Topic: Self-Esteem
0
Candi Jackson
Northwestern State University
PYSC 2050 1AI
Writing Assignment 1
Reflection On Me
April 10, 2024
Education
Having a degree has always been something I desired to have. When I graduated from high school in 1994, I went to Southern University, where I studied business administration for a semester. I then transferred to USL in Lafayette, where I attended for two years off and on. Back then, I wasn’t taking school seriously, so I dropped out and joined the U.S. Army; I did four years active and four years reserve before getting out. Once I left the military, I attended a technical school and received a technical diploma in Office Systems Technology. Still, as I started looking for jobs, I needed more than this diploma to get the jobs I wanted and to make decent money. Therefore, I returned to school and worked on my bachelor’s degree. I started at South Louisiana Community College, receiving my associate degree in general studies. I’m enrolled at Northwestern State University to obtain my bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in addiction studies.
The reason I chose this career is because I had a personal experience with a family member that I love who has been addicted to drugs all his life, and after 20-plus years, he decided to regain his life back and get off drugs. This has inspired me to want to help others who are fighting drug addiction and want to regain their life back.
My college experience has been challenging but enriching; I have been receiving a lot of help from my coworkers. I work at a middle school as a bookkeeper, so many educated peers surround me. My long-term goal is to work in a clinic where I can counsel those who need support to get off drugs. I do believe that to be successful in my career, I will need a master’s degree to get the certifications and license that I need to be a better counselor and to make more money in my career.
Career
The career I desire, and the educational route I’m pursuing will lead me in the right direction. Majoring in Psychology and minoring in Addiction Studies will give me the knowledge and skills I need to be effective in my career as a counselor for individuals with drug addictions. The current job I’m currently working in will not benefit from my degree, but the place I work can. I work at a middle school, so I can use my degree to become a guidance counselor for students with my degree. This would be a significant promotion and career change to make me more money. Counseling is my calling, and I’m very suited to the job. I’m a great listener, problem solver, empathic to other people’s problems, and a great communicator. I’m delighted with the career I’m pursuing and can’t wait to make my dream a reality.
I plan to stay current in my profession by attending conferences for counselors and continuing to study to keep current with my knowledge after graduation. My plan of study can lead me to different careers, such as becoming a psychologist, by continuing to further my degree with a Ph.D.
Victory Addiction Recovery Center, located in Lafayette, LA, is a professional organization that is a great place to work in the field and position where I want to pursue my career. As a residential counselor for this addiction center, you can make up to $75,000 annually. This job would be the job I dream of having, working to save lives and make a great living.
Financial
I was 14 years old when I had my first job. I worked on this summer program named JTPA at the recreation center in my little town. The job was fun because I had many of my friends and brother work there. My dislikes about the job were being with the little kids constantly all day. Being young myself, I found it hard to control them at times. I used to save all my money for the entire summer and buy my school clothes yearly. This was my opportunity to buy anything I wanted and spend my own freely without limitation. On this job, taxes were taken out of each check, but it was ok because I was making decent money for being a teenager and didn’t have any bills to pay.
After graduating with my degree, I expect to make at least $40,000 a year until I go to grad school and get my master’s to make more. The job market looks very promising for my career, so I should be fine finding a job in my field of study.
The career I have chosen will always have opportunities because life is stressful, and many people don’t know how to handle stress, so they turn to alcohol or drugs to cope. Therefore, I will probably make more money in the next five years.
I want to retire by 62, but I still want to be young enough to enjoy life and travel. To be in a good place, I would love to save $150,000. It might sound like a bit of money, but I’m 47 years old and don’t have much savings now. I have put over $20,000 into retirement, and I’m trying to reach a realistic goal. I don’t have much debt; therefore, I should be fine.
Family
My definition of family is an unbreakable bond that shouldn’t be broken. Family isn’t just blood relation to me. Family doesn’t have to be by birth, marriage, or adoption. It’s a bond you can make with anyone that you feel is special in your life. That can hold a special place in your heart. Some people you meet and form close bonds with are considered just like family. You have someone to love you unconditionally despite all your shortcomings. Family is there in good times and bad.
I had a good childhood; it was normal. When I turned nine, my parents divorced, and my mom, brother, and I moved in with my grandparents. My mom soon moved away and left my brother and I with my grandparents. My dad remarried and had more kids, then started a new life with his new family. I always felt a little envious of my little sister and brother, but my grandparents gave me much love and attention, even though we didn’t get it from our parents.
My adolescent years were great. I met some good friends who became more like family to me. One of my teenage best friends’ mothers treated me like I was her daughter, and whatever she bought her, she would also buy for me. I spent my teen years having fun and being a kid.
My adult years became more challenging because I was on my own and figuring things out for myself once I graduated from high school. I even got married at the age of 20, still young and figuring out life, but as the years went on, life got a little easier as I became more knowledgeable about surviving in the world as an adult.
Community
The community I selected to discuss is the neighborhood. Neighborhood people play a significant role in the community. They keep watch, monitor, and protect everyone in their community. Being a part of the neighborhood community can help save many lives because they are so involved and genuinely love the people in their neighborhood.
Growing up, everyone in the neighborhood was like family. They fed you, babysit you, and made sure you were taken care of and safe. You couldn’t do anything wrong because it didn’t matter who it was; anyone in the neighborhood was at liberty to discipline you, and there was nothing you could do about it. This was a good thing, like the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” We felt safe in our neighborhood and didn’t have to worry about being kidnapped or killed. If a family were having a hard time, the people in the neighborhood would get together to help that family. A lot has changed in the neighborhood communities since then.
The neighborhood I grew up in has changed a lot since I have grown up and left home. Mostly, all of the older people who lived in the neighborhood have died or moved with other family members so they can be taken care of since they have gotten old. The people I had as neighbors growing up are not the same neighbors I have living near me today. Times have changed, and so did the people. It’s hard to trust people these days because it seems as if everyone has a motive behind everything they do for you. Don’t get me wrong; some genuine people are still out there but are hard to trust.
Today, we can return to the neighborhood we once had that was supportive and looked out for everyone on the block. It only takes one person to spread goodness, and everyone will follow. They still have some loving and caring people in the world, but drugs, racism, and pride have taken over. If we come together as a community, we can take back the youth and protect them as the older adults in the neighborhood once did. Our motto should be “It takes a village to raise a child,” this is because we can’t be everywhere they are.
Writing this essay made me reflect on my past, present, and future, and I was very enlightened by it all.
Work Cited
Job search | indeed. (n.d.).
