figuring it out.
10.27.17
From the time that I was 17 until now, 31, I’ve worked at a Blockbuster, as a statistical analyst at a labor union, a bike messenger in Pittsburgh, a legal secretary, a telemarketer for a ballet theater, a farm worker; and at this place called Scream Sorbet, where I was fired on my first day because I didn’t make the sorbet fast enough. I’ve worked as a Montessori school teacher, French-English bilingual school teacher, and as a biochemist. With a couple of stints here and there as a stadium announcer and professional Frisbee player.
There seems to be this narrative, that when you graduate college, you need to ‘figure it out.’ Be really good at something. Or pick something, and then get good at it right away. I didn’t do that. Instead, I did a lot of different jobs. And that let me spend time developing my skills, developing relationships, living in the community, challenging all these things I thought about the world very directly. And I think doing all that really helped me to figure it out better than any one job ever could.
I sort of look down on this idea that people should go and travel and see the world, live in six different countries for six months; and then they’ll be ready to go back to grad school or get a job. I don’t think that necessarily helps you find out who you are. I think you need to be within your context to grow. You have to learn to adapt to the society you’re a part of.
So how do you know physical therapy is the one?
Things are always going to change. But I’ve really enjoyed this journey, as hard as the work is sometimes. In clinical, it felt right. But I’m going to be a human first and foremost. A person that maintains relationships and friendships and is hopefully a father some day.
And, I’m going to be a physical therapist as well.
Daniel Chazin
Class of 2019