I finally have a job!
This week was a bit overwhelmingly busy, but honestly manageable. School generally has gotten to the point where I am so close to the end that I cannot be bothered, so work is just something to get over with. I have one remaining assignment I really care about doing well, but other than that from here on out I think I can just coast, which feels unbelievably good. I love school, and I’m going to miss being in an environment where I get to be around people who talk about the things I’m interested in all the time. Alas, life goes on, and all things considered I believe I will maintain my values well enough to continue to maintain those interests.
I’m actually really proud of myself for the job I’ve taken. Not for its prestige; I’m pretty sure they don’t require a degree. The reason I am so happy about this is because I was able to put my money where my mouth was, resist the corporate, suburban lifestyle my entire upbringing and business school education imposed on me, and actually choose a path that will make me happy. Is the pay good? Not really. Health care and 401k? Nope. Could I have gotten a “good” job with all of those things? Graduating from VSB, yeah probably, and that’s the best part. There were moments I very nearly gave up and just took a worthless but safe job, but I didn’t, and I’m proud of myself for that.
Starting in late May, I’ll be working a front desk job at a hotel at the entrance to Yellowstone National Park, and will be living in West Yellowstone, Montana, right on the borders of Idaho and Wyoming. I am so unbelievably excited to do this. The company I’ll be working for advertises their jobs as opportunities to really get to explore the place you live, which is so cool to me. I plan on driving out there, so I’ll be able to really explore all over the west and fall in love with Yellowstone as a park. I’ve always wanted to visit all the parks, but I think that getting to really know one and have something of a relationship with it will genuinely allow me to appreciate them all in a deeper way.
I’ve set myself the goal of climbing Grand Teton while I’m there. Grand Teton and Yellowstone were two of the first parks I ever visited, and as such hold a special place in my heart. Plus, of course, the Grand Tetons are featured on the album art for Ye, which is an additional point of interest for me personally.
One thing I also need to make sure I do is keep writing. I’m in the process of writing my thesis for my Humanities major senior seminar, and the more I write for it the more I realize that I could easily expand it into something substantial. I’ve always wanted to write a book, and under the stars of the Big Sky state is the exact place I imagine I could find the inspiration to do so. Regardless, I need to keep writing. It means the world to me, and I need to make sure I do it without academics and The Villanovan to keep me honest.
I also just had a really great week overall. On Friday, my friends and I went to Arnold’s to go-kart, which, as stupid as it sounds, was actually a lot of fun. I was shocked how fast they are and it fulfilled my ~masculine urge~ to do stupid things in a vehicle, for now at least. We went on to Infinitos, which is an all-you-can-eat pizza place and frankly one of the most absurd places I have ever been in my life. For literally $10 you can get all the pizza you want, and for as cheap as that is the pizza was honestly decent. 10/10 experience, would recommend (although I was in pain after making sure I got my money’s worth).
We ended the night with a party, and it was the first one in a while that we actually got people to really get into it and have a good time. Everything else we’ve tried ended up being way too lowkey, but this one was really fun and everyone seemed to have a great time, which I was thrilled about.
Saturday was mostly relaxed, but my closer friends and I finally got our Dead Poets’ Society off the ground again. We watched the film once more, which is always a wonderful experience, and of course I cried a good bit. That movie holds such a special place in my life, and I sincerely do not think I will ever tire of it. I haven’t written any poetry in a long time, but I hope I can find the inspiration again soon. We made a fire and discussed around it, read some poems, and just had a very nice night. I’ve missed that all year, and I hope it keeps going through the end.
I’m deeply thankful for the way this week went. I’m free of my job search. My friends seem to all be acting with full intentionality and are actively trying to make sure the rest of college is great. And I’m already having a good week this week, but since I’m writing this later than usual I’ll save that for next week’s post.
The good times are rolling, for however much longer they’ll last.
Song of the Week:
The Line 
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