the Road Less Traveled

I’m not a college graduate. Well, I have an associates degree, but that doesn’t count.

Last year when I posted my “Dream It, Do It” ~ a list of goals and plans for my 27th year of life, one of the plans was Apply to SDSU (again). I was accepted to SDSU upon high school graduation, but didn’t follow that path at the time. The ten years between then and now have been spent sporadically engaging in the pursuit of higher education but primarily exploring a host of jobs- everything from flying the friendly skies to teaching yoga in the ocean. During those ten years, I managed to accrue a whopping ninety college credits (about three years worth of undergrad).

In November 2012 I re-applied to San Diego State as a transfer student, with an intended major of journalism. In my “college graduate fantasy,” someone pays me to travel the world and pursue my passions- surfing, art, paddling, yoga, and writing… and I get to creatively assemble photos, video, and my own rambling prose into something resembling an article. I imagine someone asking me what my major was in college and casually replying “Journalism”… feeling worldly, creative, interesting and cool.

My daydreams of “college graduate life” include mostly me wandering barefoot with a camera, surfboard, and friends and taking epic yoga shots in trees and on beaches. Ah yes, the “college graduate life” sounds amazing.

After submitting my application in November, I returned my focus to my current job- teaching paddle yoga and managing a website, blog, and social media for the company. We led two incredible teacher trainings in paddle yoga and traveled to Costa Rica. With ups, come downs… and no self-employed person goes without the occasional (seemingly) major crisis.

One day, a seemingly-major crisis was in full effect. I was stressed out, anxious, and ready to throw in the towel, open a bottle of wine, and curl up into the fetal position. Fed up, I (naturally) turned to Facebook. That led me to my email, where I found a bright, shiny message in my inbox from San Diego State University.

Dear Amelia Travis,

Congratulations! You have been admitted to San Diego State University for fall 2013. We look forward to you becoming an Aztec and trust that you will take advantage of everything SDSU has to offer.

Brilliant. Lovely. Here I am, throwing myself heart and soul into this job and dealing with crazy, unexpected chaos… and now I can let it go! I can go to college! I can be a college graduate with the degree and the… bragging rights? Um… wait.

I do what I love every day already. If you asked me what my dream job would be… this is what I’d say.

Working for myself, doing the things that I love. Surfing, yoga, paddling, writing, and art. Getting to explore the world and be creative. Facing new challenges and new opportunities… making my own hours, working outdoors, and sharing my passions with other people.

So… acceptance letter in one hand. Annoying and frustrating small-business issues that may or may not lead to ruin of the current direction my career is going in the other hand.

Decisions, decisions…

How many people (college graduate notwithstanding) can say that they truly love what they do every day? I think few.

Peace out, SDSU. I’m taking the road less traveled. I refuse to feel burdened by some imagined expectation that society has for my life. I’m saying screw it, if I can just surf, teach yoga, paint, and write for the rest of my life… I really don’t need a degree to do that. And if at some point I change my mind, SDSU, I know you will be there. Thank you for accepting me. You’ve made me feel worthwhile.

And I get to cross it off my blog list. Dream It, Do It. Check!