Those two words, they describe the epitome of Alexis Waters. They are the words that can be used to formulate me in the simplest, yet most complex way. I find it utterly fantastic that we are able to use two words to create such meaning. I suppose that is why I find pleasure in the art of writing. While writing you are free to create your own worlds, people, and are able to escape in a few short paragraphs. Writing enables you describe your own life in a format that is so much more in tune with who you truly are. Speech can only express so much, but words are limitless.
Before I begin a five page rant on how wonderful writing is, let me describe the purpose of this blog. To describe the reason I feel compelled to go beyond my little fiction works and move onto something specifically targeted at myself and experiences in my own life. There are an awful lot of subjects that we are blessed enough to be educated on in school. As little kids we learn the fundamentals History, English, Science, Math, Drama/Speech. As we grow more complex more subjects are introduced to us such as Sociology, Economics, Film, Business, Psychology, Philosophy, Law, Medicine, and our original subjects branch out and become much more complex. Now we are College students, the more mature student. The student that gets drunk on the weekends, works, and attempts to do well in school because we know that our futures rely on this one silly little degree. Some of us are more responsible than others and choose to partake in even more education to give ourselves the title of "honor" student.
How does a mere teenager transform from high school, where we have a set curriculum including mainly every subject go to University and anticipate to know which subject to specialize in? I mean there are over 50 alone at UIC in which I could have chosen. Some choose two, but in the end that is only two out of dozens that could have been chosen. In the end, I chose one and am continuing onto the graduate level in it. My field is communications, the field which people look at you confused and say "Oh, so you learn about talking to people." The field everyone assumes in for the athletes who most consider totally moronic and unable to ever do well beyond their sport.
I like to think my major wasn't for nothing. In fact, a lot of the research I conduct is very plausible to the world today. We rely on news media to explain and inform us on what is going on in the world today, yet we do not trust the media one bit. We find the corporate media to be self interested and there to report what they find important. I have interned at a local news channel, and found it to be true in some ways as well as false in others. Not everyone who is in the news industry wants to screw the public for money, but not everyone has control over what is broadcasted. I research how different countries use media, and which have stayed the most true to informing rather than getting ahead.
My research isn't all I want, and though I'd love to be a University Professor someday I can't seem to imagine myself exclusive to one field of study. When I first began my undergraduate degree I was nothing but a little theater major trying to live her dream of being an actress. The more I progressed in the major the more I discovered that it was though I was wasting my education. I was focusing on this one thing, that though I loved I knew was not a stable profession. Stability is important in my life. I require a base, something that I know if I ever was in dire need of cash I could make cash in.
So I dropped the acting, and applied for pre-med. I had never been so ecstatic about anything. I already knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to go beyond being a pediatric doctor and decided to study neurological pediatrics. How rewarding it would be to help children with brain tumors, and other neurological problems. I began researching the program, and saw that it would take roughly 14 years to complete the program. I was not fortunate enough to have my parents pay for any of my University. My father helped me slightly with my first year, but I was pretty much alone in paying. The prices and amount of time discouraged me, and for once I knew I would probably have to let go of that dream. When I really thought about the sick children I questioned whether I would even mentally be prepared to help such sick kids.
I moved on, and was at a loss for a semester. I had become what I feared and disliked the most... undecided in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. However would I figure it all out. I was a Sophomore and feared I would be a super senior. How would I tell my parents that I was an epic fail at decisions? Would I ever decide with the vast amounts of subjects that were presented to me? I did what any sensible person would do in my situation. Took a little bit of everything.
"Political Science," I thought to myself. "That's it! I love politics. I could totally be a hotter Hilary Clinton someday."
So I pursued this political science. Only to find that the theories and professors were not as exciting and poetic as most politicians were. In the process of my political campaign I decided that it only be sensible to take some philosophy (primarily logic) courses. Logic was fascinating and taught me a lot. I had always been a logical person, but this just seemed to make so much more sense than it should have. I fell in love, but I did not want to be in love with Philosophy, at least not for a career path. Though I loved my little, old British Professor I did not want to become him and forever educate on such complex thoughts.
When I realized that maybe Law school wasn't for me and that I wasn't sure the political science kids or professors rubbed me off in the right way I began taking less multiple courses in one subject and took one course in every subject. The next semester had a variety of Economics, Communications, History, Math, and English. I was determined to find my niche and not be the super senior. Economics was so simple to me. At first I feared the worst, because I tend not to be the most bright at Mathematics. Economics was not just math, it was logical and I loved it. History was only interesting for the first few weeks, then the thought of being a history professor made me cringe a little inside. Like Theater, English I felt was something I could indulge in outside of the classroom and found it pointless to continue. Then, there was communications. I wanted both Economics and Communications. I was again conflicted, and was not sure which subject would win the war. All I knew was that I was determined to pick one by that fall and stick with it. Stick with it so heavily that I would not only not be a super senior, but be a junior in a seniors body.
I stuck with communications, only because finite mathematics frightened me a bit. I pushed forward taking 18-21 credit hours a semester and 10 in the summer. This allowed me to graduate a year early in the field, and with honors. Yes, I was one of those responsible ones. Now that I am enrolled in a graduate program I find myself going to the library to read over medical journals and look at Mcat books. I look into local politics and find myself curiously searching for ways to run for a position. I have realized that though I have chosen a track, I still am that lost freshman who wants to do everything. So I am determined to complete as much as I can to at least get a taste of all my passions in life. Crazy? Maybe, but remember no one can stop you from living your dreams. No one ever put a limit on how elaborate they can be.
So this is the essence of my blog. The journey of a girl who wants to conquer every subject in her short life. I know I have the motivation and drive to do it, now it's just a matter of sharing my conquest with the world.
Always,
Alexis
