This will be a quick one. Just wanted to write something down so I can remember it later.
I started working for UNF as a work study student in Spring of 2002. It’s now Fall of 2009, and while I’m no longer a work study student, I’m still working there. In 2006, I graduated and became a benefited employee. Before I graduated, I had visions of using my Criminal Justice degree to work in corrections. I strongly believed (and still do) in the power of the correctional system if it is done right and I wanted to be a part of that. Shortly after graduation, I realized that unless I wanted to move out of Jacksonville, the chances were slim of getting the kind of work that I wanted. I did an internship at the Hubbard House and was fairly certain that I could have gotten a job there but the pay was not enough given my student loan and credit card debt that I had accumulated in college. So I stayed at UNF and got a wonderful job in Enrollment Services. UNF owns a fairly large piece of real estate in my heart so the last 3 years I have really enjoyed. But lately I have been wondering what happened to my dreams from college?
I wanted to help people and while my job now is to support staff and “help” them in a technical fashion, my job is not to help people with their lives. I used to fill that void with volunteering but then after Quincy and now my grandmother, it’s gotten next to impossible to find the time. So I find myself asking today “what happened, Annie?” Did I sell out for money? Did I just take the easy road? While some of those answers may be yes, I am comforted by the fact that I do love UNF very much. I always say I’m “UNF home-grown.” But as I go on, I am beginning to feel that what I do doesn’t matter. I don’t want to feel that way…
So I volunteered myself last week to translate a child assesment packet for Hubbard House. It’s supposed to be translated to Spanish, needless to say my husband was upset about that…lol. It will take me quite a while to finish this project BUT that’s what I can do for now until I can find more time to give of myself the way that I used to. 🙂
P.S. Let me reiterate that I love working at UNF. I don’t intend to leave anytime soon. lol
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