Real Life 101

01 August, 2006

This is the end of my first year as an alum and of this online diary.  Certainly my personal experience is only a small taste of the real world and I was honored to share this life-changing year with you. I hope you continually found what you came for.

Graduating from HC and finishing Dartmouth's business program left me in the open sea, but unsure which way to sail. With the search for a job came a search for myself. I often found more questions than answers and more frustrations than solutions. In the end I must have done something right because I landed the perfect job for me at L'Oreal.  I also must have done something wrong because I lost a relationship I cared for.

Right and wrongs put aside, in January something snapped into place. Maybe I am born for the working life, or maybe I reached a new level of maturity. Whatever the case, no online words can express how different a person I am today than last year.

From there my web log must have seemed like a fairy tale. Everything from an early promotion to meeting my celebrity role model, from half marathons to Webby Awards – heck, I barely believe my own life. I thank my family, friends, and the HC Community for all their love, faith and support.

The greatest thing I have learned in the past year is that happiness is a journey – not a destination. I can sail in any direction as long as I follow my heart and my intuition.

Instead of "*What are you doing after graduation?*" it's time to ask "*What's next?*"

31 July, 2006

I'm moving up!  Literally!  At work, I'm moving from the 8th floor to the 14th floor where I'll have a bigger cubicle and a window. In fact, now I'll be on the same floor as some of L'Oreal's Management including David Craggs, the President of Professional Products Divisions at L'Oreal USA. I'm excited yet also nervous! What a great adventure and opportunity.

26 July, 2006

This week has been a tough one for me. Monday, I received a notice from our Holy Cross representative that a classmate and friend of mine, Shelia Lynch '05, had passed away suddenly on Saturday. Shelia was incredible, completely dedicated to the service of others, and one of the nicest people you'd ever meet. She had been my biology partner freshman year and we shared many close friends. I am still in disbelief and feel quite saddened by the news of this tragedy. Words cannot even express how heart-broken, scared and awful I feel. Next week is a fundraiser event here in NYC for the Shelia E. Lynch Memorial Scholarship. I'll be there but I wish there was more I could do.

19 July, 2006

It's evaluation season! As I mentioned a few days ago, I personally had my mid-year tap. After talking to a few more friends, it seems like everyone is having reviews! My college roommate had her one-year review (compared to my 'mid-calendar year') and received a percentage raise. And it's not just us college grads who are being reviewed. In some instances I have friends who are re-evaluating the company they've chosen to work for and are switching jobs now that have a better idea of their personal interests and priorities. Plus, my friends from the class of 2006 have already found jobs! I can barely keep up with everyone's changes!

17 July, 2006

Recently at work I had my mid-year TAP (Talent Appraisal Process) review. I met with my manager to go over the goals and goal measurements we had set together at the end of January. Because I had changed responsibilities in early March, we also adjusted my goals accordingly. The best part was that my manager informed me that I would be receiving my first raise! How exciting! My job is a continual learning adventure. Everyday brings new events and experiences!

9 July, 2006

I have had many advantages and conveniences since entering the real world. The one I have overlooked the most is returning to my home city. By moving back to NYC I have never had to change my driver's license, re-register my car, declare my new residency, or learn my way around a new area.

Some of my friends have gone through "the process."  Usually the hardest step is figuring out what to do, but fortunately many people go through it together so that it becomes a collective experience. I am grateful for my smooth and fairly simple transition into the real world.

6 July, 2006

A number of my friends who are just "entering the real world" (class of 2006ers) have asked me the same question: Sarah, is it hard to meet new people in the real world?  Some inquire about making new friends while others wonder romantically. In my personal experience, I'd have to say no worries for either scenario.

Although the majority of the people I hang out with on a regular basis are my HC friends (along with a handful of high school friends and a handful of Dartmouth friends), I have found myself meeting new people every other weekend. Not only did I find a new group (a variety of ages) at work, who have become more than just coworkers, but I have also met new people through friends of friends. 

And yes, there is love after college. I know there's this scary stat/rumor that 70% of HC grads meet their significant other at Holy Cross, but fear-not if you fall into "that other 30%." Age seems to be less relevant in the "real world," increasing the number of people you might meet. The obvious formula is that the more you go out or join activities, the more people you're going to encounter. If you stay active, social and open you just may find yourself with lots of options (old and new).

28 June, 2006

What do 387 people and $11,000 have in common? The answer is Redken's Cut-A-Thon held last Friday!  Members of my communications team at work put together a day-long cut-a-thon where top Redken Artists provided haricuts for a $25 donation to America's Second Harvest – the Nation's Food Bank Network.  We raised over $11,000 and served 387 people!   I of course arrived at 6am to help with the event (which was televised on Fox's Good Morning New York morning show) and volunteered for the entire day.   It was a ton of fun and all the proceeds went to this amazing charity.  It's always great when you can combine multiple passions: helping other people, events, and quality time with co-workers!

19 June, 2006

Presentation skills are extremely valuable in the real world. Last week was our monthly Director's Meeting, which is the opportunity for the Marketing and Media departments to present to the Sales teams things like new product launches, supporting materials, and promotional offers. I have been attending these meetings since my promotion a few months ago, but last week was the first time I presented!

It was much like any other college or high school presentation - except for the added pressure of my boss and senior management sitting in the room! Personally, not having a podium or table in front of me was a new (and somewhat challenging) experience, but in the end I received a significant amount of positive feedback.

There seems to be a lot of stuff I did in college that continues in the real world - just at a more intense level. Presenting is certainly one of those things!

16 June, 2006

Today is my birthday!  I can't believe I'm turning twenty-three.  It is such an uneventful number to reach, I do not even think I'll be celebrating much tonight. I feel in limbo between "college-aged" and "an adult." It is extraordinarily scary to think that in two years, I'll be twenty-five.  I'm afraid to blink because next thing I know I'll be sixty-three. Time - it's one of the few things humankind cannot control.