Yes, I've been MIA from my blog for the past month or so. Two final projects and presentations, as well as my insistence on spending time with family and friends took up whatever spare time I would've used to update my blog otherwise.
During my mini-sabbatical, I experienced quite a few interesting turn of events that have allowed me to learn a bit more about myself.
1. A pretty-darn-good negotiator
I found out how assertive and dynamic of a negotiator I can be after taking part in a negotiation workshop hosted by IMC Prof. Fred Crandall. What makes a negotiator great is the ability to find a creative solution to meet the other party's need(s) or an "Integrative win-win-win solution," instead of a trade-off or zero-sum negotiation.
At the workshop, I took on the role of a publisher and negotiated down the advance fee for another student who was playing the role of an author's agent. His goal was to get as close to $350,000 as possible. My goal was to get as close to $100,000. We settled at $110,000. :D
2. Traveler of the unconventional career path
For the longest time I thought I was living some version of a career "failure to launch" for not climbing up the career ladder the way most of my college friends did. My career path was non-linear at best... it zig-zagged, hopped around, and if my guess is right, it's about to go into a warp-zone after my Independent Study project is done this August. It's a lot like a pinball game (yes, you can play the game of pinball below):
Jungle Quest Pinball (Classic game) | Play more games
Who knows where I will end up, but through numerous conversations with friends, colleagues, and professors, I learned that this type of career path is okay too. In fact, it sets me apart from other job seekers because of the unique experiences that this untraditional path has exposed me to.
3. Potential innovator in non-profit fundraising
I've told my husband even before we got married that I would like our family to be involved in philanthropy. I believe that we should live to impact the lives of other people for the better. That's the legacy we should all strive for. My particular interest is in giving money to deserving non-profit organizations.
No, I'm not wealthy enough to be a philanthropist such as Bono, Bill Gates and the like. But I believe wealth is NOT a prerequisite--ingenuity, passion, and determination are. As mentioned above, I'm embarking on a summer-long independent study project at Medill. In essence, I will work on designing a model for running a non-profit the IMC way.
Stay tuned!
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