PART 1 : MILWAUKEE , WI / 08.2014 - 12.2014
I lived and worked in Milwaukee for four months last fall for my second co - op at Design Fugitives. I lived with strangers, and was the only UC student there. Essentially I arrived completely alone, which gave me a lot of opportunity and time to learn more about myself. There were times of loneliness, but also times of belonging. My co-workers at Design Fugitives, a small firm of 6 people, were quick to welcome me to Milwaukee and the company, and into their own lives. I spent as much time with all of them as I did with myself, and I learned how to be comfortable with one's own company. These four months were the only time that I have truly spent alone in a sense, and I learned how to thrive in it. This experience made me feel capable of being a real adult.
I was able to adjust to where I was, and instead of wallowing in my isolation, take advantage of it and reach out to new experiences and build new relationships. I was able to develop close relationships with all of my co-workers because of the size of the firm and given my circumstances, have the time and availability outside of work to get to really know them and their families. I was invited to personal art shows, baby showers, wedding dinners. Those personal relationships are just as valuable to me as the professional connections that I now have with all of them. I would not hesitate to ask them for a recommendation or anything because I am confident that the work I did with them was useful and appreciated.
I am grateful for the time I had here to discover that I could live alone and really enjoy it. I do not need the security and comfort of always being surrounded by people I know and love already. This learning is significant to me because I will most likely need to do that upon graduation and entering the real world, and I am glad to have passed this first test.
I was able to adjust to where I was, and instead of wallowing in my isolation, take advantage of it and reach out to new experiences and build new relationships. I was able to develop close relationships with all of my co-workers because of the size of the firm and given my circumstances, have the time and availability outside of work to get to really know them and their families. I was invited to personal art shows, baby showers, wedding dinners. Those personal relationships are just as valuable to me as the professional connections that I now have with all of them. I would not hesitate to ask them for a recommendation or anything because I am confident that the work I did with them was useful and appreciated.
I am grateful for the time I had here to discover that I could live alone and really enjoy it. I do not need the security and comfort of always being surrounded by people I know and love already. This learning is significant to me because I will most likely need to do that upon graduation and entering the real world, and I am glad to have passed this first test.