Hello Brothers,

This is the first iteration of series I am calling Colin’s Contemplations.

I am writing about my thoughts on life changes, especially with education, employment & personal changes. I think all the alumni and most of the undergraduate Brothers can agree that any change in life is scary, especially with employment. I write this as I have just finished my employment at my previous employer, a place I was at in some capacity since May of 2021, my first job with my new degree in my new field of mental health. I realized that, after I accomplished my two main goals with that job (gain my independent licensure and pay off my student loans), I could leave the job, but I felt like I couldn’t. I kept making excuses, first trying to find a job that was “the right fit”, then making excuses of “oh, I really dislike management and the commute, but my clients make it worth it”, and then I moved to a house-sitting gig with my partner, and that was almost 42 miles one way from work.

I decided to take a leap of faith and almost completely change my career field and going from working with strictly adults on probation to working with children in schools. As an alumni that I look to once said, “Colin, you don’t need to stay in a job for your life. You just need to stay in for your resume and learn what you need to do to move up in life. I go into every new job looking for some skills, some knowledge, and some way to improve how I look to new employers” (you know who you are). Brothers, it is okay to be scared and it is okay to be nervous. But, take it from me, sometimes life can be scary, especially when you do not know that the correct path is the path you chose but know that you have support systems in place to help you navigate the great unknowns of life. Reach out to your loved ones, reach out to your friends, and reach out to the alumni for advice & feedback.

See you on the next iteration of Colin’s Contemplations.

– Brother Colin Tetkoski ’18