Back where I started
It seems to be all or nothing. It seems like most people either leave and never live at home again or stay home and never leave. I don't necessarily want to be here, but I also don't know if I don't want to be here. Santa Barbara is perfect. There should be nothing to complain about.
Hendry's dog beach, Santa Barbara, October 2020
I constantly wonder what it's like to live somewhere other than the central coast. Most everyone that has lived somewhere else tells me to trust them when they say you're not missing out on much. I can't help but wonder though. I can't help but think about how much I must not really be able to appreciate the central coast.
Maybe I'll never know. Maybe I'll have a vacation home in Tahoe or in Colorado and that will be enough. That would be epic... way more than the pass.
I'm physically right back where I started the beginning of college, but a whole new chapter is beginning. I just started as an Engineering Project Manager for FLIR Systems. Apparently I am the youngest person in the company's history to start out in this role AND I'm a female. Power to us! Catch me at the local women in tech speaker panel in a couple of years.
If you asked me a couple years ago if I could picture myself accomplishing what I have today I would probably tell you that sounded like a dream. I never imagined I'd strike a job right out of grad school as a project manager, let alone for an engineering team, and at a company like FLIR?? Someone slap me. I couldn't be more grateful.
But I know as tasty as this job feels on my lips and in my pocketbook, I have quite the road of challenges ahead. I have little to no experience in cameras, mechanics, or optics. I must have a damn good smile because most days I wake up wondering how in the world I got this gig.
I guess maybe that's why I thought it could be fun to start a blog. Throughout my life my parents have gotten a lot of "I can't wait too see what Kelsey does." I feel like I've made a lot of connections with mentors and community leaders early in my life and always aspired to be like them. I guess most people think I've got a pretty good head on my shoulders and if I do end up doing something pretty sick then at least some of you will get to watch the journey.
So here I am starting a new job putting 17 years of academic and extracurricular education to the test.
Ironically I feel like a new student that just walked into kindergarten all over again. I'm right back where I started.
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