How I always knew without really knowing that I was destined for planning

I didn't put a concrete finger on it until Stacy introduced me to the world of planning in the summer of 2003. But I always thought "there has to be more than this. This can't be it." about everything. but mostly about my future.

I had many passions. I took a graphic design class in 10th grade, and I loved it. We would learn how to do things but then be assigned to do whatever we wanted with our knowledge. I remember designing a cd insert for my band. I remember experimenting with combinations of squares and a Sharpie. I remember silk screening a T-shirt that said ROCKSTAR (star for the A) on it. I remember drawing a scene of a faceless grunge band practising in a garage. I thought that this was what I wanted to do. But I couldn't picture myself doing it. I couldn't form a clear image in my mind of being a graphic designer. Usually I can picture everything and stage "scenes" of instances in my mind. The fact that I couldn't here always was unsettling.

In 11th grade I took Psychology. I fell in love. I'm still in love. I thought that this was what I wanted to do. But I couldn't picture myself doing it.

In 12th grade, I took Art History AP. It was the absolute love of my life. I poured my life into it, got As, carried my 8lb. book everywhere I went, got a 5 on the exam, noticed elements of things in life that pertained to art, went to Manhattan with my class to be moved in 5 museums by art that we had studied. Some people got tired and just wanted to go shopping, but during that trip was when my jaw dropped the most. I loved the class the most. I thought that this was what I wanted to do. But I couldn't picture myself doing it.

In college, around sophomore and junior years, I had declared myself a business major. I lived for the B-school, loved the black and white of it. accounting. finance. I loved thinking about the energy of the powerhouses on Wall St. and the NYSE. I thought that this was what I wanted to do. But I couldn't picture myself doing it.

I got painfully close with marketing. I loved learning about brands creating emotional connections with people, loved learning about why people buy the things they buy. But I still couldn't picture myself doing it. at least not concretely.

Now that I have discovered planning, it seems like it was painfully obvious the entire time. I always loved social psychology the most. loved the consumer behavior classes the most. My entire life, I've always been fascinated by things. ANY things. everything new and different. I know this is why I went through a goth phase for 2 to 3 years. It was different, mysterious, the opposite of the bland preppiness of everyone I went to school with. same with my grunge phase, my punk phase, my ultra-colorful glitter/anime phase, my fashion phase, and whatever it is that I am now.

I felt passion for all of my loves, too. Italy, art, travel, food, japan, minimalism, film, everything. I always took pride in the fact that I had so many interests. martial arts, everything music, interior design.

(aside: an ex boyfriend called me "not well-rounded" once, and I never forgot that. It was because I didn't like sports. I was madder than I had ever been at him. He liked sports, America, Republicanism, and that's it. How's that for well-rounded!)

Planning lets me combine all of these passions. They all combine to broaden my approaches to problems and make me a better planner. I have to experience everything. I could go to Tokyo by myself for a month, and it would only make me a better planner. I could serve fries at Burger King for a year, and it would only make me a better planner. This is it. my life. I am only 23, and for the sixth time (I didn't mention wanting to be a pizza maker when I was eight) I am saying that I think that this is what I want to do. But for the first time, I can actually picture myself doing it.