview a few days ago. The interview was pretty good. I was very nervous. I could tell that I was wreck, but I answered the questions to the best of my professional ability. I am supposed to hear a call back whether or not I have made it to the second part of the interviewing phase or that I am have been dismissed as an applicant. Regardless of the ending result, I am so thankful to have my third interview since graduating college.Two, I am going to a job fair tomorrow. I have applied to several jobs at this one facility, with no calls back nor any emails. Well, the job fair flyer mentioned that anyone who has applied online will have the opportunity to have an onsite interview. I am very excited about this, but my mom was questioning the hours and telling me what she did not want me to do. Here we go again. :( I almost let her talked me out of going to this job fair, but I am going to go. Three, I have received anothr call today about a separate job opportunity. The person who called me viewed my resume online. I did not apply for this job. But I am thankful to be considered for this position. It is an insurance company.

So far, none of the above mentioned points are what I am truly interested in. I have found myself in a job searching slump. However, I have decided that I am not going to settle for a job. I am going to continue to search until I find that perfect job for me. My mom really does not want me to find a job. That is not going to work. No job and no school this semester, I will go absolutely crazy.

More about school: I am awaiting word about my acceptance or not at this new university that I have applied to. I will be receiving my degree entirely from offline. I really wished that I could be in the classroom for my masters; however, the school close to my house did not accept me and will not be taking applications again until summer 2013. I refuse to sit around that long and do nothing. I am also going to start catching up on my science classes from a local community college. I am so excited about this. My only issue is that I can dedicate time fo all of this. But I am believing God that a way is already made for me and that I have to find my way and I will be free.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Boy, August 7th!!! (NEW CAREER INFO ENCLOSED)

Boy, life is one interesting script. One day you find yourself following the strict set of goals and directions that you have aligned for yourself. The next thing you know, everything that you have foreseen yourself doing is completely non-existent now. How crazy is that? But if you find yourself in a relationship with God, you know better than to question anything that has been dealt to you. Thankfully, I have not questioned my God. But that doesn't mean that the road hasn't had me wondering, lol. But I keep the thoughts to myself and leave God out of them. I am keeping my faith through it all, because it is implanted in my spirit that blessings come with a drop of faith.

With that said, let me begin by telling you what has happened to me today. One, about ten o'clock this morning, I recieved a phone call to come in for an interview on Friday. Excited!!! I haven't been on an interview in a minute, I believe it was the beginning of July. So, this will be my first interview in August. I applied for this position last month around the 16th. I have hit a dry spell when it comes to finding a job. Lately, I may qualify and apply for one job a week. Sad, but I continue to look. So when this lady called, I was refreshed. It took me totally by surprised. I felt this swift kick in my rump to perk up. "There are people that are hiring out there," I told myself. The position is called Community Health Worker. Pretty much what this is one is an educator, adivisor and teacher of medical risks out there: AIDS, HPV, and not treating one's diseases and illnesse that they know that they have. A CHW would be in charge of making sure that they are educated on facts and resources available for them. It helps that I live in a neighborhood that I see where people rarely can afford to go to the doctors. I also live in this same neighborhood where young girls are not realizing the dangers to health consequences that subjecting themselves to. When I start reading about this job description, I was totally estatic. I would love this job. I will keep you updated on the interview and possible job status.

Two, my brother moved into his dorm to start his third year in college. While moving him in, I received two different emails. The first email was room was from here I applied to a Tech Assistant position at a hospital. I was denied that job opportunity. Then, I received the next email. Does Lab Assistant ring a bell? I interviewed for that job almost two months to the day (officially two months tomorrow) and I am just receiving word about that position TODAY! Wow.  I wasn't mad about that I did not get the job, but I am very upset that it took so long for me to hear anything about it. I am the type of person that when I interview for a job, I don't really put much into looking for a position because I do not want to turn anyone down if I already have a position. However, this grad school biz has taught me to have more back-up plans than a person waiting on there check to pay their bills on time, lol. I do not know if that was a good anaolgy or not. I tried. God closed that door, but he is constantly leaving me cracks of light through possible passages for myself.

Yesterday, I have been taking care of business to be in school in January. You know, sending paper work here and there and getting grades sent from here to there. I have a long way to go before I am completely through with admitting into schools, but it is keeping me busy. I am so thankful that I have the mind to continue despite the let-down.

My boyfriend had a job interview today at a bank. He said that his job interview went well, but the interviewer did something different. He said that he could tell through a sixth sense that he did not really see himself doing this for the rest of his life. True, my bf has a marketing degree, and he see himself in a whole different career. The interviewer told him not to settle for jobs but to continue to look for jobs that he see himself happy with. My bf said that the interview was a wonderful eye-opener. He may not get this job, but he was given the motivation to follow his dream. His motivation shot through the phone and struck me. I am ready; let me find my job, please.

So, I thank God for this date, August 7th, 2012. It has been exactly what I needed to keep this soldier fighting.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Post Rejection Post LOL

LOL. I love the title. Isn't it motivating? Maybe not, but I am still pushing on. What is going on with me now??? Well, I am going to apply to three schools soon. So I am going to find out all of their requirements and deadlines soon so that I can get to working on that asap. Another thing I am working on is finding a job. I have so many plans on what I am going to save for which leads me up to my next thing on the list. I am going to take some type of certification class so that I can get some experience in the medical field. So I am going to work on that.

I have been working on getting into a few schools. It is so costly. But my future education is an investment. So, I am pushing hard to keep myself motivated so that I can keep on trucking. During this time, I have found myself wanting to read devotions. It has really helped me through this short period of time, because I could feel myself want to sink into isolation. But I am overcoming and still my usual self, but I am more motivated. Today, I have made preparations to send off more information to one school. I am still doing more research about other schools. Plan Bs, Cs, Ds and even Es are necessary now.

Yesterday, I read in the paper where there will be a job fair in another week. I am making preparations to attend it. It is a company that deals with mental diseases and substance abuse. It also deals with other issues. I have applied there countlessly with no contact made about coming to interview for a job or that the position was filled. However, I further read that if you have applied online, you have the opportunity to interview for one of their countless positions ONSITE!!! I am excited. I am trying to put my game face on and mentally prepare myself now.

I am also considering another certification program just in case. This rejection experience has taught to have plan Bs and to keep my options open because regardless of what seems like it will fit your life right, it may not be what is in the master plan that is written by someone else. That is another thing that I have been working on: inspirationals and devotionals. I have been trying to increase my faith because I have been honestly lacking on my faith in God. I am woman enough to admit it. I have been at it for a couple of days. What I will do is light a candle and get in a quiet place, say a prayer before I do my reading, do my reading while taking a few notes and pray right afterwards. It is very peaceful, and I am learning so much. I cannot wait until I make it a beautiful, consistent habit.

In other words, this school has denied me access into their program, but I was not denied access in life. I have no reason to stop what I am doing just because I have faced one of my first real rejections. But boy did it sting, lol. Anywho, life goes on, and I am going with it.

Until we cross paths again...