an update..

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I got into business school this week!  What, like it’s hard? 

Some background for you: about 6 months ago, after exploring potential grad programs, I found myself leaning towards an MBA. I decided to take one of the program’s foundation courses as a non-degree seeking student to help me solidify my interest in the program. I think a small part of me (and perhaps larger than I’d like to admit) took the class to figure out if I was even capable of taking the program. The idea of graduate school, let alone business school, was intimidating and the class I took was hard. Like really hard. It was boring and 100% uninteresting. Plain and simple: it blew. But I really enjoyed being in school again and appreciated the routine.  Huh?! It came as a shock to this reformed party girl who made school a pretty low priority in undergrad.

What is making me feel ALL the feels is that at 28, I’m not getting married or having babies or buying a home. I’m going to grad school and I’m wildly excited about it. I’m a planner and always have been. And for a long time, I planned assumed that this point in my life would be about personal next steps rather than professional next steps. (Although I will certainly make the case that taking significant steps professionally allows you to take larger personal steps later. But perhaps that’s a post for another day.) But here I am, taking a huge step professionally not in lieu of taking personal steps but in addition to. And it’s a place I never imagined being even in my wildest dreams.

As young women, I feel like we’re put in this giant venn diagram of marriage/babies/relationship and career-driven ladder-climbers.  I suppose I always assumed the overlap in the middle was a small population but then I landed in the middle. And I’m looking around and seeing… I’m not alone. This middle overlap is way bigger than I thought.

Which brings me to this blog.  I started writing this blog because I felt like there was a void in the blog world of blogs written by young professionals I could relate to. I work full time and have a great job but still have to shop on a budget so I can save for new OTK boots or a family vacation.  I’ve been in a relationship for four years and talk about marriage but there is no one that has supported me more in going back to school than my boyfriend. I want a seat at the table professionally but also want to leave at 5 to come home to a home I’ve created and nurtured.  I am the overlap in the venn diagram and I think it’s pretty likely that you are too. I just forgot about that which is, I think, why I haven't been posting much around here or feeling inspired. 

So I’m going to sign off for a bit so I can spend the next few weeks re-energizing and refocusing before the new year.  I’ll see you in 2015.

Happy holidays, friends! 

xoxox,

Nicole