Significant Dates from 2012
January 4th - 8th
January 30th
March 15th
April 5th
April 6th
April 18th - 22nd
July 14th
August 20th
To anyone else these dates may not mean anything, but to me they are dates that I will likely remember for many years to come ( or just refer to this post when I more than likely forget them). These dates include my very first poster and oral presentations at the Society for Historical Archaeology in Baltimore, Maryland and at the Society for American Archaeology in Memphis Tennessee; the day that I received my acceptance letter from the University of Florida; my invitation to join the gamma of DC chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; a phone call that notified me I had received the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship; the beginning of the 12 hour road trip from my parent's house to Gainesville for the very first time; and the first day of my graduate education. There is no doubt in my mind that 2012 was a big year for me, but in the grand scheme of things....it's just the beginning of a dream set into motion by a 13 year old girl. .
Most little girls dream of their wedding day and price charming, how many children they want to have, and where they want their house with the white picket fence and golden retriever. I wasn't like other little girls,I sat down before the age of 13 and planned my life until I was 32. I believed that one day I would be a marine biologist and save the animals, and then a judge (completely bypassing being a lawyer) so that I could make people pay for their crimes, and eventually decided I wanted to be in business. I wanted to become the first African American female CEO. Of course at that age I knew nothing about Ursula Burns, the madam chairman and CEO of Xerox.
Fast forward ten years through a high school graduation with honors and acceptance letters from schools across Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and North Carolina; a college graduation with honors and acceptance letters from schools in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Florida; and the first year of graduate school completed with an exceptional g.p.a The academic honors, scholarships, fellowships, and high grade point averages speak to by abilities as a student, but to me that's just not good enough.
I'm a perfectionist and control freak in more ways than one. Want a perfect example? It took me an hour and a half to name my puppy after driving to Jacksonville to pick him up because I needed a name that would suit him and have historical meaning. I'll introduce him in a later post. Academically, I've always excelled and that's what most people have come to expect from me. I'm okay with that BUT I'm also never one to be complacent. Thirteen year old me would probably be excited that I am on track to surpass the goals I set for myself, however, I'm no longer 13 and those goals need to be re-evaluated.
A Thirteen Year Old's Goals vs. A 23 Year Old's Goals
1. Become the first African American CEO 1. Doctorate and Job in hand by 28
2. Own first home by 32 2. Earn a second M.A. degree by 30
3. Buy dream car 3. First book written and published by 30
4 & 5. same as #2-3
6 . Obtain appointments at the Smithsonian's
Museum of Natural History and the National Museum
of African American History and Culture
7. Curate my own research collections
At first glance for most people my goals at 23 seem easily attainable. Unfortunately, in anthropology, on average it can take anywhere from 6 to 10 years to earn a doctorate because research is dependent upon grants & funding, availability of projects, and the amount of hoops that need to be jumped through. I'm more than confident in my abilities as a student, researcher, and professional, but realistically funding is hard to come by and my ever changing interests may hinder me from finding the perfect dissertation site. Once I have my doctorate and job, I do believe that the other goals will fall into place.
By reflecting over the last decade I've learned one very important lesson and answered a question I've been skirting around for months. There will come a time between your undergraduate graduation, your acceptance into your dream graduate program, and the first "bad" grade you receive on an assignment that will make you question whether you're smart and capable enough to be where you are today. I hope that your answer is the same as mine- YES. I'm not one to brag on my accomplishments because to me they are just some run of the mill things that I've done and has been done by plenty of people before me. The difference is that I know where I'm going is virtually uncharted territory and everything I've done up until this point has given me the confidence to make my mark and prove myself worthy.
Take the time to pat yourself on the back, you're 13 year old self would be so proud....
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