Long time, no see! Once again, my name is Mary Ferguson, and I am about to graduate with my Bachelor’s of Science in Earth Sciences with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies! This past semester I had the distinct honor of being an Eco Digital Storytelling Mentor within the Natural Resources Conservation Academy.
Throughout these past 14 weeks I worked closely with the students from the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (GHAA) and mentored them through a project very similar to what I created for the Environmental Storytelling Course I took last fall. This experience taught me so much about myself and I think it’s fundamentally changed my future career path.
Getting to interact with these students illuminated the love I have for being in the classroom. Before this experience, I was very unsure if I would get a master’s degree. I figured like most professionals in my field, I’d work for a few years then pursue a master’s in something related to my job so my employer would cover part of the tuition. I liked how simple and safe this plan was. However, since getting the opportunity to be in the classroom and interact with these amazing young adults, I don’t know if the easy, safe choice is what I want anymore. I found a new type of joy in the classroom, with those kids. Now, I’m considering getting my master’s degree for teaching in the next few years, something I never thought I’d be interested in.
Not to get too philosophical, but I do think I’ve figured out the meaning of life, really. Stick with me here. I will acknowledge that my belief system is very heavily influenced by the society in which I was raised, but I think it holds true for many people. In my mind, the meaning of life is to chase experiences that make you feel alive. Those interactions, feelings, and whatever else makes you think, unprompted, ‘I am so glad to be alive’. It may seem overly simplistic, but I’ve been chasing that feeling my whole life, and don’t intend to stop.
Getting to mentor these kids, getting to see them grow, their confidence in themselves and their abilities flourish, I got that same feeling. I felt like I was making an impact, that what I was doing really mattered. Without even realizing it, I found myself jumping at any opportunity to be in the classroom with these kids. It made me feel alive.
After I graduate, I have a job in environmental engineering lined up, though I have a sneaking suspicion that a Master’s of Teaching will be in my future. Until next time, chase what makes you feel alive. You won’t regret it.