285 Days

I haven't talked about my lay-off a whole lot on here, aside from hinting at a job search. While it's certainly taken a toll on my life the last 9 months, and it certainly gave me a little more time and motivation to kick my running up a (significant) notch, it's also been a source of worry, stress, anxiety and sometimes just downright depression over the same course of time. This blog has really gotten me through the running capacity of what the last almost-year has given me: a sense of relief, an escape, and a means for having a purpose to get up and go still.

I very much find my identity in my work, in my career. In fact, I don't think I even talk that much about work on here, really. So I want to do that a little, as it's a pretty important part of who I am and what drives me each day.

My undergraduate degree is in journalism - I wanted to be a high school journalism and English teacher. About halfway through my bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, I realized that was not my jam and instead found something else: student affairs. Working at a college or university, running any variety of college-oriented programs for our students. My master's degree is in Education, with a specialization or emphasis in higher education leadership... quite simply put, university administration.

After graduating from San Diego State, I moved to Texas where I worked in residence life, overseeing one of two residence halls with 400+ freshmen living under my roof and watch every single day. After three years there, I headed further east to Georgia and worked at the University of Georgia for two years, specifically working with 700+ student organizations on campus. After some time there, I made a conscious effort to focus on finding a job back on the west coast and getting settled into life with Doug and furthering my career in my home state. Marymount came calling, and I moved back to LA in July of 2013.

Road trippin'. July 2013, back to California!

11 months to the day of my first day at Marymount... was my last. I was laid off unexpectedly, and devastated to say the least. Summertime isn't a great time to start a job search, let alone have to do one, so I was stuck, lost, bewildered at where to go and what to do from there. You'd think that surely, there are plenty enough colleges and universities in the LA area that it wouldn't be hard to find a job, right? Wrong. It's hard. Even with six+ years of experience, it's hard.

Job searching is for the birds. However, I am STOKED, EXCITED, THRILLED, ELATED and RELIEVED, above all else, to say that after 52 applications; 20-something interviews betwen the phone and Skype and campus visits; countless numbers of tears and tension headaches; and 285 days of unemployment...  I am employed! My first day is today and I'm pretty freaking excited to be a part of a team again, to give back and get to work and do what I do best. 

I am so excited to be in a brand-new role (not just to me, but a brand new position altogether!), to get the change to create some new, signature initiatives and make my mark somewhere new too. I'll have more to share soon, but for now, just send me good vibes during this week and bear with me on some delayed updating of this dear little blog for a bit as I get settled. 

To all of you that have been part of this journey, thank you for your love, support, compassion and shoulders to lean on over the last almost-year. I am beyond grateful for your words and comfort when I needed it most, as 2014 wasn't all that kind.

285 days... it's over! 

New adventures. New job. Let's go 2015 - you're mine now!