MAC Week 3 Comment-Van Manson's Blog

Van Wrote:

This entire post is a shout out to HARDY REEVES!!! As I have discussed in last week’s post I have been stressing out about obtaining a job and was contemplating the military as my last resort. But an
unlikely person posted the below comment on the post and it changed my entire perspective on life after full sail.

Hardy

Van,

I found this site:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2007-05-20-advice-for-graduates_N.htm

with many different "words of wisdom" from many different successful people. What it all boils down to is finding your passion. What is it you want? I agree that you shouldn't settle and look for a job that you want, but it also sounds like you might "settle" for a military position.

As far as the passion for educating, this does go and come. I have been teaching for 8 years now and all I can tell you is that you have to choose your attitude for that position. Were there days I would have loved to call it quits? Sure-but that's true with any job. Serving your country doesn't have to be just military-you can serve your country by teaching students to have the passion that you have for film, the passion you have for life, and being there for students who need someone that "gets" them. From what I've seen in your work and what you have shared with us in previous classes, you would be an asset to any educational system and a great mentor for many students for many years to come.

Saturday, April 17, 2010 - 07:08 PM

I had never thought about education as another just as equally rewarding career path to serve my country in. After reading Hardy’s comment my thoughts of the military have almost completely dissipated. I now have somewhat of a new outlook on life after Full Sail. Furthermore, even though I am still stressed at obtaining a new job and where I actually go to after all of this is said and done, I kind of have a new spark inside me. I do not know another way of describing it. It is a spark that I lost during the course of this degree, and with each day it is slowly growing. I think this spark is for my passion on teaching students about subject material I love so much. I think the spark is education itself. Who knows where this will take me in the near future, but I like it.

So thank you Hardy for taking the time and reading my post, for sharing your insight, and for making a comment however small that truly has changed my outlook on life after full sail. Thank you!

Passion is: waiting 365 days to fly.
My son waits for it every year at our annual "Pig on the Pond" festival

I responded:

Van, I think you've been through a whole heck of a lot over the past year. It's easy to get caught up in what has been, and feel sort of hopeless for what is to come. I think Hardy said it well. The only downside to being an educator, as opposed to a soldier, is that you often get blamed for all of society's shortcomings, as opposed to being praised for it's successes. But, such is life. Whatever you end up doing in life, make sure you're doing something you're passionate about. Without passion, any career is just another job. :)