This Girl Has Big Plans: Everything I Wanted To Be
Hello, Citizens of The Blogosphere,
Today, I'm talking about everything I wanted to be before becoming a full-time artist and business owner.
Did you know? Although I always knew that art would be a significant part of my life, I actually never planned on becoming a full-time artist.
Here are some of the plans that I had for what I wanted to be when I grew up.
- Chef: When I was in my teens, I watched the Food Network all day, every day and it really made me get into cooking. I actually applied to culinary school and it was my backup option if I didn't get into UCLA as a transfer student.
- Archeologist: As a child, I loved adventure stories and wanted to be an adventurer. With rose-colored glasses tinted by the silver screen, I pursued Archeology (a specific field of Anthropology) in college under the assumption that it was all about tomb raiding and treasure hunting. In actuality, Archeology involves a lot more preparation, research, grant writing, careful study of artifacts and admin work than I initially thought and eventually I decided that it was not for me.
- Geologist: For a brief spell, I wanted to pursue Geology. I took a bunch of courses in community college and was fascinated by our incredible earth. I was even the treasurer of my geology club for a short time. When I transferred to UCLA, I decided not to pursue Geology and instead dove headfirst into Anthro. Since moving to Tucson, I've definitely rekindled my love for Geology but pursue it more as a hobby these days.
- Cultural Anthropologist: When I transferred to UCLA, I focused on the cultural side of Anthropology and dreamed about studying different aspects of modern life. I was particularly interested in the Anthropology of Food, Anthropology & Economics, The Anthropology of Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication and Cultural Constructs.
- Professor/Teacher: While I was in college, I loved teaching and breaking concepts down into simplified and more easily understood information. I tutored different topics when I was in school and even created illustrated study guides using my class notes (which is actually where I got the name "Annotated Audrey"). When I got a work-study job, I took it upon myself to create training materials based on the work that I was doing and when I was hired full-time in a different position, I created employee handbooks to facilitate the onboarding process. Eventually, I decided that teaching wasn't for me because I hate public speaking and have a lot of social anxiety.
We are composites of the information we collect and the actions we take. Even though I didn't end up pursuing these career paths, I still use my past experiences and knowledge in my daily life as an artist.
Knowing how to cook allows me to experience different cultures through food and helps sustain my body with nutritious and delicious foods. Archeology helps fuel my desire to learn about the past and to seek adventure in the present. Geology helps inform my love for the earth and the natural processes that go into creating our planet's beauty. Anthropology shapes the way I see the world and allows me to infuse the culture that surrounds me into my work. My love for pedagogy inspires me to be a lifelong learner and encourages me to share what I learn about life with others.
As an artist, I am inspired by everything around me. My art is a reflection of who I was, who I am and who I want to be.
Extra Credit: What did you want to be? How does that impact who you are now?
"This Girl Has Big Plans," holographic sticker will be available at annotatedaudrey.com this Friday and you will have the option to add it to your cart for just $2.00 with any purchase. (It will be a pop-up at checkout.) Here's a video of how shiny the sticker is: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9CoIjBhmqk/
Thanks so much for following along on my creative journey.
XO, Audrey
Follow Me on Instagram: @annotatedaudrey