While in college who you are often defined by your involvement; whether that’s in a club, organization, sports team, sorority or fraternity. At least that’s how I’ve felt for the last 3.5 years. When people would ask, “Tell me a little about yourself” I would say like
“I’m an integrated marketing communications major and theater minor at Ithaca College. I’m president of this club and that club. I studied abroad and love London. Blah Blah Blah”
Basically I would read off my resume to people. Which wasn’t a terrible thing considering all of these experiences consumed my life for the past few years. But now that I’m no longer in college (for a whole like 2 weeks) I begin to really wonder who I am. Disclaimer: I am not having an identity crisis. I know who I am and what I believe in. It’s more like, what interests do I posses that exist outside my career? Who am I when I’m not working? What qualities do I have after 5pm? In college sometimes your are so immersed in your studies which you use to launch your career that you can lose the other things that support your human development. I want to be more than the job I do.
I’m talking about what I like to call “life fillers”. Things that surround your working life with meaning. So when people ask me, “Tell me a little about yourself.” I’ll be able to answer with, “Well in my free time I…”
The biggest “life filler” I’ve been pursuing since July has been creative writing. After returning home from London I dealt with a bit of emotional turmoil. My life outside my “career” was rather unstable and I turned to writing as an outlet for my emotions. From July to October I wrote over 150 pages of an unfinished novel which is loosely based on my semester abroad. When I returned home a week ago I began my second book. I do not hope to have anything published but rather hope to continue to pursue writing in my spare time as a form of expression and therapy.
“Life fillers” aren’t just meant to give you something interesting to say at dinner parties or dates but rather support the person you hope to be in life. They should change, transform and grow over time. You should keep old ones and find new ones. Ultimately, they should help define the person you want to be beyond your life 9am-5pm Monday through Friday.
Marissa Osowsky 