Personal Growth Project

My name is Erin and I want to be a blogger. I've been toying with the idea for some time now, I've even written a blog here and there on my myspace page. But I've never really committed to maintaining a blog, until now.

I'm going to write often, whenever the mood strikes, about my life. It will be my virtual diary, serving as a forum to express my emotions and organize my thoughts. I don't plan on dishing about my deepest, darkest secrets (you'll have to get to know me for those). In fact, I don't really know what I'll write about. But write, I will.

I've decided to take on this project as part of the very last assignment I'll ever complete for school (unless I do something crazy like get a second Masters or a Doctorate - highly unlikely.) In less than two weeks, I will graduate with a Masters degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from St. Bonaventure University. The last assignment for the last class is called a "Personal Growth Project." It's a purposely-vague assignment meant to encourage reflection on what we've learned since the start of this program sixteen months ago.

I've learned A LOT and I don't want to forget what this period of my life has been like. Therefore, I'd better write it down since I have the memory of a goldfish.

Some lessons have included:

1. How to use InDesign.
2. The proper way to write a creative brief.
3. I hate marketing research.
4. Sleeping in on Saturday mornings is a blessing.
5. No one in China speaks English. Not even a little.
6. I can sit at a computer for 12 straight hours.
7. Erin Haskell creates doodle masterpieces.

The most important lessons have been what I've learned about myself. I'm a different person than when I started this program. I'm not sure exactly how it happened; I think it was a combination of love from my family, support from friends, personal realizations, career choices and a few lessons in the classroom.

Regardless of HOW it happened, I am a happier, more secure, more outgoing person than I was last August. I decided to go back to school because I didn't know what else to do with my life. At the age of 22, I had lost my identity. I had been dependent on others to make me happy for so long that I was afraid to be alone because I didn't know myself anymore. I forgot what it felt like to be passionate about something, to explore new ideas and get excited about new things and new people. It was not a pleasant place to be.

The IMC program and the people in it helped me to regain confidence in myself. That, in turn, helped me with all the other stuff. These past sixteen months have truly been a “bona venture” or “good journey” for me, for many, many reasons. I'll talk about them in future posts. For now, it's time for bed.