Looking for Adventure (and Missing ‘Svetlana’) Accelerated Learning Resources

Looking for Adventure (and Missing ‘Svetlana’)

“Life is a rollercoaster,” so they say, and I believe it.

This year, I’ve certainly had my fair share of ups and downs. I’ve learned that the people closest to us may turn out to be completely different than once thought, and situations in our lives may not pan out as once planned. Things can and do fall apart sometimes.

On the other hand, I’ve had the fortune of being able to see the world and open my mind to new and empowering ideas that are still shaking up my personal beliefs and plans for the future. With five more months to go before graduation, I think it’s time to reflect on what’s happened.

The last fall semester of my undergrad years was not what I had imagined. It began with a sob story—or rather a “Saab story”—in which I had to say goodbye to my beloved 9-3 after a nasty accident in South Carolina on my drive from New York to Florida. It’s unfortunate my car is gone, but I’m thankful I don’t have a scratch on me. I think about my car a lot, and wherever you are “Svetlana,” I miss you dearly. Thanks for keeping me safe.

Losing my car and a few other occurrences made this semester much different than I had wanted. But never would I ever allow a bump in the road mislead me from my general direction. There are events and people I’ve encountered that intend to do just that, but I feel there are too many opportunities and experiences in this world that could ever let anything shake my true will.

Right now I’m trying to discover my niche in society after I graduate. The thought of a 9-to-5 or some similar position does not necessarily scare me, but with all of my free time over winter break I’m beginning to think of other options. I still have my goals, and know in my head what I want, but I always have hated to settle for less, so just in case I’ve begun to think of a Plan B.

My travels in China and Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, introduced me to the many opportunities out there for entrepreneurial and adventurous minds. Those who take themselves out of what they’d call their personal comfort zone and transplant themselves in exotic locations like this are some of the most interesting individuals you’d ever want to meet. While some choose to neglect their true creativity and ingenuity, it was difficult to meet an expatriate in one of these countries without a piece of advice that could make you reconsider everything.

I’m not saying I’m going to go Colonel Kurtz anytime soon, or disappear into the wild like Christopher McCandless, but my experiences abroad have certainly changed me and opened my mind to ideas that may have at once seemed outlandish but now make a lot of sense. Applying my background, personal readings and some research, I’ve come up with a few ideas that are feasible and pursuable after I graduate. It wouldn’t have been possible had I not taken a chance and decided to spend my spring semester this year in Hong Kong, which was certainly the better half, or the “up,” of 2010.

I will still tread down my desired path in the financial-services industry while keeping my personal long-term goals and ideas in mind. Someone once told me that if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. Life will present its own challenges that may make your journey difficult and get you off track, so I’d like to add that if you can’t remember what road to take, you’ll never get there, either.

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