Finishing the Year

My fellowship is officially over. This fact is quite remarkable to me. The year has been, at times: new, exciting, invigorating, surprising, frustrating, and, overall, rewarding. Minus the word 'new,' these words could describe any year in my life. But I know that this year, in particular, has been especially rewarding.

I have learned about the complexities involved with non-profits, academia, education policy and litigation, the big apple, working for a very small organization, working with minimal supervision, intermingling politics with policy, spending frugally (almost always), cooking, yoga, and how to be a working, independent adult.

Specifically, I have learned: always error on the side of caution--it is always best to overdress, better to do more research than too little, better to get in early and leave early; before asking your director a question, think about all of his or her possible responses and identify when you are asking a question because you do not know which response is the best or because you cannot imagine any of the possible responses; it is important to eat good food to think well; find and appreciate simply joys in every day; try to wrap your head around other people's opinions even if they strongly clash with your own; and say 'thank you' for an opportunity even when you have not yet fully appreciated what you have learned or how you will grow from that opportunity.

At the beginning of my fellowship position, I didn't fully understand how working at the Campaign would further my intellectual, career, and overall development. And on my last day of work, I was amazed at how many opportunities and experiences I witnessed in the past year that have strengthened my appreciation for leaders in the public sector and my passion to be one someday.